Cornelius a Lapide
Table of Contents
Synopsis of the Chapter
Solomon makes the altar of holocausts, the molten sea, two golden basins, ten golden candlesticks, tables, bowls, and the other vessels of the temple.
Vulgate Text: 2 Paralipomenon 4:1-22
1. He also made a bronze altar, twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and ten cubits in height. 2. He also made a molten sea, ten cubits from brim to brim, round all about; it was five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about. 3. And the likeness of oxen was under it, and engravings on the outside for ten cubits, as it were in two rows, went round the belly of the sea. And the oxen were cast; 4. and the sea itself was set upon twelve oxen, of which three looked toward the north, and three others toward the west; and three others toward the south, and three that remained toward the east, having the sea set upon them; and the hinder parts of the oxen were inward under the sea. 5. And the thickness of it had the measure of a palm, and its brim was like the brim of a cup, or of a lily turned outward; and it held three thousand measures. 6. He also made ten basins, and set five on the right, and five on the left, to wash in them all that they were to offer for the holocaust; but the priests washed themselves in the sea. 7. And he made ten golden candlesticks, according to the form in which they were commanded to be made; and he set them in the temple, five on the right, and five on the left. 8. He also made ten tables, and set them in the temple, five on the right, and five on the left; and a hundred golden bowls. 9. He also made the court of the priests, and a great hall, and doors in the hall, which he covered with bronze. 10. And he set the sea on the right side over against the east toward the south. 11. And Hiram made the cauldrons, and flesh-hooks, and bowls; and he completed all the work of the king in the house of God; 12. that is, the two columns, and the epistyles, and the capitals, and as it were certain networks, which covered the capitals upon the epistyles. 13. Pomegranates also, forty, and two networks, so that two rows of pomegranates were joined to each network, which covered the epistyles and the capitals of the columns. 14. He also made the bases, and the basins which he set upon the bases; 15. one sea, and twelve oxen under the sea, 16. and the cauldrons, and the flesh-hooks, and the bowls. All the vessels Hiram his father made for Solomon in the house of the Lord, of the purest bronze. 17. In the region of the Jordan the king cast them in clay ground, between Succoth and Zeredatha. 18. And the multitude of vessels was innumerable, so that the weight of the bronze was unknown. 19. And Solomon made all the vessels of the house of God, and the golden altar, and the tables, and the showbread upon them; 20. the candlesticks also with their lamps, to burn before the oracle according to the rite, of the purest gold; 21. and certain flowers, and lamps, and golden tongs; all were made of the finest gold. 22. The censers also, and the incense holders, and the bowls, and the little mortars, of the purest gold. And he carved the doors of the inner temple, that is, of the Holy of Holies; and the doors of the outer temple were golden. And so all the work which Solomon did in the house of the Lord was completed.
I have explained this chapter in 3 Kings chapter VII.
Verse 2: A Line of Thirty Cubits
2. A LINE OF THIRTY CUBITS. — He calls the line the circle, or circumference of the bronze sea, which was 30 cubits, namely three times greater than its diameter.
Verse 3: The Likeness of Oxen
3. THE LIKENESS OF OXEN WAS ALSO UNDER IT, etc. — that is to say: Besides the twelve bronze oxen on which the molten sea rested, there were on the front part of the sea, for a space of ten cubits (which was a third of the circumference, for the whole was thirty cubits), other oxen heads projecting for elegance; perhaps also so that through them, as through spouts, water could be drawn out. Moreover these heads were "in two rows." In Hebrew, arranged in two rows; for one row was below the brim, the other toward the bottom. And they were cast, in Hebrew, cast in its castings, namely of the sea, that is to say: These heads were not externally added and fastened to the sea, but were originally cast together with the sea itself in the founding work.
Verse 9: The Court of the Priests
9. HE MADE THE COURT OF THE PRIESTS AND THE GREAT HALL — that is, as the Hebrew and Septuagint have, the great court, in which the people prayed, which was an open-air area surrounded on all sides by porticos, so that in rainy weather the people would be sheltered by them, taking refuge there; which porticos were distinguished by a triple order of columns and a triple tier. Moreover this court of the people surrounded and enclosed on three sides the court of the priests, and was like the temple of the people. Hence in Hebrew it is called azara, that is, help, because the people praying to God there felt His assistance.
Verse 21: Certain Flowers
21. AND CERTAIN FLOWERS. — In Hebrew, and flowers, for example of roses, lilies, clove-pinks, etc. These flowers were fashioned of gold.