English Standard Version
1 Kings 7:23
23Then he made the sea of cast metal. It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference.
1 Kings 7:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he made a molten sea, 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.
- New International Version (NIV)He made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line of thirty cubits to measure around it.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And he made the Sea of cast bronze, ten cubits from one brim to the other; it was completely round. Its height was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then Huram cast a great round basin, 15 feet across from rim to rim, called the Sea. It was 7-1/2 feet deep and about 45 feet in circumference.
Context of 1 Kings 7:23
21He set up the pillars at the vestibule of the temple. He set up the pillar on the south and called its name Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the north and called its name Boaz. 22And on the tops of the pillars was lily-work. Thus the work of the pillars was finished. Then he made the sea of cast metal. It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference. 24Under its brim were gourds, for ten cubits, compassing the sea all around. The gourds were in two rows, cast with it when it was cast. 25It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The sea was set on them, and all their rear parts were inward.
Read all of 1 Kings 71 Kings 7:23 word by word
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ אֶת־הַיָּ֖ם מוּצָ֑ק עֶ֣שֶׂר בָּ֠אַמָּה מִשְּׂפָת֨וֹ עַד־שְׂפָת֜וֹ עָגֹ֣ל׀ סָבִ֗יב וְחָמֵ֤שׁ בָּֽאַמָּה֙ קוֹמָת֔וֹ וְקָו֙ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים בָּֽאַמָּ֔ה יָסֹ֥ב אֹת֖וֹ סָבִֽיב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- a moltenיָצַקyâtsaq · to pour: pourH3332
- seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
- tenעֶשֶׂר‛eώer ‛ăώârâh · tenH6235
- cubitsאַמָּה'ammâh · cubitH520
- from the one brimשָׂפָהώâphâh ώepheth · lip: edgeH8193
- roundעָגֹל‛âgôl ‛âgôl · roundH5696
- all aboutסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · aroundH5439
- and his heightקוֹמָהqômâh · heightH6967
- fiveחָמֵשׁchâmêsh chămishshâh · fiveH2568
- and a lineקָוֶהqâveh · lineH6961
- and a lineקַוqav qâv · lineH6957
- of thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
- did compassסָבַבsâbab · to turn: surroundH5437
Cross-references for 1 Kings 7:23
- Exodus 30:18"You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it,
- Exodus 38:8He made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting.
- 2 Kings 25:13And the pillars of bronze that were in the house of the Lord, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried the bronze to Babylon.
- 2 Chronicles 4:2Then he made the sea of cast metal. It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference.
- Jeremiah 52:17And the pillars of bronze that were in the house of the Lord, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried all the bronze to Babylon.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 7:23
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23The “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…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-47Verses 13-47 The two brazen pillars in the porch of the temple, some think, were to teach those that came to worship, to depend upon God only, for strength and establishment in all their religious exercises. "Jachin," God will fix this roving mind. It is good that the heart be established with grace. "Boaz," In him is our strength, who works in us both to will and to do. Spiritual strength and stability are found at the door of God's temple, where we must…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23-26The large bronze basin, known as the Sea, replaced the smaller bronze washbasin used in the tabernacle (see Exodus 30:17–21). The Sea was made as one solid piece, except for the twelve bronze oxen it rested on. These oxen faced in four directions, three per direction, possibly symbolizing the priests' service to all twelve tribes of Israel. Later, Ahaz replaced the oxen with a stone base (2 Kings 16:17). Like the earlier washbasin, priests used the Sea…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 23-2623-26. he made a molten sea--In the tabernacle was no such vessel; the laver served the double purpose of washing the hands and feet of the priests as well as the parts of the sacrifices. But in the temple there were separate vessels provided for these offices. (See on 2Ch 4:6). The molten sea was an immense semicircular vase, measuring seventeen and a half feet in diameter, and being eight and three-fourths feet in depth. This, at three and a half inches…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 7:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Kings 7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries