1 Kings 7

BUT Solomon was building his own house The Royal Palace for himself, and for his Successors. Or, his houses, the Singular Number being put for the Plural. Thirteen years Almost double time to that in which the Temple was Built; because neither were the Materials so far provided and prepared for this, as they were for the Temple: nor did either he or his People use the same alacrity and diligence in this, as in the other Work; nor had they the same Obligations to this Work, as they had to that, to which they were quickned by God's Express Command; and by the necessity of setting up God's Worship there, as the Foundation of all the hopes and happiness both of King and People, whereas this building was only for Solomon's greater conveniency, and he had already a Palace of David's building., and he finished all his house.

¶ He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon An House so called. Either, First, Because it was built in the Mountain and Forest of Lebanon, for his recreation there in Summer-time. But it is generally and more probably held, that it was in or near Ierusalem, both because there was the of judgment, v. 7. which was fittest to be in the place of his constant and usual residence: and because there was the chief Magazin of Arms, Isa. 22. 8. and Solomon's Golden Shields were put there, as is manifest from 1 King. 10. 17. and 14. 25, 26, 28. which no wise Prince would do in a place so remote from his Royal City, and in the utmost Borders of his Kingdom, as this was. Or rather, Secondly, From some resemblance it might have with that place, for the pleasant Shades and Groves which were about it: nothing being more frequent both in Sacred and other Writers, than to transfer the names of Carmel, or Tempe, or the like, to other places of the same nature and quality with them., the length thereof To wit, of the principal Mansion; to which doubtless other buildings were adjoyned. was a hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedarpillars Upon which the House was built, and between which there were four stately Walks., with cedar-beams upon the pillars Which were laid for the Floor of the second Story..

And it was covered with cedar above upon the beams that lay on forty five pillars, fifteen in a row So in this second Story were only three rows of pillars, which was sufficient for the ornament of the second, and for the support of the third Story..

And there were windows in three rows, and light was against light One directly opposite or answering to the other, as is usual in well-contrived Buildings. in three ranks One exactly under another..

And all the doors and posts were square with the windows: and light was against light in three ranks He speaks, either first, of the the same lights mentioned v. 4. it being the manner of the Hebrews to repeat the same things. Or rather, of the smaller Windows or Lights, which were over the several Doors, as the manner of many Buildings is..

¶ And he made a porch of pillars i. e. Supported by divers Pillars, for the more Magnificent entrance into the House; upon which also it is thought there were other Rooms built, as in the House., the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits: and the porch Now mentioned, which is said to be before them, i. e. before the Pillars on which the House of Lebanon stood; or, before the Doors and Posts mentioned v. 5. or, a porch, i. e. another and a lesser Porch, which was before them, i. e. before the Pillars of the greater Porch now mentioned. was before them: and the other pillars Or, and i. e. fewer and lesser Pillars for the support of the lesser Porch., and the thick beam Which was laid upon these Pillars, as the others were, v. 2. were before them.

¶ Then he made a porch Another Porch or distinct Room without the House. for the throne Described chap. 10. 18. where he might judge The People that brought their... efore him., even the porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from one side of the floor to the other i. e. The whole Floor; or, from floor to, i. e. from the lower Floor on the Ground, to the upper Floor which covered it..

¶ And his house where he dwelt,... ad another court within the porch i. e. Between the Porch and the House, called therefore the middle court 2 King. 20. 4., which was of the like work. Solomon made also an house for Pharaohs daughter Of which see 1 King. 3. 1. and 2 Chron. 8. 11., (whom he had taken to wife) like unto this porch Not for form or quantity, but for the Materials and Woorkmanship, the Rooms being covered with Cedar, and furnished with like Ornaments..

All these Buildings described here and in the former Chapter. were of costly stones according to the measures of hewed stones Either, First, which were hewed in such measure and proportion as exact Workmen use to hew ordinary Stones Or, Secondly, As large as common hewed Stones, which are oft very great., sawed with saws, within and without Both on the inside of the Buildings which were covered with Cedar, and on the outside also., even from the foundation unto the coping From the bottom to the top of the Building., and so on the outside toward the great court Not only on the outside of the front of the House, which being most visible, men are more careful to adorn; but also of the other side of the House, which looked towards the great Court belonging to the Kings House..

And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits Not square, which would have been both unnecessary, and unportable, and unmanageable; but of solid measure, by which Stones and Timber are usually measured: and so they were only two cubits square, but there were twenty solid Cubits contained in them. And so also the following eight cubits are to be understood., and stones of eight cubits.

And above i. e. In the Roof or upper part; for this is opposed to the foundation. were costly stones Intermixed here the one, and there the other. (after the measures of hewed stones) and cedars Intermixed here the one, and there the other..

And the great court To wit, of Solomon's dwelling-House, mentioned ver. 8. round about, was with three rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedarbeams Of which see the note on 1 King. 6. 36., both for the inner court of the house of the LORD Or, as (Heb. and, which is oft used in that sense for a particle of comparison or similitude, as Prov. 11. 25. and 17. 3. and 25. 23.) for the inner court, &c. i. e. as it was in that inner Court, of which the very same thing is said, 1 King. 6. 36. Otherwise it might seem very improper and impertinent to speak of the Court of the Lord's House here, where he is treating only of Solomon's House., and for the porch of the house Or, of this house, to wit, of which I am here speaking, i e. Of the King's House, the Porch whereof had Pillars, verse 6. and these both of Stone and Cedar, as may seem most probable, because the other Pillars were such. And whereas the number and quality of the Pillars of the Porch was omitted, v. 6. that defect is here supplied, and we are implicitly acquainted with both of them. But this I speak with submission..

¶ And king Solomon sent and fet Hiram out of Tyre.

He was a widows son of the tribe of Naphthali Obj. She was one of the daughters of Dan, 2 Chron. 2. 14. Ans. So indeed Haram King of Tyre there affirms; but he might easily mistake or be misinformed, especially being no Israelite, nor a careful observer of the distinction of Tribes Or, she might be of Dan by her Father, and of Naphthali by her Mother, or by her Husband, who was of that Tribe and therefore she was truly a widow of Naphthali., and his father was a man of Tyre Either by his descent, being a Tyrian by Birth or, by Education and Habitation, he or his Father being given to the study of these Arts, and having planted themselves at Tyre for their improvement therein. However that was, it was a singular Providence of God that there was at that time so excellent a Workman fit for so great and Glorious Works., a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdome and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass And of gold, and stone, and purple, and blew, &c. as is affirmed 2 Chron. 2. 14. But only his skill in brass is here mentioned, because he speaks only of the Brasen things which he made.: and he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.

For he cast two pillars of brass Of which see 2 King. 25. 16, 17. Ier. 52. 21., of eighteen cubits high a piece Obj. They are said to be 35 Cubits high, 2 Chron. 3. 15. Ans. That place manifestly speaks of both the Pillars; and this of each, or one pillar, as it is in the Hebrew. Obj. But then it should have been 36 Cubits. Ans. Either the odd half Cubit is swallowed up either in the top of the Chapter, or in the bottom of the Basis of each Pillar; or, it is neglected in the account, as commonly small measures or numbers are.: and a line of twelve cubits did compass either of them about So the Diameter was four Cubits, which, considering the chapiter of five cubits added to the height of each Pillar, 2 Chron. 3. 14. was not unproportionable to the height..

And he made two chapiters of molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars: the height of the one chapiter was five cubits Obj. It is but three cubits in 2 King. 25. 17. Ans. The word chapiter is taken diversly, as hundreds of other words are, either more largely for the whole, so it is 5 Cubits; or, more strictly, either for the pommels, as they are called, 2 Chron. 4. 12. or for the Cornice or Crown, and so it was but three Cubits, to which the Pomegranates being added make it four cubits, as it is below, ver. 19. and the other work upon it took up one Cubit more, which in all made five cubits., and the height of the other chapiter was five cubits.

And nets of checker-work, and wreathes of chain-work, for the chapiters Which those Nets and Wreathes did encompass, either covering, and as it were receiving and holding the Pomegranates, or being mixed with them. which were upon the top of the pillars: seven for the one chapiter, and seven for the other chapiter.

And he made Or, so he made, or framed, or perfected: Either of Pomegranates, by comparing this with v. 20. or of some other curious Work. the pillars, and two rows x round about upon the net-work, to cover the chapiters that were upon the top, with pomegranates: and so did he for the other chapiter.

And the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars, were of lily-work Made like the Leaves of Lillies, or such Flowers. in the porch Or, as in the porch, i. e. such Work as there was in the Porch of the Temple, in which these Pillars were set, v. 21. that so the Work of the tops of these Pillars might agree with that in the top of the Porch. So there is only an Ellipsis or defect of the Particle as, which is frequent, as Gen. 49. 9. Deut. 33. 22. Psal. 11. 1. Isa. 21. 8., four cubits Of which see on ver. 16..

And the chapiters upon the two pillars, had pomegranates also above, over against the belly So he calls the middle part of the Chapiter, and that which jetted furthest out. which was by the net-work: and the pomegranates were two hundred These Pomegranates are variously accounted in Scriptures. They are said to be ninety and six on a side of a pillar, i. e. in one row, and in all an hundred, Jer. 52. 23. four great Pomegranates between the several Checquer-works being added to the first 96. And it must needs be granted, that there were as many on the other side of the Pillar, or in the other Row, which makes them 200 upon a Pillar, as is here said, and 400 upon both Pillars, as they are numbred, 2 Chron. 4. 13., in rows round about upon the other chapiter.

And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple Where they were placed for mere Ornament and Magnificence, for they supported nothing.: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin Iachin signifies he, i. e. God shall establish, to wit, his Temple, and Church, and People: and Boaz signifies, in it, or rather, in him (to answer the he in the former name) is strength. So these Pillars being eminently strong and stable, were in a manner Types or Documents of that strength which was in God, and would be put forth by God for the defending and establishing of his Temple and People, if they were careful to keep the conditions required by God on their parts.: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz.

And upon the top of the pillars was lilywork: so was the work of the pillars finished.

¶ And he made a molten sea He melted the Brass, and cast it into the form of a great Vessel, for its vastness called a Sea, which name is given by the Hebrews to all great collections of Waters. The use of it was for the Priests to wash their Hands and Feet, or other things as occasion required, with the Water which they drew out of it. See 2 Chron. 4. 6. Compare Exod. 30. 19, 20., ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.

And under the brim of it round about, there were knops Or, carved or molten figures: for learned Hebricians note, that this word signifies the Figures or Pictures of all sorts, as Flowers, Beasts, &c. This general word is particularly explained of oxen, 2 Chron. 2. 3. unless there were so many Figures, or Sculptures of Gourds, or other Flowers; and in each of these a little Ox's head. compassing it, ten in a cubit So there were 300 in all., compassing the sea round about: the knops were cast Together with the Sea, not carved. in two rows It seems doubtful whether the second row had ten in each Cubit, and so there were 300 more; or, whether the ten were distributed into five in each row., when it was cast.

It stood upon twelve oxen Of solid Brass, which was necessary to bear so great a weight. It is probably conceived, that the Water was by Cocks drawn out of the Mouths of these Oxen., three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east Partly, for the more equal and convenient support of the Vessel; and partly, that divers persons might draw Water out of it at the same time, which was frequently necessary, especially in great Solemnities.: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder-parts were inward.

And it was an hand-breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths Which amounts to 500 Barrels, each Bath containing about 8 Gallons; the Bath being a measure of the same bigness with an Ephah, Ezek. 45. 11. Obj. This Sea is said to contain 3000 Baths, 2 Chron. 4. 5. Ans. Either there were two sorts of Baths, as of Cubits, the one common, the other Sacred, and the Sacred held half as much more as the common: or rather he here speaks of what it did actually and usually contain, to wit, 200 Baths, which was sufficient for use; and in 2 Chron. 4. 5. he speaks of what it could contain if it were filled to the brim, as it is implied in the Hebrew words, which differ from these, and properly sound thus, strengthning it self (to wit, to receive and hold as much as it could, or being filled to its utmost capacity) it contained, or could contain 3000 Baths..

¶ And he made ten bases Upon which stood the ten Lavers mentioned below, v. 38. in which they washed the parts of the Sacrifices, 2 Chr. 4. 6. of brass: four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it.

And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders Broad brims, possibly for the more secure holding of the Lavers., and the borders were between the ledges q:

And on the borders that were between the ledges, were lions, oxen, and cherubims: and upon the ledges there was a base So he calls the uppermost part of the Base: for though it was above, yet it was a Base to the Laver, which stood upon it. above: beneath the lions and oxen were certain additions Either as Bases for the Feet of the said Lions and Oxen: or, only as further Ornaments. made of thin work.

¶ And every base had four brazen wheels Whereby the Bases and Lavers might be carried from place to place as need required., and plates of brass: and the four corners thereof had under-setters Heb. Shoulders; fitly so called, because they strongly supported the Lavers, that they should not fall from their Bases, when the Bases were removed together with the Lavers.: under the laver were undersetters molten, at the side of every addition.

And the mouth of it So he calls that part in the top of the Base which was left hollow, that the Foot of the Laver might be let into it, and fastned in it. within the chapiter i. e. Within the little Base, which he calls the chapiter, because it rose up from, and stood above the great Base, as the Head does above the rest of the Body. and above Above the Chapiter; for the Mouth went up, and grew wider like a Funnel. was a cubit Either in breadth: or rather, in height, v. 35. whereof half a Cubit was above the Chapiter or little Base, as is said ver. 35. and the other half is here implied to be within it, and below it.: but the mouth thereof was round after the work of the base, a cubit and an half To wit, in compass.: and also upon the mouth of it were gravings with their borders, four-square, not round So the innermost part, called the Mouth, was round, but the outward part was square, as when a Circle is made within a Quadrangle..

And under the borders were four wheels: and the axle-trees of the wheels were joyned to the base, and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit.

And the work of the wheels was like the work of a charet-wheel: their axle-trees, and their naves, and their felloes, and their spokes were all molten And cast together with the Bases..

And there were four under-setters to the four corners of one base: and the under-setters were of the very base it self Not only of the same matter, but of the same piece, being cast with it..

And in the top of the base was there a round compass of half a cubit high: and on the top of the base, the ledges thereof, and the borders thereof were of the same.

For on the plates of the ledges thereof, and on the borders thereof, he graved cherubims, lions, and palm-trees, according to the proportion Or, empty place, i. e. according to the bigness of the spaces which were left empty for them, implying that they were smaller than those above-mentioned. of every one, and additions round about.

After this manner he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one cise.

¶ Then made he ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths Ten Barrels; of which see above on ver. 26.: and every laver was four cubits: and upon every one of the ten bases, one laver.

And he put five bases on the right side i. e. In the South-side, as is expressed in the end of the Verse, and as the right side is used above 1 King. 6. 8. and Psal. 89. 12. of the house Not within the House, but in the Priests Court, where they washed either their Hands or Feet, or the parts of the Sacrifices., and five on the left side of the house i. e. On the North-side; for this is here opposed to the right or South-side.: and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, over against the south i. e. In the South-East part, where the Offerings were prepared..

¶ And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and the basons: So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he made king Solomon, for the house of the LORD.

The two pillars, and the two bowls of the chapiters that were on the top of the two pillars: and the two net-works to cover the two bowls of the chapiters, which were upon the top of the pillars:

And four hundred pomegranates for the two net-works, even two rows of pomegranates for one net-work, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters that were upon the pillars:

And the ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases:

And one sea, and twelve oxen under the sea:

And the pots To seethe those parts of the Sacrifices which the Priests or Officers were to eat. To these, flesh-hooks are added, 2 Chron. 4. 16., and the shovels, and the basons: and all these vessels which Hiram made to king Solomon for the house of the LORD, were of bright brass.

In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground Or, in thick clay, fat, and tough, and tenacious, and therefore fittest to make Moulds of all sorts, into which the melted Brass was to be poured., between Succoth and Zarthan.

And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed Because the weighing of them was very troublesome, and to no purpose., because they were exceeding many: neither was the weight of the brass found out.

And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the LORD Such as God by the Mouth of Moses had commanded to be made for his House and Service, and such as Moses had made, only these were larger, and richer, and more, according to the difference of the Temple, and Tabernacle, and Solomon's vast riches, and the poverty of Moses and the Israelites at that time.: the altar of gold To wit, of Incense, as appears from 1 Chron. 28. 18. where this is mentioned amongst the things for which David left Gold, and Solomon is here said to build it; and therefore this cannot be that Altar made by Moses, Exod. 25. 23, 24. and 30. 1, 3. which also was of Shittim-Wood, whereas this was made of Cedar, and covered with Gold, 1 King, 6. 20., and the table of gold, whereupon the show-bread was Under which by a Synecdoche are comprehended both all the utensils belonging to it, and the other ten Tables which he made together with it, 2 Chron. 4. 7, 8..

And the candlesticks Which were ten, according to the number of the Tables, whereas Moses made but one: whereby might be signified the progress of the Light of Sacred Truth, which was now grown clearer than it was in Moses his time, and should shine brighter and brighter until the perfect day of Gospel Light. of pure gold Of massy and fine Gold., five on the right side, and five on the left, before the oracle In the Holy place., with the flowers Wrought upon the Candlesticks, as it had formerly been. See on Exod. 25. 31., and the lamps, and the tongs of gold.

And the bowls, and the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the holy temple.

So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the LORD: and Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated, even the silver and the gold Either, First, All of it; and so Solomon built it wholly at his own charge. Or, Secondly, So much of it as was left., and the vessels Those which David had dedicated, and with them the Altar of Moses, and some other of the old utensils which were now laid aside, far better being put in the room of them. did he put among the treasures of the house of the LORD.