2 Chronicles · Chapter 4

Verses 1, 2. Ten cubits the height thereof — This was too high for the priests to lay the victims on it, without going up some kind of ascent; but as it was expressly commanded (Exodus 20:26) that they should not go up by steps unto God’s altar; they doubtless ascended in some other way. Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits — This and the following verses are explained 1 Kings 7:23, &c.

Verse 1. An altar of brass, twenty cubits in length and breadth, and ten cubits high, which was ascended, not by steps, Exodus 20:26, but by a sort of inclined plane; a very magnificent and most instructive altar, where sin was confessed, and typically expiated.

Verses 1, 2. Ten cubits the height thereof — This was too high for the priests to lay the victims on it, without going up some kind of ascent; but as it was expressly commanded (Exodus 20:26) that they should not go up by steps unto God’s altar; they doubtless ascended in some other way. Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits — This and the following verses are explained 1 Kings 7:23, &c.

Verse 3. Under it was the similitude of oxen] In 1 Kings 7:24, instead of oxen, µyrqb bekarim, we have knops, µy[qp pekaim; and this last is supposed by able critics to be the reading which ought to be received here. What we call knops may signify grapes, mushrooms, apples, or some such ornaments placed round about under the turned over lip or brim of this caldron. It is possible that µyrqb bekarim, oxen, may be a corruption of µy[qp pekaim, grapes, as the p pe might be mistaken for a b beth, to which in ancient MSS. it has often a great resemblance, the dot under the top being often faint and indistinct; and the [ ain, on the same account might be mistaken for a r resh. Thus grapes might be turned into oxen. Houbigant contends that the words in both places are right; but that rqb bakar does not signify ox here, but al large kind of grape, according to its meaning in Arabic: and thus both places will agree. But I do not find that [Arabic] bakar, or [Arabic] bakarat, has any such meaning in Arabic. He was probably misled by the following, in the Arabic Lexicon, Camus, inserted under [Arabic] bakara, both by Giggeius and Golius, [Arabic] aino albikri, ox-eye, which is interpreted Genus uvæ nigræ ac præprandis, incredibilis dulcedinis. In Palæstina autem pro prunis absolute usurpatur. “A species of black grape, very large, and of incredible sweetness. It is used in Palestine for prune or plum.” What is called the Damascene plum is doubtless meant; but µyrqb bekarim, in the text, can never have this meaning, unless indeed we found it associated with ˆy[ ayin, eye, and then µyrqb yny[ eyney bekarim might, according to the Arabic, be translated plums, grapes, sloes, or such like, especially those of the largest kind, which in size resemble the eye of an ox. But the criticism of this great man is not solid. The likeliest method of reconciling the two places is supposing a change in the letters, as specified above. The reader will at once see that what are called the oxen, 2 Chronicles 4:3, said to be round about the brim, are widely different from those 2 Chronicles 4:4, by which this molten sea was supported.

Ver. 3. Similitude of oxen—ten in a cubit. This is a strange translation. The sense of the original appears to be, “a wreath of the ox-eye,” a species of grape or plum of a large size and dark colour, resembling the eye of the ox, and thence named: ten plums to a cubit. There was a double wreath of the ox-eye (two rows of oxen) adorning the rim of the molten sea, and which the English version confounds with the twelve oxen, ver. 4, on which it stood.

Verse 5. It-held three thousand baths.] In 1 Kings 7:26, it is said to hold only two thousand baths. As this book was written after the Babylonish captivity, it is very possible that reference is here made to the Babylonish bath which might have been less than the Jewish. We have already seen that the cubit of Moses, or of the ancient Hebrews, was longer than the Babylonish by one palm; see on 2 Chronicles 3:3. It might be the same with the measures of capacity; so that two thousand of the ancient Jewish baths might have been equal to three thousand of those used after the captivity. The Targum cuts the knot by saying, “It received three thousand baths of dry measure, and held two thousand of liquid measure.”

Verse 6. He made also ten lavers] The lavers served to wash the different parts of the victims in; and the molten sea was for the use of the priests. In this they bathed, or drew water from it for their personal purification.

ver. 7, 8. The doors overlaid with brass, the vessels of the altar, and other brass work, ver. 9-18. The golden altar of incense with its appurtenances, ver. 19-22.

V. 7. Their form-The old form which God prescribed to Moses.

Verse 7. According to their form — The old form which God proscribed to Moses, Exodus 25:31, &c. And this seems to be mentioned here, because in many other things there was a great variation from the old form; as in the posture of the cherubim, the height of the altar, and divers other things.

V. 8. Ten tables-Whereon the shew-bread was set, ver. 19. Perhaps each of these had twelve loaves on it. As the house was enlarged, so was the provision.

Verse 8. A hundred basons of gold] These were doubtless a sort of pateræ or sacrificial spoons, with which they made libations.

Verse 8. He made also ten tables — Whereon the show-bread was set, verse 19. Perhaps each of these had twelve loaves on it. As the house was enlarged, so was the provision.

Verse 9. He made the court of the priests] This was the inner court. And the great court] This was the outer court, or place for the assembling of the people.

V. 16. His father-He is so called because Solomon usually called him by that name out of that great respect which he bare to him for his excellent art and service which he did for him: it being usual to call great artists and inventors of things by this name.

Verse 16. Huram his father] ba ab, father, is often used in Hebrew to signify a master, inventor, chief operator, and is very probably used here in the former sense by the Chaldee: All these Chiram his master made for King Solomon; or Chiram Abi, or rather Hiram, made for the king.

Verse 16. Huram his father — He is so called, because Solomon, it seems, usually called him by that name, out of that great respect which he bare to him for his excellent art, and the service which he did for him; it being usual to call great artists and inventors of things by this name. See Genesis 4:20, 21.

Verse 17. In the clay ground ] See on 1 Kings 7:46. Some suppose that he did not actually cast those instruments at those places, but that he brought the clay from that quarter, as being the most proper for making moulds to cast in.

V. 20. The manner-According to the prescription of God to Moses.

Verses 20-22. That they should burn after the manner — According to the prescription of God to them by Moses. The doors of the house were of gold — To wit, in part. For they were not entirely of massy gold, but wood covered with plates of gold, 1 Kings 6:31-35, and 2 Kings 18:16.

Verse 21. And the flowers, and the lamps] Probably each branch of the chandelier was made like a plant in flower, and the opening of the flower was either the lamp, or served to support it.

Verses 20-22. That they should burn after the manner — According to the prescription of God to them by Moses. The doors of the house were of gold — To wit, in part. For they were not entirely of massy gold, but wood covered with plates of gold, 1 Kings 6:31-35, and 2 Kings 18:16.

V. 22. Of gold-In part; they were made of wood, but covered with golden plates.

Verse 22. The doors-were of gold.] That is, were overlaid with golden plates, the thickness of which we do not know.

THAT every thing in the tabernacle and temple was typical or representative of some excellence of the Gospel dispensation may be readily credited, without going into all the detail produced by the pious author of Solomon’s Temple Spiritualized. We can see the general reference and the principles of the great design, though we may not be able to make a particular application of the knops, the flowers, the pomegranates, the tongs, and the snuffers, to some Gospel doctrines: such spiritualizing is in most cases weak, silly, religious trifling; being ill calculated to produce respect for Divine revelation.

II CHRONICLES

Verses 20-22. That they should burn after the manner — According to the prescription of God to them by Moses. The doors of the house were of gold — To wit, in part. For they were not entirely of massy gold, but wood covered with plates of gold, 1 Kings 6:31-35, and 2 Kings 18:16.