And the chapiters upon the two pillars had pomegranates [Instead of the italics, Keil would supply Hiram made, but it is doubtful whether this is any improvement. We have already heard more than once that he made the chapiters. It is better to supply projected or were, as in the preceding verse. This verse is extremely obscure; but its design appears to be to explain how the bowl of the chapiter projected above its base] also above [i.e; above the neck, or lowest cubit, on which was the net and chain work], over against [ מִלְּעֻמַּת with two prefixes is a rare form] the belly [or "bowl" (1 Kings 7:41)] which was by [Heb. beyond, on the other side of, i.e; as it appeared to a spectator standing below] the network: and the pomegranates were two hundred in rows [This agrees with the total of four hundred, as given in verse 42, and in 2 Chronicles, and with the "hundred round about" (i.e; the number in each row) mentioned in Jeremiah 52:23. We gather from this latter passage that ninety-six out of the hundred faced the four quarters, for this is apparently the meaning of רוּחָה, windwards; see Ezekiel 42:16-18, not that the pomegranates could be "set in motion by the play of the wind," as Ewald confidently affirms. The remaining four pomegranates, of course, occupied the four corners. The necessary inference from this statement, viz; that this part of the capital was foursquare, seems to have escaped the notice of the commentators] round about upon the other chapiter. [Some words have evidently dropped out of the Hebrew here, as in Ezekiel 42:15. The text, no doubt, originally stood "two hundred in rows round about the one chapiter, and two hundred in rows round about upon the other chapiter." There has been no intentional compression that is not the genius of the Semitic languages—but an accidental omission, occasioned by the recurrence of almost identical words.
1 Kings 7:21
And he set up the pillars in the porch [We are now confronted by the much vexed questions,
Were they in the porch, or before it? And were they architectural or monumental? Did they support the roof of the porch, or were they isolated and detached, after the manner of obelisks? I incline to the opinion of Bähr, that they stood in the porch, but that they formed no part of the building, i.e; that they were not for any structural use, but simply for ornament. This appears to me, on the whole, to result from the following considerations:
1 Kings 7:22
And upon the top of the pillars was lily work [a repetition, in the Hebrew manner, of 1 Kings 7:19. The "lily work," which probably involved two things,
1 Kings 7:23
The writer now passes on to describe the brazen vessels made by Hiram for the temple use. And he made a [Heb. the] molten sea [so called on account of its unprecedented size and capacity. It was designed, like the laver of brass in the tabernacle (Exodus 30:18-20), to contain the water necessary for the ablutions of the priests. For its size and shape see below], ten cubits from the one brim to the other [Heb. from his lip to his lip] round all about [i.e; circular], and his height was five cubits [this was the depth of the vessel, exclusive of its foot or base]: and a line of thirty cubits did compass It round about. [The historian obviously uses round numbers when he speaks of the diameter as ten and the circumference as thirty cubits. If the diameter was exactly ten, the circumference would of course be about 31.5 cubits. But the sacred writers seldom aim at precision.
1 Kings 7:24
And under the brim of it round about [The edge of the laver was curved outwards (1 Kings 7:26)] there were knops [see note on 1 Kings 6:18. The text of 2 Chronicles 4:3, בקרים ("the similitude of oxen"), is obviously a clerical error for פקעים (Keil), hut whether דמות is an interpolation may well be doubted. Keil thinks it was introduced to explain the mention of oxen] compassing [Heb. surrounding, some word] it, ten in a cubit [It does not follow from this that each gourd or knop was "a little over two inches in diameter " (Keil), for they may not have been in close contact, and, moreover the cubit was probably 18 inches], compassing the sea round about: the ]mops were cast in two rows, when it was cast. [Lit; two rows; the knops were cast in its casting. The "brass," of which the laver was composed, had been taken by David from the cities of Hadarezer (1 Chronicles 18:8; 1 Samuel 8:8, LXX.)]
1 Kings 7:25
It stood [Heb. standing] upon twelve oxen [The import of the number twelve is well explained by. Bähr, Symbolik, 1:201 sqq. Like seven, it is compounded out of three and four. But the primary reference here is to the twelve tribes], three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east [So the tribes in the camp formed a square round the tabernacle, three on each side—east, south, west, and north (Numbers 2:1-34.)]: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward. [.The same regard of the cardinal points has been noticed in the pomegranates on the capitals of the two columns. See note on verse 20. Keil says the feet of the oxen no doubt rested on a metal plate, so that they were fixed and immoveable; but this lacks proof. The oxen would be immovable in any case, owing to the weight of the metal and the water. All conjectures as to the height and size of the oxen are necessarily of little value.
1 Kings 7:26
And it was a handbreadth thick [i.e; three inches], and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup [Heb. and his lip like the work of the lip of a cup, i.e; curved outwards], with flowers of lilies [lit; "a blossom of lily." Keil understands "ornamented with lily flowers," but the strict interpretation the "lily blossom" being in apposition to "cup"—requires us to refer the words to the shape rather than to the ornamentation of the laver. The lip was curved like a lily]: it contained two thousand [In Chronicles and by Josephus the number is given as 3000. This may have resulted, as Keil thinks, from confounding גand בbut it is suspicious that so many of the numbers of the Chronicles are exaggerations. The common explanation of the discrepancy, viz; that it held 2000 baths "when filled to its ordinary height, but when filled to the brim 3000" (Wordsworth), appears to me hardly ingenuous] baths. ["The data for determining the value of the bath or ephah are both scanty and conflicting". Josephus, the only authority on the subject, says that it equalled the Attic metretes (about 8.5 gals.), but it is very doubtful whether he was "really familiar with the Greek measures" (ib.) At any rate, if this statement is correct, his other statement as to the shape of the laver must be altogether erroneous, since 2000 baths would equal 17,000 gals; and a hemispherical laver could not possibly have contained more than 10,000. The attempt has been made, on the assumption that the sea was a hemisphere, as Josephus affirms, to calculate from its capacity the value of the bath, which in that case would be about four gallons. But there is good reason for doubting whether the laver was hemispherical—such a shape would be ill adapted to its position on the backs of oxen—and some have maintained that it was cylindrical, others that, like the laver of the tabernacle, it had a foot (Exodus 30:18) or basin. The prevailing opinion of scholars, however, appears to be that it was 30 cubits in circumference only at the lip, and that it bellied out considerably below. While the shape, however, must remain a matter of uncertainty, we are left in no doubt as to its purpose. It was "for the priests to wash in" (2 Chronicles 4:6)—not, of course, for immersing their whole persons, but their hands and feet (Exodus 30:19, Exodus 30:21). The priests (after Exodus 3:5; Joshua 5:15, etc.) ministered barefoot. It was, according to Rabbinical tradition, provided with taps or faucets (Bähr). It has, however, been held by some that the water issued forth (as in the Alhambra) from the lions' mouths. It is probable that a basin of some sort was attached to it. Whether the laver was filled by the hand or by some special contrivance, it is quite impossible to say. We know that provision was made for storing water hard by. The present writer was privileged in 1861 to explore the great reservoir, the Bähr el Khebir, still existing underneath the Haram area, at a time when very few Europeans had seen it. The water was probably brought from Solomon's pools at Bethlehem, though "a fountain of water exists in the city and is running unto this day, far below the surface". Tacitus mentions the fens perennis aquae and the piscinae cisternaeque servandis imbribus.
1 Kings 7:27
And he made ten bases [or stands, מְכוֹנוֹת, from כוּן, erectus stetit. The description of both the bases and the layers which they supported (1 Kings 7:27-39) is extremely obscure. We know, however, that the bases (as the name implies) were simply stands or pediments for the lavers] of brass; four cubits was the length of one base and four cubits the breadth thereof; and three cubits the height of it [they were rectangular, or box shaped, six feet square and four and a half feet high.
1 Kings 7:28
And the work of the bases was on this manner [Heb. and this the work of the base]: they had borders [ מִסְגְּרֹת (from סָגַר, clausit) means strictly enclosings, i.e; sides, forming the stand. They were panels, because of the borders or ledges [mentioned presently, but this was the accident of their construction. The translation "border" gives a totally wrong impression], and the borders were between the ledges [Heb. the sides were between the borders, i.e; were enclosed by ledges or frames.
1 Kings 7:29
And on the borders [panels] that were between the ledges were lions [i.e; figures or bas-reliefs of lions], oxen, and cherubims ["The lion and the ox are the two animal forms which occur most frequently in Assyrian decoration" (Rawlinson). They have also found a place through the cherubim, in the symbolism of Christianity]: and upon the ledges there was a base above [i.e; there was a pedestal or stand ( כֵן; see 1 Kings 7:31) of some sort for the laver upon the square basis]: and beneath the lions and oxen were certain additions [Heb. wreaths, festoons, לִוְיָה. (cf. Proverbs 1:9), corona] made of thin work. [Heb. pensile or hanging work, מוֹרָד from יָרַד descendit; Vulgate, dependentia. It would seem that on the panel, beneath the figures of animals, etc; were sculptured hanging festoons of flowers.
1 Kings 7:30
And every base had four brazen wheels [As the lavers were used for washing "such things as they offered for burnt offering" (2 Chronicles 4:6), and consequently would require to be continually emptied and refilled, they must of necessity be moveable, so that they could be taken, now to the sea, or other reservoir, now to the altar], and plates [Heb. axles] of brass: and the four corners [Heb. feet; פַּעַם signifies step, thence foot, and is here used of artificial feet. These were, no doubt, at the four corners, and served to raise the stand above the wheels, so that the foliage, etc; was not hidden] thereof had undersetters [Heb. shoulders. "The bearings of the axle" (Gesen.) must be meant. The bases had four feet, which apparently terminated in a sort of socket or fork, into which the axletrees were inserted]: under the laver were under setters [Heb. the shoulders] molten [or cast], at the side of every addition. [Lit; opposite to a man (i.e; each) were wreaths. The explanation of Keil is that "from the feet; there ascended shoulder pieces, which ran along the outside of the chest and reached to the lower part of the basin, which was upon the lid of the chest, and, as shoulders, either supported or helped to support it." He thus understands the "shoulder" to extend from the foot, or axletree, to the bottom of the laver. But it seems quite as likely that these shoulders were within the stand; that they started from its upper corners, i.e; "from under the laver" (as in the Hebrew), passed down along its inner angles, and emerged below—the stand may well have had no bottom—in the shape of feet or forks, which rested on the axletrees, and supported both stand and ]aver. Over against this internal shoulder blade or support was placed externally a wreath. But Bähr despairs of arriving at any just and adequate understanding of this arrangement, and, in the absence of drawings, it is perhaps hopeless that we shall ever interpret the words with certainty.]
1 Kings 7:31
And the mouth of it [Heb. his mouth. I incline, with Keil, to think the mouth of the laver just mentioned ( כִיֹר masc.) is referred to rather than the stand (Thenius), which would require a fern. suffix] within the chapiter [By this we are, perhaps, to understand a round ornament, resembling the capital of a pillar, which stood in the centre of the dome-shaped covering (see verse 35) of the stand, and on which the laver rested (so Keil, Bähr). Rawlinson says, "No commentator has given a satisfactory explanation of this passage "]: and above [Heb. upwards] was a cubit [i.e; the neck or foot of the laver measured uniformly one cubit, in width apparently]: but the mouth [Heb. and her mouth, fern. This last mentioned mouth is probably the mouth of the capital (fern.) The neck or mouth of the laver would appear to have been fitted into the mouth of the crown-shaped pedestal] was round after the work of the base [Heb. stand work, כֵן here fixes the meaning of the word in verse 29, i.e; it decides it to be the substantive (Keil, after Chald.), not the adverb (as Thenius, Bähr, al.) a cubit and a half [so that the first mouth would fit easily into the second], and also upon the mouth of it [Heb. her mouth, that of the capital, which was external. The mouth of the laver was partially concealed] were gravings [Keil understands this of the carving of the stand already mentioned, verse 29. But a mouth is mentioned, which the square stand lacked. Besides the word "also" points to additional carvings. I understand the chapiter which formed the mouth of the stand to be meant] with [Heb. and] their borders, foursquare, not round. [i.e; the capital had panels like the stand, and the former, like those of the latter, were square.]
1 Kings 7:32
And under the borders [i.e; panels] were four [Heb. the four i.e; those mentioned in verse 30] wheels ["The wheels reached no higher than that portion of the sides of the base which was ornamented with garlands" (Rawlinson). It would be more correct to say that the wheels did not cover any portion of the sides; they were under them]; and the axletrees [Heb. hands, as holding the wheel to the base or stand. Axletrees is altogether misleading. The hands were the parts connecting the wheels and axles] of the wheels were joined to [Heb. in, as marg.] the base: and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit. [i.e; 27 inches.]
1 Kings 7:33
And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel [Heb. the chariot, i.e; the ordinary chariot]: their axletrees [Heb. hands], and their naves [Gesenius understands rims. He derives גַּב, gibbus, from גָּבַב, curvatus est], and their felloes [or fellies, as the word is now written. These axe the parts which compose the circumference of the wheel; but Gesen. translates spokes, because they are the joinings ( חָשַק conjunxit) of nave and rim] and their spokes [ חִשֻּׁרִים Gesen. would render naves, because the spokes collect at that part], were all molten.
1 Kings 7:34
And there were four under setters [it seems probable that this is not a repetition of 1 Kings 7:30 (Rawlinson), but that the reference is to the upper part (cf. 1 Kings 7:35) of the shoulder pieces, which, according to Keil's view, supported the laver] to the four corners of one base: and the undersetters were of the very base itself. [Heb. from the base, its shoulders. Whether these words mean that the shoulders projected from the base, that "they rose above the corners with a slight curve" (Keil), or that they were cast with the base, i.e; from the same mould, as in the next verse, it is impossible to say.]
1 Kings 7:35
And in the top [Heb. head] of the base was there a round compass [Probably "the base above" (verse 29)or stand for the laver. This was apparently arched to the height of nine inches above the top of the base] of half a cubit high: and on the top of the base the ledges [Heb. hands. These can hardly be either "the hands of the wheels" (verse 32) or the "shoulders" of verse 30 or verse 34, but what they were it is difficult to say. They may have been arms or projections supporting the laver] thereof and the borders thereof were of the same. [Heb. from it, sc; of one piece or casting.]
1 Kings 7:36
For on the plates of the ledges [hands] thereof; and on the borders [sides, panels] thereof, he graved cherubims, lions, and palm trees, according to the proportion [Heb. nakedness, hence naked space, void. The meaning is that he filled all the spaces with carvings] of every one, and additions [wreaths, festoons] round about.
1 Kings 7:37
After this manner he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one size.
1 Kings 7:38
Then made he ten layers of brass: one laver contained forty baths [i.e; about 340 gals; if we accept the account of Josephus, Ant 1 Kings 8:2.9. But see on 1 Kings 8:26]: and every laver was four cubits. [It is uncertain whether the height or the diameter is meant. Keil decides for the latter—and four cubits, the width of the sides of the stand, may well have been also the diameter of the basin—on the ground that as" the basins were set upon ( עַל) the stands," it can hardly refer to the height. But it is worthy of remark that "the height of all the ether parts has been mentioned" (Rawlinson). See 1 Kings 8:27, 1 Kings 8:32, 1 Kings 8:35, and without this particular we could not calculate the entire height, which, if the laver were four cubits, would be about thirteen feet. This surprising size is accounted for by remembering the height of the altar, to which the fat and other sacrificial portions had to be transferred from the laver]: and upon every one of the ten bases one laver. [Ten layers would not be at all too many when we remember the prodigious number of victims which were occasionally offered.]
1 Kings 7:39
And he put five bases on the right side [Heb. shoulder] of the house, and five on the left side of the house [i.e; on the south and north sides of the court of the priests]: and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward over against the south. [This passage is decisive as to which was the right and which the left. The right side was the south. It was probably for convenience that the sea did not stand due east of the house, i.e; between the porch and altar.]
1 Kings 7:40
And Hiram made the layers [So the Rec. Text. But perhaps we ought to read סִירוֹת, i.e; pots, here, as in 1 Kings 7:45 and 2 Chronicles 4:11. This word is joined with shovels and basons, not only in these two passages, but also in Exodus 27:3, 2 Kings 25:14, Jeremiah 52:18; in other words, the appropriate term in this connexion would be "pots," while "layers," having been just mentioned in verse 38, would involve an idle repetition. Altogether, therefore, there can be little doubt that we should here read הסירות for הכירות. It is apparently the reading of the Chald; LXX; and some MSS. These" pots "were used, not for carrying away the ashes (Keil), but, as the name implies ( סִיר, effervescere), for boiling the flesh of the peace offering (1 Samuel 2:13, 1 Samuel 2:14), and the shovels [these, again, as the name implies, were used for taking away the ashes from the altar (Exodus 27:3; Numbers 4:14), and the basons. [The sacrificial bowls for receiving the blood of the victims (Exodus 38:3; Numbers 4:14).] So Hiram made an end of doing all the work [the writer now recapitulates the work of Hiram. The repetition may be due to the fact that the history was compiled from various lists and documents] that he made king Solomon for [Heb. omits the prep.] the house of the Lord.
1 Kings 7:41
The [Heb. omits the art. and reads pillars, two] two pillars, and the two bowls of the chapiters that were on the top of the two pillars; and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars. [See on verses 16-20.]
1 Kings 7:42
And four hundred pomegranates [Heb. the pomegranates, 400] for the two networks, even two rows of pomegranates for one network, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters that were upon the pillars [Heb. upon the face of the pillars]. A chapiter could hardly be correctly described as עַל־פְּנֵי הע. It is probable that this is a clerical error, and that we should read עַל־פְּנֵי הע (Bähr, Keil), "upon the two pillars." So LXX. ἐπ ἀμφοτέροις κ. τ. λ. This is a more likely emendation than עַל ראֹשׁ. It is true thin latter is the reading of some MSS; and is followed by the Syr. and Vulg; but it can easily be accounted for, being a repetition of the last words of verse 41, while it fails to account, as the first named emendation does, for the עַל־פְנֵי.
1 Kings 7:43
And the ten bases and the ten lavers [Heb. "the bases, ten and the lavers, ten "] on the bases. [See on verses 27-37.]
1 Kings 7:44
And one [Heb. the one] sea and twelve oxen [Heb. the oxen twelve] under the sea frets. 23-26].
1 Kings 7:45
And the pots [see on 1 Kings 7:40], and the shovels, and the basons, and all these vessels [according to the Keri] which Hiram made [There is no mention of the altar, as in 2 Chronicles 4:1, possibly because it was not made by Hiram (Bähr)] to [rather, for] king Solomon for [Heb. omits] the house of the Lord, were of bright brass. [Marg. made bright, i.e; polished after casting.]
1 Kings 7:46
In the plain [Heb. Ciccar, i.e; circle or circuit, the word used only of the Ghor or Jordan valley. This tract is called "The Ciccar" Genesis 13:11, Genesis 19:17, etc. See Stanley, "Sinai and Palestine," App; § 12] of Jordan [in the Heb. this river ("the descender") always takes the art.] did the king cast them, in the clay ground [Heb. as marg. in the thickness of the ground. Whether the soil was made thick by stamping (Keil) it is impossible to say. It looks as if this site had been chosen because the soil was suitable] between Succoth [Genesis 33:17. It appears from 8:5 that it lay east of the Jordan (cf. Joshua 13:27, where it allotted to the tribe of Gad); "and indeed it has been recovered, under its later name Tarala, at Tell Dar'ala, northeast of the Damieh ford". As Zarthan was almost certainly west of the Jordan, and as the casting—from the nature of the country—must as certainly have been done to the west of the river it is somewhat surprising to find a trans-Jordanie town mentioned as one of the landmarks defining the site. It is possible that there was a western Succoth—a place named Sakut was discovered by Robinson and Van de velde, a few miles south of Bethshean; but this name is radically different (Conder). It is, therefore, more probable that, being near the ford of the river this place was so well known that it would serve better than any of the less familiar western towns to identify the site of the foundry] and Zarthan. [See note on 1 Kings 4:12.]
1 Kings 7:47
And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed [the interpretation of the A.V. italics is justified by the next clauses] because they were exceeding many: neither was the weight of the brass found out. [Marg. searched. So Gesen. al. This does not mean that the "brass for each vessel was not weighed out" (Bähr), but that the total weight of the metal was not, perhaps could not, be ascertained.]
The sacred record now proceeds to enumerate the vessels, etc; used inside the temple—those hitherto described having been for external use. These latter, as became the furniture of a house which blazed in gold, were all of gold, while the former were of brass. It would seem to be a fair inference, from the omission of Hiram's name, that he was not employed on the manufacture of these latter vessels.
1 Kings 7:48
And Solomon made all the vessels which pertained unto [neither word in Heb.] the house of the Lord: the altar of gold [the altar of incense. See on 1 Kings 6:20, 1 Kings 6:22] and the table of gold [The Heb. shows the meaning to be, He made the table out of gold, not "He made the golden table," as Keil. 2 Chronicles 4:8 (cf. 2 Chronicles 4:19 and 1 Chronicles 28:16) speaks of ten tables] whereupon the shewbread was.
1 Kings 7:49
And the candlesticks [Exodus 25:31-37; Exodus 37:17-24. According to Jewish tradition, the seven-branched candlestick was preserved in the temple in addition to the ten named here] of pure [Heb. shut] gold, five on the right side and five on the left, before the oracle ["These are said to have formed a sort of railing before the vail, and to have been connected by golden chains under which, on the day of atonement, the high priest crept" (Dict. Bib. 1:249). The idea that the ten candlesticks rested on the ten tables mentioned in the Chronicles is. entirely groundless. Eleven tables would in that case have been necessary (Bähr). Besides we are distinctly told that the tables were for the shewbread (2 Chronicles 4:19), not for the candlesticks], with the flowers [ornaments of the candlestick (Exodus 25:31)], and the lamps [the seven extremities of the candlestick which held the oil and the wicks (verse 37). It is highly probable that the temple candlesticks were fashioned after that of the tabernacle], and the tongs
signifies to sprinkle, they were probably either for the water or the blood of sprinkling. Keil thinks they were for the wine of the libations], and the spoons [ כַפוֹת, lit; palms (of hands), hence used of shallow vessels (Exodus 25:29; Numbers 7:84, Numbers 7:86. The last cited passage (cf. Numbers 7:14, Numbers 7:20, Numbers 7:26) shows that they were used for the incense (Le Numbers 24:7, etc.), LXX. θυίσκαι], and the censers [or snuffers, extinguishers; marg. ash-pans. In Exodus 25:38 the word is translated snuff, dishes. In Numbers 4:14, Numbers 16:6, it signifies censers, which may well be the meaning here] of pure gold; and the hinges [or sockets of the hinges (Gesen; Keil)] of gold, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place [Heb. for the holy of holies], and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple. [These were evidently of inferior (not pure) metal.]
1 Kings 7:51
So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the Lord. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated [marg. holy things of David (2 Samuel 8:8, 2 Samuel 8:10, 2 Samuel 8:11; 1 Chronicles 22:3, 1 Chronicles 22:14, 1 Chronicles 22:16; 1 Chronicles 28:14-18). Cf. 26:26-28]; even the surer, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the Lord. [So that all the store of precious metal and the brass that David had prepared was not absorbed in the decoration and furniture of the temple. There would seem to have been a considerable overplus, which was stored in the temple treasury.]
HOMILETICS
1 Kings 7:15-22
The Pillars of Brass.
If, as some think, the importance of any Scripture subject is to be gauged by the space assigned to it in the sacred page, then surely the fact that eight long verses of this chapter are occupied with the description of these two columns and their capitals proves, first, their importance in the eyes of Jewish writers, and, secondly, that they must have a significance for the minds of Christian readers. But the importance of these monuments (which is also attested
I. WHAT MEANING THEY HAD FOR THE JEW?
II. WHAT LESSONS THEY HAVE FOR OURSELVES?
I. But in order to arrive at their meaning, we must first consider their purpose. We have seen that they were not structural, but monumental (note on 1 Kings 7:21); in fact they served instead of an inscription upon the building. The Western world, with its love of the concrete, often stamps its great edifices with appropriate legends. But the children of the East have ever preferred the mystical teaching of symbolism. For them there has always been a charm in "the view of things half seen." And so the Jewish temple bore no letters on its front, but its representative pillars stood forth, embodiments in themselves of the ideas of the building, and silently proclaimed its object and character. And this is the teaching they had for the wise—
1. That the temple was strong and firm and lasting. Their very materials proclaimed this. They were not of perishing wood or stone, but of enduring bronze. Then, they were of unusual girth in proportion to their height, for whereas the shaft was 12 cubits in circumference, it was but 18 cubits high (Jeremiah 52:21). The first impression they gave, consequently, would be that of strength, of fixity, and so they spoke, by their very character as well as by their names, of the stability of the house. It was no longer a tent (cf. Isaiah 38:12), it was a house of cedar (2 Samuel 7:2), it was a κτῆμα ἐς ἀεί The two columns, that is to say, served instead of these two inscriptions, "I have surely built thee a house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in forever" (1 Kings 8:18), and" This is my rest forever here will I dwell, for I have desired it" (Psalms 132:14).
2. That its strength and stability were in God. Of course this is an idea which symbolism could only express imperfectly. And yet it may be (as some have thought) that the brazen pillars would recall to some minds the pillar of cloud, the token of God's presence. And if we may see in the steeple a "silent finger. pointing to the sky," then surely these erect columns may have carried men's thoughts upwards to the throne of God. But if not, the names, Jachin, Boaz, at any rate, witnessed for Him and proclaimed Him to all as the hope and stay of the new sanctuary. It was, therefore, as if in the place of pillars these superscriptions also had been conspicuous on the temple: for Jachin—"God is in the midst of her; she shall not be removed;" and for Boaz—"Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it" (Psalms 127:1. Note. This psalm is ascribed to Solomon. And these words were inscribed on the late Eddystone lighthouse).
3. That it was the shrine of a holy God. The two columns, standing as sentinels over the house, confronted all who came into its courts with the idea of consecration. We have seen that column and chapiter together bore a rough resemblance to a lily—the column the stalk, the chapiter the flower. Now the lily is the emblem of purity (see on 1 Kings 7:19). The" lily work in the porch" proclaimed the house as belonging to the All-Holy One of Israel. The columns, therefore, in their esoteric symbolic language, spoke to the same effect as if these words had been blazoned on the temple's front (as on the high priest's mitre): "Holiness unto the Lord" (Exodus 28:1-43:86; Exodus 39:30), or these, "I the Lord your God am holy" (Le 1 Kings 19:2; 1 Kings 21:8).
4. That it was for the worship of a holy people. The chapiters were fashioned after a lily cup. The columns, i.e; blossomed into purity under the shelter of the sanctuary, and so proclaimed that holiness was to be the product of the temple services and ritual. They served accordingly as memoranda both to priests and worshippers. It is said that on the front of the second temple words were inscribed, viz; these: "Know before whom thou art going to stand." In this first temple the two columns spoke to the same purport. To the priests they cried, "Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord" (Isaiah 52:11); to the people they spoke, like the "fringe with the ribband of blue," "Be ye holy unto your God" (Numbers 15:38, Numbers 15:40).
5. That it was for a people zealous of good works. On the columns were 400 pomegranates. Pomegranates are said to be emblems of fruitfulness. If so, they taught the Hebrew worshipper this last lesson—they served instead of this inscription, "Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits" (Exodus 22:29); or this, "He looked that his vineyard should bring forth grapes" (Isaiah 5:2).
II. But what lessons have Jachin and Boaz for ourselves? Do they not speak to us
1. Of the Church. The lessons these brazen columns had for the Hebrew people, the same they have for ourselves, with this difference, that they also speak to us by their fall. They image forth the stability of the Church—that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; that its strength is in God—its weapons are not carnal, but spiritual (2 Corinthians 10:4; Matthew 28:20; John 15:4); that its object is holiness (Ephesians 5:27; Ephesians 1:4; Titus 2:12) and fruitfulness (John 15:8; 2 Corinthians 9:10; Philippians 1:11). But they have an additional lesson for us, derived from their destruction. For why were these splendid works of art removed out of their place, broken up, and carried to Babylon? (Jeremiah 52:17, Jeremiah 52:21.) It was because their lessons were unheeded, because the people were not pure and holy (Jeremiah 22:8, Jeremiah 22:9; Jeremiah 5:31; Acts 7:43). And so we learn—net that the Catholic Church will "likewise perish:" that can never be (Matthew 16:18); of that it might be said, with a propriety of which the Latin poet was all unconscious, "Exegi monumentum aere perennius"—the columns lasted 423 years, the Church 1800 already—but that particular churches, if unfaithful, shall have their candlesticks removed out of their places (Revelation 2:5). "If God spared not the natural branches," etc. (Romans 11:21).
2. Of the Christian. He may learn hence—
1 Kings 7:23, 1 Kings 7:24
The Molten Sea and the Brazen Layers.
If the two pillars teach the lesson of purity, of personal holiness, how much more the sea and bases! For observe—
1. Sea and bases had the same end in view, viz; purification. The first was for the cleansing of the priests. The second for the cleansing of the sacrifices offered by the priests.