1 Kings 7:12-22

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 7:1-12

Never had any man so much of the spirit of building as Solomon had, nor to better purpose; he began with the temple, built for God first, and then all his other buildings were comfortable. The surest foundations of lasting prosperity are those which are laid in an early piety, Matt. 6:33. 1. He built a house for himself (1 Kgs. 7:1), where he dwelt, 1 Kgs. 7:8. His father had built a good house; but it was no reflection upon his father for him to build a better, in proportion to the estate... read more

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 7:12

And the great court round about ,.... Which surrounded Solomon's house: was with three rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedar beams ; these rows were one upon another, and were a wall to the court, which were either topped with a row of cedar wood, or that was a lining to the stones for the inner court of the house of the Lord ; or rather as, or like to that, as appears from 1 Kings 6:36 , and for the porch of the house ; not the temple, but Solomon's house. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 7:13

And King Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre. Not the king of Tyre, but an artificer in it, after described, whom Solomon had heard and upon his request Huram sent him to him, 2 Chronicles 2:13 his name is called Hyperon by Clemens of Alexandria F12 Stromat. l. 1. p. 332. . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 7:14

He was a widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali ,.... In 2 Chronicles 2:14 , his mother is said to be of the daughters of Dan, as she might be, and yet her son of the tribe of Naphtali; for either she was of the city of Dan, which is placed in the tribe of Naphtali F13 Vid. Adrichom. Theat. T. S. p. 105. Fuller's Pisgah-Sight, 107. , or her mother was of the tribe of Dan; and therefore she is said to be of the daughters of Dan, when her father was of the tribe of Naphtali, as it is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 7:15

For he cast two pillars of brass, eighteen cubits high apiece ,.... In 2 Chronicles 3:15 they are said to be thirty five cubits high, which must be understood of the length or height of them both; and whereas that would allow but seventeen cubits and a half to a pillar, either the round number of eighteen is used, or half a cubit in each may be allowed, either for the base or pedestal into which they were put; or the chapiter at the top of them, into which they might go such a length, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 7:16

And he made two chapiters of molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars ,.... These were large ovals in the form of a crown, as the word signifies; or like two crowns joined together, as Ben Gersom; or bowls, as they are called, 1 Kings 7:41 , the height of the one chapiter was five cubits, and the height of the other chapiter was five cubits ; in 2 Kings 25:17 they are said to be but three cubits high; but that is to be understood only of the ornamented part of them, the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 7:17

And nets of checker work, and wreaths of chain work, for the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars ,.... These were the ornaments of the chapiters; the former being like thick branches of trees, with their boughs and leaves curiously wrought, as the word signifies, and the latter like fringes, such as the Jews wore at the skirt of their garments: seven for the one chapiter, and seven for the other chapiter ; perhaps with four rows of checker work, and three of chain work. 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

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