1 Kings 7 · Verse 23

1 Kings 7:23

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.
1 Kings 7:23, King James Version

1 Kings 7:23 in other translations

BSBHe 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.
WEBHe made the molten sea ten cubits from brim to brim, round in shape. Its height was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits encircled it.
ASVAnd 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.
YLTAnd 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;
DARBYAnd 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.
BBEAnd he made a great metal water-vessel ten cubits across from edge to edge, five cubits high and thirty cubits round.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does 1 Kings 7:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Kings 7:23-26
23-26. he made a molten sea--In the tabernacle was no such vessel; the laver served the double purpose of washing the hands and feet of the priests as well as the parts of the sacrifices. But in the temple there were separate vessels provided for these offices. (See on 2Ch 4:6). The molten sea was an immense semicircular vase, measuring seventeen and a half feet in diameter, and being eight and three-fourths feet in depth. This, at three and a half inches in thickness, could not weigh less than from twenty-five to thirty tons in one solid casting--and held from sixteen thousand to twenty thousand gallons of water. [See on 2Ch 4:3.] The brim was all carved with lily work or flowers; and oxen were carved or cut on the outside all round, to the number of three hundred; and it stood on a pedestal of twelve oxen. These oxen must have been of considerable size, like the Assyrian bulls, so that their corresponding legs would give thickness or strength to support so great a weight for, when the vessel was filled with water, the whole weight would be about one hundred tons [Napier]. (See on 2Ch 4:3).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Kings 7:13-47

The two brazen pillars in the porch of the temple, some think, were to teach those that came to worship, to depend upon God only, for strength and establishment in all their religious exercises. "Jachin," God will fix this roving mind. It is good that the heart be established with grace. "Boaz," In him is our strength, who works in us both to will and to do. Spiritual strength and stability are found at the door of…

Read the full comment on 1 Kings 7:13-47 →

1 Kings 7:23 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּ֥עַשׂvai.Ya.'asand he madeH6213
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַיָּ֖םhai.Yamthe seaH3220
מוּצָ֑קmu.Tzakcast [metal]H4165
עֶ֣שֶׂר'E.ser[was] tenH6235
בָּ֠אַמָּהBa.'a.mahby the cubitH520
מִשְּׂפָת֨וֹmi.se.fa.Tofrom lip itsH8193
עַד\־'ad-toH5704
שְׂפָת֜וֹse.fa.Tolip itsH8193
עָגֹ֣ל\׀'a.GolroundH5696
סָבִ֗יבsa.Vivall aroundH5439
וְחָמֵ֤שׁve.cha.Meshand [was] fiveH2568
בָּֽאַמָּה֙ba.'a.Mahby the cubitH520
קוֹמָת֔וֹko.ma.Toheight itsH6967
וְקָו֙u.ke.vehand a measuring-lineH6957
שְׁלֹשִׁ֣יםshe.lo.ShimthirtyH7970
בָּֽאַמָּ֔הba.'a.Mahby the cubitH520
יָסֹ֥בya.Soit went roundH5437
אֹת֖וֹ'o.To<obj.> itH853
סָבִֽיב\׃sa.Vivall aroundH5439

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Kings 7:23

  • 2 Kings 25:13

    And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord, and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the Lord, did the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon.

  • 2 Chronicles 4:2

    Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.

  • Jeremiah 52:17

    Also the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord, and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans brake, and carried all the brass of them to Babylon.

  • Exodus 38:8

    And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

  • Jeremiah 52:20

    The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brasen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made in the house of the Lord: the brass of all these vessels was without weight.

  • 1 Chronicles 18:8

    Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.

  • Exodus 30:18-21

    Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord: So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.

  • 2 Kings 16:17

    And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brasen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he made.
Ex 30:18-21; 38:8
a molten sea.
2Ki 25:13; 2Ch 4:2; Jer 52:17,20
the one brim to the other. Heb. his brim to his brim.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Kings 7:22

    And upon the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pillars finished.

  • 1 Kings 7:23

    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.

  • 1 Kings 7:24

    And under the brim of it round about there were knops compassing it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about: the knops were cast in two rows, when it was cast.

Read all of 1 Kings 7

1 Kings 7:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Hizo asimismo un mar de fundición, de diez codos del un lado al otro, perfectamente redondo: su altura era de cinco codos, y ceñíalo alrededor un cordón de treinta codos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il fit la mer de fonte, de dix coudées d’un bord à l’autre bord, ronde tout autour, et haute de cinq coudées; et un cordon de 30 coudées l’entourait tout autour.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er machte das Meer, gegossen, zehn Ellen von seinem einen Rande bis zu seinem anderen Rande, gerundet ringsum, und fünf Ellen seine Höhe; und eine Schnur von dreißig Ellen umfaßte es ringsum.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Fecit quoque mare fusile decem cubitorum a labio usque ad labium, rotundum in circuitu: quinque cubitorum altitudo ejus, et resticula triginta cubitorum cingebat illud per circuitum.