2 Kings 25:13

THE LOOTING AND DESTRUCTION OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE

"And the pillars of brass that were in the house of Jehovah, and the bases of the brazen sea that were in the house of Jehovah, did the Chaldeans break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon. And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away. And the fire-pans, and the basins, that which was of gold, in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away. The two pillars, the one sea, and the bases, which Solomon had made for the house of Jehovah, the brass of all these vessels was without weight. The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and a capital of brass was upon it; and the height of the capital was three cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the capital round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with network."

The pillars mentioned here were the Jachin and Boaz which adorned the entrance to the Temple of Solomon. They were of immense weight, being composed of brass elaborately forged and cast by Solomon's friend Hiram of Tyre. In a word, what is described here is the wiping off the face of the earth of the very last vestiges of the glory of Solomon. His reign was throughout an inglorious disaster; but the Jews had fallen in love with it. In the actions recorded here God destroyed their idol.

The totality of the destruction wrought upon Jerusalem was phenomenal. Unger has this: "Excavations at Jerusalem and Palestine show how thorough was the destruction wrought by the Chaldean invasion. Not a trace of Solomon's temple, nor of the houses of the Davidic kings has remained. Diggings at Azeka, Beth-Shemesh and Lachish furnish mute evidence of the terrific destruction."[16]

Also the extent of the depopulation of Judah was probably much more extensive that some believe. The Lord had promised to make Jerusalem "a desolation," and that is certainly what it became.

"That which was of gold, in gold, that which was of silver, in silver" (2 Kings 25:15). This means that the vessels made of precious metals were melted down and converted to metal bars.