1 Kings 7:23 NIV

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 7:23

And he made a molten sea ,.... A large vessel made of molten brass, which, because of the great quantity of water it held, is called a sea; as it was usual with the Jews to call a large collection of waters a sea, as the sea of Tiberius and Galilee. This was made by the man of Tyre, as the pillars, by the order of Solomon, and answered to the brasen laver in the tabernacle, only larger than that; and was not only for the priests to wash their hands and feet in, but to dip upon occasion, and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 7:23

The writer now passes on to describe the brazen vessels made by Hiram for the temple use. And he made a [Heb. the ] molten sea [so called on account of its unprecedented size and capacity. It was designed, like the laver of brass in the tabernacle ( Exodus 30:18-20 ), to contain the water necessary for the ablutions of the priests. For its size and shape see below], ten cubits from the one brim to the other [Heb. from his lip to his lip ] round all about [ i.e; circular], ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 7:23-24

The Molten Sea and the Brazen Layers. If the two pillars teach the lesson of purity, of personal holiness, how much more the sea and bases! For observe— 1. Sea and bases had the same end in view, viz; purification. The first was for the cleansing of the priests. The second for the cleansing of the sacrifices offered by the priests. 2. The extraordinary provision of water for the service of the temple. Underneath the temple area was a great reservoir (it is said to be some... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Kings 7:23

The “molten sea “of Solomon, so called from its great size, took the place of the laver of the tabernacle Exodus 30:18-21, which was required for the ablutions of the priests. It was ten cubits, or fully fifteen feet, in diameter at top, and therefore forty-seven feet in circumference, with a depth of 5 cubits, or 7 12 feet. As a vessel of these dimensions, if hemispherical, would certainly not hold 2,000 1 Kings 7:26, much less 3,000 2 Chronicles 4:3 baths, the bath equaling 8 12 gallons, it... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Kings 7:23

1 Kings 7:23. 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. It was round all about Of a circular form. Its height was five cubits Besides the height of the oxen whereon it stood. A line of thirty cubits... 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

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Kings 7:23

molten sea = brazen laver. "Sea" put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct) for what contained it. a line of thirty cubits. Here the proportion of the diameter to the circumference (1 Kings 1:3 ) was revealed, while human wisdom was still searching it out. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 Kings 7:23

THE MOLTEN SEA UPON IMAGES OF TWELVE BULLS"And he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and the height thereof was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about. And under the brim of it round about were knops which did compass it, for ten cubits, compassing the sea round about: the knops were in two rows, cast when it was cast. It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Kings 7:23

1 Kings 7:23. And he made a molten sea— The Hebrews call any great collection of waters by the name of ים yam, a sea. So the lake of Genesareth and others are called in the Gospel; and here the original words, מוצק ים yam mutzak, signify a large vessel containing a great quantity of water, which served for the washing of the sacrifices, and of the priests and Levites, who washed their hands and feet not in it, but with water drawn out of it by pipes or conduits. It is said, 1Ki 7:26 to have... read more