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Bible in Basic English
1 Kings 7:23
And he made a great metal water-vessel ten cubits across from edge to edge, five cubits high and thirty cubits round.
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Christian Standard Bible®
He made the cast metal basin, 15 feet from brim to brim, perfectly round. It was 7 feet high and 45 feet in circumference.
He made the cast metal basin, 15 feet from brim to brim, perfectly round. It was 7 feet high and 45 feet in circumference.
Hebrew Names Version
He made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and the height of it was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about.
He made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and the height of it was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about.
King James Version
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.
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.
English Standard Version
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.
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.
New Century Version
Then Huram made from bronze a large round bowl, which was called the Sea. It was forty-five feet around, fifteen feet across, and seven and one-half feet deep.
Then Huram made from bronze a large round bowl, which was called the Sea. It was forty-five feet around, fifteen feet across, and seven and one-half feet deep.
New English Translation
He also made the large bronze basin called "The Sea." It measured 15 feet from rim to rim, was circular in shape, and stood seven-and-a-half feet high. Its circumference was 45 feet.
He also made the large bronze basin called "The Sea." It measured 15 feet from rim to rim, was circular in shape, and stood seven-and-a-half feet high. Its circumference was 45 feet.
Amplified Bible
Now he made the Sea (basin) of cast metal, ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, five cubits high and thirty cubits in circumference.
Now he made the Sea (basin) of cast metal, ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, five cubits high and thirty cubits in circumference.
New American Standard Bible
He also made the Sea of cast metal ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in shape, and its height was five cubits, and it was thirty cubits in circumference.
He also made the Sea of cast metal ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in shape, and its height was five cubits, and it was thirty cubits in circumference.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he made a molten sea ten cubites wide from brim to brim, rounde in compasse, and fiue cubites hie, and a line of thirtie cubites did compasse it about.
And he made a molten sea ten cubites wide from brim to brim, rounde in compasse, and fiue cubites hie, and a line of thirtie cubites did compasse it about.
Legacy Standard Bible
And he made the sea of cast metal ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and its height was five cubits, and thirty cubits in its circumference.
And he made the sea of cast metal ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and its height was five cubits, and thirty cubits in its circumference.
Contemporary English Version
Hiram also made a large bowl called the Sea. It was seven and a half feet deep, about fifteen feet across, and forty-five feet around.
Hiram also made a large bowl called the Sea. It was seven and a half feet deep, about fifteen feet across, and forty-five feet around.
Complete Jewish Bible
He made the cast metal "Sea" circular, seventeen-and-a-half feet from rim to rim, eight-and-three quarter feet high and fifty-two-and-a-half feet in circumference.
He made the cast metal "Sea" circular, seventeen-and-a-half feet from rim to rim, eight-and-three quarter feet high and fifty-two-and-a-half feet in circumference.
Darby Translation
And he made the sea, molten, ten cubits from brim to brim, round all about; and its height was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits encompassed it round about.
And he made the sea, molten, ten cubits from brim to brim, round all about; and its height was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits encompassed it round about.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then Huram melted bronze and poured it into a huge mold to make a tank, which was called "The Sea." The tank was about 30 cubits around. It was 10 cubits across and 5 cubits deep.
Then Huram melted bronze and poured it into a huge mold to make a tank, which was called "The Sea." The tank was about 30 cubits around. It was 10 cubits across and 5 cubits deep.
George Lamsa Translation
Then he made a molten sea, ten cubits in diameter; it was round about, and its height was five cubits and its circumference thirty cubits.
Then he made a molten sea, ten cubits in diameter; it was round about, and its height was five cubits and its circumference thirty cubits.
Good News Translation
Huram made a round tank of bronze, 7½ feet deep, 15 feet in diameter, and 45 feet in circumference.
Huram made a round tank of bronze, 7½ feet deep, 15 feet in diameter, and 45 feet in circumference.
Lexham English Bible
He also made the molten sea, ten cubits in diameter, and five cubits was its height. A measuring line of thirty cubits would encircle it all around.
He also made the molten sea, ten cubits in diameter, and five cubits was its height. A measuring line of thirty cubits would encircle it all around.
Literal Translation
And he made a casted sea of ten cubits from brim to brim; it was round all about. And its height was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits went around it all about.
And he made a casted sea of ten cubits from brim to brim; it was round all about. And its height was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits went around it all about.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he made a molten lauer ten cubytes wyde from the one syde to the other rounde aboute, and fyue cubites hye, and a threde of thirtie cubites loge was ye measure rounde aboute:
And he made a molten lauer ten cubytes wyde from the one syde to the other rounde aboute, and fyue cubites hye, and a threde of thirtie cubites loge was ye measure rounde aboute:
American Standard Version
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 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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he made a moulten lauatorie ten cubites wide from brim to brim, round in compasse, and fiue cubites hie: And a string of thirtie cubites did compasse it about.
And he made a moulten lauatorie ten cubites wide from brim to brim, round in compasse, and fiue cubites hie: And a string of thirtie cubites did compasse it about.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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 did compass it round about.
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 did compass it round about.
King James Version (1611)
And he made a moulten Sea, ten cubites from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, & his height was fiue cubits: and a line of thirtie cubites did compasse it round about.
And he made a moulten Sea, ten cubites from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, & his height was fiue cubits: and a line of thirtie cubites did compasse it round about.
English Revised Version
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 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.
Berean Standard Bible
He also made the Sea of cast metal. It was circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim, five cubits in height, and thirty cubits in circumference.
He also made the Sea of cast metal. It was circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim, five cubits in height, and thirty cubits in circumference.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Also he made a yotun see, that is, a waisching vessel for preestis, round in cumpas, of ten cubitis fro brynke til to the brinke; the heiynesse therof was of fyue cubitis; and a corde of thretti cubitis yede aboute it bi cumpas.
Also he made a yotun see, that is, a waisching vessel for preestis, round in cumpas, of ten cubitis fro brynke til to the brinke; the heiynesse therof was of fyue cubitis; and a corde of thretti cubitis yede aboute it bi cumpas.
Young's Literal Translation
And he maketh the molten sea, ten by the cubit from its edge unto its edge; [it is] round all about, and five by the cubit [is] its height, and a line of thirty by the cubit doth compass it round about;
And he maketh the molten sea, ten by the cubit from its edge unto its edge; [it is] round all about, and five by the cubit [is] its height, and a line of thirty by the cubit doth compass it round about;
Update Bible Version
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 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.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: [it was] entirely round, and its hight [was] five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits encompassed it.
And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: [it was] entirely round, and its hight [was] five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits encompassed it.
World English Bible
He made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and the height of it was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about.
He made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and the height of it was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about.
New King James Version
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.
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
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.
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.
New Life Bible
Now he made a large brass water pool. It was round, and as wide as five long steps. It was as tall as a man can raise his hand. And the length around it was as far as fifteen long steps.
Now he made a large brass water pool. It was round, and as wide as five long steps. It was as tall as a man can raise his hand. And the length around it was as far as fifteen long steps.
New Revised Standard
Then he made the molten sea; it was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high. A line of thirty cubits would encircle it completely.
Then he made the molten sea; it was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high. A line of thirty cubits would encircle it completely.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he made a molten sea, - ten cubits from the one brim to the other, it was round all about, and, five cubits, was the height thereof, and, a line of thirty cubits, would encompass it round about.
And he made a molten sea, - ten cubits from the one brim to the other, it was round all about, and, five cubits, was the height thereof, and, a line of thirty cubits, would encompass it round about.
Douay-Rheims Bible
He made also a molten sea, of ten cubits, from brim to brim, round all about; the height of it was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about.
He made also a molten sea, of ten cubits, from brim to brim, round all about; the height of it was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about.
Revised Standard Version
Then he made the molten sea; it was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference.
Then he made the molten sea; it was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference.
THE MESSAGE
It took Solomon another thirteen years to finish building his own palace complex. He built the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon a hundred and fifty feet long, seventy-five feet wide, and forty-five feet high. There were four rows of cedar columns supporting forty-five cedar beams, fifteen in each row, and then roofed with cedar. Windows in groupings of three were set high in the walls on either side. All the doors were rectangular and arranged symmetrically. He built a colonnaded courtyard seventy-five feet long and forty-five wide. It had a roofed porch at the front with ample eaves. He built a court room, the Hall of Justice, where he would decide judicial matters, and paneled it with cedar. He built his personal residence behind the Hall on a similar plan. Solomon also built another one just like it for Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had married. No expense was spared—everything here, inside and out, from foundation to roof was constructed using high-quality stone, accurately cut and shaped and polished. The foundation stones were huge, ranging in size from twelve to fifteen feet, and of the very best quality. The finest stone was used above the foundation, shaped to size and trimmed with cedar. The courtyard was enclosed with a wall made of three layers of stone and topped with cedar timbers, just like the one in the porch of The Temple of God . King Solomon sent to Tyre and asked Hiram (not the king; another Hiram) to come. Hiram's mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali. His father was a Tyrian and a master worker in bronze. Hiram was a real artist—he could do anything with bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all the bronze work. First he cast two pillars in bronze, each twenty-seven feet tall and eighteen feet in circumference. He then cast two capitals in bronze to set on the pillars; each capital was seven and a half feet high and flared at the top in the shape of a lily. Each capital was dressed with an elaborate filigree of seven braided chains and a double row of two hundred pomegranates, setting the pillars off magnificently. He set the pillars up in the entrance porch to The Temple; the pillar to the south he named Security (Jachin) and the pillar to the north Stability (Boaz). The capitals were in the shape of lilies. When the pillars were finished, Hiram's next project was to make the Sea—an immense round basin of cast metal fifteen feet in diameter, seven and a half feet tall, and forty-five feet in circumference. Just under the rim there were two bands of decorative gourds, ten gourds to each foot and a half. The gourds were cast in one piece with the Sea. The Sea was set on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; the bulls faced outward supporting the Sea on their hindquarters. The Sea was three inches thick and flared at the rim like a cup, or like a lily. It held about 11,500 gallons. Hiram also made ten washstands of bronze. Each was six feet square and four and a half feet tall. They were made like this: Panels were fastened to the uprights. Lions, bulls, and cherubim were represented on the panels and uprights. Beveled wreath-work bordered the lions and bulls above and below. Each stand was mounted on four bronze wheels with bronze axles. The uprights were cast with decorative relief work. Each stand held a basin on a circular engraved support a foot and a half deep set on a pedestal two and a quarter feet square. The washstand itself was square. The axles were attached under the stand and the wheels fixed to them. The wheels were twenty-seven inches in diameter; they were designed like chariot wheels. Everything—axles, rims, spokes, and hubs—was of cast metal. There was a handle at the four corners of each washstand, the handles cast in one piece with the stand. At the top of the washstand there was a ring about nine inches deep. The uprights and handles were cast with the stand. Everything and every available surface was engraved with cherubim, lions, and palm trees, bordered by arabesques. The washstands were identical, all cast in the same mold. He also made ten bronze washbasins, each six feet in diameter with a capacity of 230 gallons, one basin for each of the ten washstands. He arranged five stands on the south side of The Temple and five on the north. The Sea was placed at the southeast corner of The Temple. Hiram then fashioned the various utensils: buckets and shovels and bowls. Hiram completed all the work he set out to do for King Solomon on The Temple of God : two pillars; two capitals on top of the pillars; two decorative filigrees for the capitals; four hundred pomegranates for the two filigrees (a double row of pomegranates for each filigree); ten washstands each with its washbasin; one Sea; twelve bulls under the Sea; miscellaneous buckets, shovels, and bowls. All these artifacts that Hiram made for King Solomon for The Temple of God were of burnished bronze. He cast them in clay in a foundry on the Jordan plain between Succoth and Zarethan. These artifacts were never weighed—there were far too many! Nobody has any idea how much bronze was used. Solomon was also responsible for all the furniture and accessories in The Temple of God : the gold Altar; the gold Table that held the Bread of the Presence; the pure gold candelabras, five to the right and five to the left in front of the Inner Sanctuary; the gold flowers, lamps, and tongs; the pure gold dishes, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, ladles, and censers; the gold sockets for the doors of the Inner Sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, used also for the doors of the Main Sanctuary. That completed all the work King Solomon did on The Temple of God . He then brought in the items consecrated by his father David, the silver and the gold and the artifacts. He placed them all in the treasury of God 's Temple.
It took Solomon another thirteen years to finish building his own palace complex. He built the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon a hundred and fifty feet long, seventy-five feet wide, and forty-five feet high. There were four rows of cedar columns supporting forty-five cedar beams, fifteen in each row, and then roofed with cedar. Windows in groupings of three were set high in the walls on either side. All the doors were rectangular and arranged symmetrically. He built a colonnaded courtyard seventy-five feet long and forty-five wide. It had a roofed porch at the front with ample eaves. He built a court room, the Hall of Justice, where he would decide judicial matters, and paneled it with cedar. He built his personal residence behind the Hall on a similar plan. Solomon also built another one just like it for Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had married. No expense was spared—everything here, inside and out, from foundation to roof was constructed using high-quality stone, accurately cut and shaped and polished. The foundation stones were huge, ranging in size from twelve to fifteen feet, and of the very best quality. The finest stone was used above the foundation, shaped to size and trimmed with cedar. The courtyard was enclosed with a wall made of three layers of stone and topped with cedar timbers, just like the one in the porch of The Temple of God . King Solomon sent to Tyre and asked Hiram (not the king; another Hiram) to come. Hiram's mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali. His father was a Tyrian and a master worker in bronze. Hiram was a real artist—he could do anything with bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all the bronze work. First he cast two pillars in bronze, each twenty-seven feet tall and eighteen feet in circumference. He then cast two capitals in bronze to set on the pillars; each capital was seven and a half feet high and flared at the top in the shape of a lily. Each capital was dressed with an elaborate filigree of seven braided chains and a double row of two hundred pomegranates, setting the pillars off magnificently. He set the pillars up in the entrance porch to The Temple; the pillar to the south he named Security (Jachin) and the pillar to the north Stability (Boaz). The capitals were in the shape of lilies. When the pillars were finished, Hiram's next project was to make the Sea—an immense round basin of cast metal fifteen feet in diameter, seven and a half feet tall, and forty-five feet in circumference. Just under the rim there were two bands of decorative gourds, ten gourds to each foot and a half. The gourds were cast in one piece with the Sea. The Sea was set on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; the bulls faced outward supporting the Sea on their hindquarters. The Sea was three inches thick and flared at the rim like a cup, or like a lily. It held about 11,500 gallons. Hiram also made ten washstands of bronze. Each was six feet square and four and a half feet tall. They were made like this: Panels were fastened to the uprights. Lions, bulls, and cherubim were represented on the panels and uprights. Beveled wreath-work bordered the lions and bulls above and below. Each stand was mounted on four bronze wheels with bronze axles. The uprights were cast with decorative relief work. Each stand held a basin on a circular engraved support a foot and a half deep set on a pedestal two and a quarter feet square. The washstand itself was square. The axles were attached under the stand and the wheels fixed to them. The wheels were twenty-seven inches in diameter; they were designed like chariot wheels. Everything—axles, rims, spokes, and hubs—was of cast metal. There was a handle at the four corners of each washstand, the handles cast in one piece with the stand. At the top of the washstand there was a ring about nine inches deep. The uprights and handles were cast with the stand. Everything and every available surface was engraved with cherubim, lions, and palm trees, bordered by arabesques. The washstands were identical, all cast in the same mold. He also made ten bronze washbasins, each six feet in diameter with a capacity of 230 gallons, one basin for each of the ten washstands. He arranged five stands on the south side of The Temple and five on the north. The Sea was placed at the southeast corner of The Temple. Hiram then fashioned the various utensils: buckets and shovels and bowls. Hiram completed all the work he set out to do for King Solomon on The Temple of God : two pillars; two capitals on top of the pillars; two decorative filigrees for the capitals; four hundred pomegranates for the two filigrees (a double row of pomegranates for each filigree); ten washstands each with its washbasin; one Sea; twelve bulls under the Sea; miscellaneous buckets, shovels, and bowls. All these artifacts that Hiram made for King Solomon for The Temple of God were of burnished bronze. He cast them in clay in a foundry on the Jordan plain between Succoth and Zarethan. These artifacts were never weighed—there were far too many! Nobody has any idea how much bronze was used. Solomon was also responsible for all the furniture and accessories in The Temple of God : the gold Altar; the gold Table that held the Bread of the Presence; the pure gold candelabras, five to the right and five to the left in front of the Inner Sanctuary; the gold flowers, lamps, and tongs; the pure gold dishes, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, ladles, and censers; the gold sockets for the doors of the Inner Sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, used also for the doors of the Main Sanctuary. That completed all the work King Solomon did on The Temple of God . He then brought in the items consecrated by his father David, the silver and the gold and the artifacts. He placed them all in the treasury of God 's Temple.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now he made the sea of cast metal ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and its height was five cubits, and thirty cubits in circumference.
Now he made the sea of cast metal ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and its height was five cubits, and thirty cubits in circumference.
Contextual Overview
13 Then King Solomon sent and got Hiram from Tyre. 14 He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass; he was full of wisdom and knowledge and an expert worker in brass. He came to King Solomon and did all his work for him. 15 He it was who made the two brass pillars; the first pillar was eighteen cubits high, and a line of twelve cubits went round it; and the second was the same. 16 And he made the two crowns to be put on the tops of the pillars, of brass made soft in the fire; the crowns were five cubits high. 17 There were nets of open-work for the crowns on the tops of the pillars, a net of open-work for one and a net of open-work for the other. 18 And he made ornaments of apples; and two lines of apples all round over the network, covering the crowns of the pillars, the two crowns in the same way. 19 The crowns on the tops of the pillars were ornamented with a design of flowers, and were four cubits across. 20 And there were crowns on the two pillars near the round part by the network, and there were two hundred apples in lines round every crown. 21 He put up the pillars at the doorway of the Temple, naming the one on the right Jachin, and that on the left Boaz. 22 The tops of the pillars had a design of flowers; and the work of making the pillars was complete.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
he made: Exodus 30:18-21, Exodus 38:8
a molten sea: 2 Kings 25:13, 2 Chronicles 4:2, Jeremiah 52:17, Jeremiah 52:20
the one brim to the other: Heb. his brim to his brim
Reciprocal: 1 Kings 7:44 - one sea 2 Kings 16:17 - borders Revelation 4:6 - a sea
Cross-References
Genesis 7:1
And the Lord said to Noah, Take all your family and go into the ark, for you only in this generation have I seen to be upright.
And the Lord said to Noah, Take all your family and go into the ark, for you only in this generation have I seen to be upright.
Genesis 7:8
Of clean beasts, and of beasts which are not clean, and of birds, and of everything which goes on the earth,
Of clean beasts, and of beasts which are not clean, and of birds, and of everything which goes on the earth,
Genesis 7:9
In twos, male and female, they went into the ark with Noah, as God had said.
In twos, male and female, they went into the ark with Noah, as God had said.
Genesis 7:10
And after the seven days, the waters came over all the earth.
And after the seven days, the waters came over all the earth.
Genesis 7:14
And with them, every sort of beast and cattle, and every sort of thing which goes on the earth, and every sort of bird.
And with them, every sort of beast and cattle, and every sort of thing which goes on the earth, and every sort of bird.
Genesis 7:15
They went with Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh in which is the breath of life.
They went with Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh in which is the breath of life.
Genesis 7:17
And for forty days the waters were over all the earth; and the waters were increased so that the ark was lifted up high over the earth.
And for forty days the waters were over all the earth; and the waters were increased so that the ark was lifted up high over the earth.
Genesis 7:18
And the waters overcame everything and were increased greatly on the earth, and the ark was resting on the face of the waters.
And the waters overcame everything and were increased greatly on the earth, and the ark was resting on the face of the waters.
Genesis 7:20
The waters went fifteen cubits higher, till all the mountains were covered.
The waters went fifteen cubits higher, till all the mountains were covered.
Genesis 7:21
And destruction came on every living thing moving on the earth, birds and cattle and beasts and everything which went on the earth, and every man.
And destruction came on every living thing moving on the earth, birds and cattle and beasts and everything which went on the earth, and every man.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
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 by the Jews p is expressly said to be a dipping place for the priests, see 2 Chronicles 4:6,
ten cubits from the one brim to the other: which was the diameter of it: it was round all about; spherical or circular; not as an hemisphere, as Josephus q, and Procopius Gazaeus, but rather cylindrical:
and his height was five cubits; from the bottom of it, not including the pedestal of oxen on which it stood:
and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about; this was the circumference of it; which answers to the diameter of ten cubits, or near it, a round number being given not strictly mathematical.
(Sceptics have ridiculed the Bible for saying that the mathematical constant π is 3 instead of the more precise 3.14159. (This number is an "irrational number" and needs an infinite number digits to specify it exactly.) Two explanations for the apparent lack of precision in the measurement are given.
1) The circumference given may be for the inside circumference and the diameter may be the diameter including the thickness of the rim. This would yield a very accurate mathematical result for the inside circumference of thirty cubits. The outside circumference would be about 31.4 cubits giving a rim thickness of four inches or an hand breadth agreeing with 1 Kings 7:26.
2) In 1 Kings 7:26 we read the vessel "was wrought like the brim of a cup." That is the brim on the top of the vessel was wider than the main part of the vessel. The diameter would be given for the brim. If the brim or lip extended about four inches past the main body of the vessel then the outside circumference of the main part of the vessel would be exactly thirty cubits.
In each case the mathematical ratio for circumference of the circle is
πd, where "d" is the diameter and π is the number 3.14159 ..... For a more complete discussion on this see the article by Russel Grigg. r. Editor.)
p T. Hieros, Yema, fol. 41. 1 q Antiqu. l. 8. c. 3. sect 5. r "Does the Bible say pi equals 3.0?", Russell Greg, page 24, "Ex Nihil", March-May Issue, Vol. 17. No. 2., Creation Science Foundation Ltd. Brisbane, Australia.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
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 is now generally supposed that the bowl bulged considerably below the brim, and further, that it had a “foot,” - or basin which received the water as it was drawn out by taps from the bowl. The “2,000 baths” may give the quantity of water ordinarily supplied to the “sea;” the “3,000 baths” the utmost that the laver could anyhow take. Bowls of a considerable size are represented in the Assyrian bas-reliefs; but none of such dimensions as Solomon’s. The largest mentioned by the Greeks held only 5,400 gallons, less than one-third of the contents of the “molten sea,” even according to the lowest estimate.
