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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 7:13-47

We have here an account of the brass-work about the temple. There was no iron about the temple, though we find David preparing for the temple iron for things of iron, 1 Chron. 29:2. What those things were we are not told, but some of the things of brass are here described and the rest mentioned. I. The brasier whom Solomon employed to preside in this part of the work was Hiram, or Huram (2 Chron. 4:11), who was by his mother's side an Israelite, of the tribe of Naphtali, by his father's side a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 7:18

And he made the pillars ,.... Or adorned them in this manner: and two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the chapiters that were upon the top, with pomegranates ; that is, there were two rows of figures like pomegranates upon the net or branch work that covered the chapiters that were on the top of the pillars; and Kimchi owns, that some copies so read, on the top of the pillars, instead of pomegranates, though he thinks it a mistake: and so did he for the other chapiter ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 7:19

And the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars were of lily work in the porch ,.... Or such as was in the porch of the temple; the work was like that wrought in the form of the flower of lilies open: four cubits ; of the five cubits of which the chapiters consisted, four of them were of lily work, the two rows of pomegranates taking up the other; though Dr. Lightfoot F15 Prospect of the Temple, c. 13. sect. 2. p. 1075. thinks, that at the head of the pillar was a border or... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 7:15-22

The Pillars of Brass. If, as some think, the importance of any Scripture subject is to be gauged by the space assigned to it in the sacred page, then surely the fact that eight long verses of this chapter are occupied with the description of these two columns and their capitals proves, first, their importance in the eyes of Jewish writers, and, secondly, that they must have a significance for the minds of Christian readers. But the importance of these monuments (which is also attested ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 7:18

And he made the pillars [There is evidently a confusion of the text here. Probably we should read, with some MSS . הרמנים , the pomegranates (so LXX .), instead of העמודים , or rather, we should transpose the two words, reading pomegranates where the Masoretic text has pillars, and vice versa. "The pomegranate was one of the commonest ornaments of Assyria.… It is doubtful whether a symbolical meaning was attached to it, or whether it was merely selected as a beautiful... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 7:19

And the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars [It is difficult to believe that these words, which are identical with those in 1 Kings 7:16 , 1 Kings 7:17 , 1 Kings 7:18 , can refer to a different—a second and superposed capital (Rawlinson), or to the entablature (Fergusson)] were of lily work [ i.e; bassirelievi in imitation of flowering lilies. Probably the bowl-shaped chapiter was treated as a fullblown lily, just as the capitals of Egyptian pillars took the form of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Kings 7:18

The pomegranate was one of the most common ornaments in Assyria. It was used on quivers, on spear-shafts, and maceheads, in patterns on doorways and pavements, etc. It is doubtful whether a symbolic meaning was attached to it, or whether it was merely selected as a beautiful natural form. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Kings 7:19

There is a cornice of (so-called) lilywork at Persepolis, consisting of three ranges of broadish rounded leaves, one over the other. Lilies are also represented with much spirit on a bas-relief from Koyunjik. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Kings 7:17-19

1 Kings 7:17-19. Nets of checker-work, &c., for the chapiters Which chapiters those nets and wreaths encompassed, either covering, and, as it were, receiving and holding the pomegranates, or being mixed with them. And he made Or, so he made, or framed, or perfected, the pillars, and two rows round about Of pomegranates, or some other curious work, which took up one of the five cubits, whereof the chapiter consisted. And the chapiters, &c., were of lily-work Were made in... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 7:13-51

More concerning the temple (7:13-51)Israel seems to have lost the spiritual insight and artistic skill that in the time of Moses enabled its craftsmen to design and make the decoration for God’s dwelling place (cf. Exodus 31:1-6). Solomon therefore hired a craftsman from Tyre to do the bronze work and other decorations for the temple, with no apparent concern for the wrong religious ideas this man may have had. By coincidence this hired craftsman was named Hiram (GNB: Huram), the same as the... read more

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