Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
2 Chronicles 4:12

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Construction of the temple (2:1-7:22)

With the help of King Hiram of Tyre, Solomon prepared materials and arranged a workforce to build the planned temple (2:1-18; see notes on 1 Kings 5:1-18). Construction went on for seven years, until the temple, its furniture, its courtyard, and all other articles and decorations connected with it were completed according to plan (3:1-5:1; see notes on 1 Kings 6:1-51). The temple was then dedicated to God (5:2-7:22; see notes on 1 Kings 8:1-9).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

THE CONCLUSION OF THE WORK OF HURAM OF TYRE

“So Huram made an end of doing the work that he wrought for king Solomon in the house of God: the two pillars, and the bowls, and the two capitals which were on the tops of the pillars, and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars, and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks; two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were upon the pillars. He made also the bases, and the lavers made he upon the bases; one sea, and the twelve oxen under it. The pots also, and the shovels, and the flesh-hooks, and all the vessels thereof, did Huram his father make for king Solomon, for the house of Jehovah, of bright brass. In the plain of the Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah. Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance; for the weight of the brass could not be found out.”

“Huram his father” According to Payne, Solomon had conferred the title `father’ upon Huram in recognition of his skilled craftsmanship; and the reference here means Solomon’s Father Huram.Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 395.

Before leaving this chapter, we should also point out that another interpretation of Solomon’s Ten Candlesticks views them as ten complete candlesticks (of seven branches each). Either was a violation of the true pattern given by Moses. In support of that view, it is dear enough that ten tables of the showbread were used, but not, “one at a time” as Payne thought, for they were on opposite sides of the holy place, five on each side.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 4

Moreover he made an altar of brass, that was thirty feet long, and thirty feet wide, and it was fifteen feet high ( 2 Chronicles 4:1 ).

This brazen altar for the offering of the sacrifices.

And he made this molten ( 2 Chronicles 4:2 )

They cast this huge brass bath for the priests to bathe in.

the sea of fifteen feet from brim to brim, around in compass, seven and a half feet high; and it was, of course, forty-five feet around it. And under it was the likeness of oxen, twelve oxen that they carved of brass; and three pointing towards the north, three facing towards the south, three facing towards the east and three facing towards the west ( 2 Chronicles 4:2-4 ).

All facing outward and this big brass pool on top of it.

Now the thickness of the brass pool was the thickness of your handbreadth ( 2 Chronicles 4:5 ),

If you can picture it. And it held about twenty-four thousand gallons of water. Now to cast something like this today would be near impossible. A brass swimming pool, seven and a half feet deep, fifteen feet across, and the width of it about six to eight inches thick. And this was for the priests to bathe in.

And then around the top of it, all kinds of fancy work. Flowers and lilies and so forth carved in it. And then he made ten other basins so that they could wash the instruments. Of course, with the sacrifices there was a lot of blood and all. And thus, it was necessary that the priests bathe and get this blood off of them. And, of course, the knives and the instruments and all that they used would all be bloody after the offering of these sacrifices. And so ten of these lavers to wash the various instruments in, and the big pool for the priests to wash in.

And then he made ten candlesticks of gold. And ten tables, that he placed in the temple, five on the right side, five on the left. And he made a hundred basins of gold. And then he made the court of the priests, the doors of the court, he overlaid them with brass. And this big basin was on the right side at the east end. And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basins. And Huram finished the work that he was to make for king Solomon for the house of God; That is, the two pillars, and the pommels, and the chapiters which were on the top of the two pillars, the two wreaths to cover the two pommels; And the four hundred pomegranates and so forth. And the bases, and the lavers; and the oxen. And Solomon made all of these vessels in great abundance ( 2Ch 4:7-15 , 2 Chronicles 4:18 ):

They cast them, actually, down in the Jordan River in the clay area down there, and then carried them on up to Jerusalem.

Moreover the candlesticks and their lamps, they made for the holy place out of pure gold; and the flowers, and the lamps, the tongs, they made of gold, perfect gold; the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and all the instruments for the worship made of pure gold ( 2 Chronicles 4:20-22 ): "

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

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Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      11 And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basons. And Huram finished the work that he was to make for king Solomon for the house of God;   12 To wit, the two pillars, and the pommels, and the chapiters which were on the top of the two pillars, and the two wreaths to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were on the top of the pillars;   13 And four hundred pomegranates on the two wreaths; two rows of pomegranates on each wreath, to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were upon the pillars.   14 He made also bases, and lavers made he upon the bases;   15 One sea, and twelve oxen under it.   16 The pots also, and the shovels, and the fleshhooks, and all their instruments, did Huram his father make to king Solomon for the house of the LORD of bright brass.   17 In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredathah.   18 Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out.   19 And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the showbread was set;   20 Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold;   21 And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that perfect gold;   22 And the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers, of pure gold: and the entry of the house, the inner doors thereof for the most holy place, and the doors of the house of the temple, were of gold.

      We have here such a summary both of the brass-work and the gold-work of the temple as we had before (1 Kings 7:13-51, c.), in which we have nothing more to observe than, 1. That Huram the workman was very punctual: He finished all that he was to make (2 Chronicles 4:11; 2 Chronicles 4:11), and left no part of his work undone. Huram, his father, he is called, 2 Chronicles 4:16; 2 Chronicles 4:16. Probably it was a sort of nickname by which he was commonly known, Father Huram; for the king of Tyre called him Huram Abi, my father, in compliance with whom Solomon called him his, he being a great artist and father of the artificers in brass and iron. He acquitted himself well both for ingenuity and industry. 2. Solomon was very generous. He made all the vessels in great abundance (2 Chronicles 4:18; 2 Chronicles 4:18), many of a sort, that many hands might be employed, and so the work might go on with expedition, or that some might be laid up for use when others were worn out. Freely he has received, and he will freely give. When he had made vessels enough for the present he could not convert the remainder of the brass to his own use; it is devoted to God, and it shall be used for him.