1 Kings 7:18
in 1 Kings 7Likewise, he made the pillars with two rows of pomegranates around each grating to cover each capital atop the pillars.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
So he made the pillars; and there were two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars: and so did he for the other capital.
KJV
And he made the pillars, and two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the chapiters that were upon the top, with pomegranates: and so did he for the other chapiter.
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This verse in 1 Kings 7
Commentary
6 notes on this verseAnd he made the pillars,.... Or adorned them in this manner: and two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the chapiters that were upon the top, with pomegranates; that is, there were two rows of figures like pomegranates upon the net or branch work that covered the chapiters that were on the top of the pillars; and Kimchi owns, that some copies so read, on the top of the pillars, instead of pomegranates, though he thinks it a mistake: and so did he for the other chapiter; put two rows about that also.
This site's exposition
two pillars of bronze, each eighteen cubits high
on 1 Kings 7:15-22
The pillar to the south is Jachin, meaning he will establish, and the pillar to the north is Boaz, meaning in him is strength. Boaz is also the name of Ruth’s redeemer in David’s line. The book of 2 Kings 25:13-17 records these pillars broken and carried to Babylon.
This site's exposition
two rows of pomegranates around each grating
Pomegranates were a common ornament in Assyria. Albert Barnes leaves open whether the bronze pomegranates set in rows on the network of each capital carried a meaning or were made for beauty. Kimchi, cited by John Gill, knew copies that swapped pillars and pomegranates in this verse.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
True, there were two rows of networks right around the capital, but both rows were repeated seven times over until the capital was encircled and the row rejoined itself after going full circle. Nor is the figure of the mystery obscured by the fact that …
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The pomegranate was one of the most common ornaments in Assyria. It was used on quivers, on spear-shafts, and maceheads, in patterns on doorways and pavements, etc. It is doubtful whether a symbolic meaning was attached to it, or whether it was merely selected as a beautiful natural form.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
two pillars of brass of eighteen cubits high--They were made of the brass (bronze) which was taken from the king of Zobah (1Ch 18:8). In 2Ch 3:15 they are said to have been thirty-five cubits high. There, however, their joint lengths are given; whereas here the length of the pillars is given separately.
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The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּ֖עַשׂ | vaiyaas | and he made | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָעַמּוּדִ֑ים | haamudim | the pillars | H5982 → | 111 times |
| וּשְׁנֵי֩ | ushenei | and two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| טוּרִ֨ים | turim | rows | H2905 → | 26 times |
| סָבִ֜יב | saviv | [were] all around | H5439 → | 336 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַשְּׂבָכָ֣ה | hasevakhah | the network | H7639 → | 16 times |
| הָאֶחָ֗ת | haechat | <the> one | H259 → | 971 times |
| לְכַסּ֤וֹת | lekhasot | to cover | H3680 → | 152 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַכֹּֽתָרֹת֙ | hakotarot | the capitals | H3805 → | 24 times |
| אֲשֶׁר֙ | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [were] on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| רֹ֣אשׁ | rosh | [the] top of | H7218 → | 599 times |
| הָֽרִמֹּנִ֔ים | harimonim | the pomegranates | H7416 → | 32 times |
| וְכֵ֣ן | vekhen | and thus | H3651 → | 771 times |
| עָשָׂ֔ה | ʾasah | he did | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לַכֹּתֶ֖רֶת | lakoteret | for the capital | H3805 → | 24 times |
| הַשֵּׁנִֽית׃ | hashenit | <the> second | H8145 → | 156 times |
וַיַּ֖עַשׂand he made
vaiyaasH6213 →2628 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָעַמּוּדִ֑יםthe pillars
haamudimH5982 →111 times
וּשְׁנֵי֩and two
usheneiH8147 →768 times
טוּרִ֨יםrows
turimH2905 →26 times
סָבִ֜יב[were] all around
savivH5439 →336 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַשְּׂבָכָ֣הthe network
hasevakhahH7639 →16 times
הָאֶחָ֗ת<the> one
haechatH259 →971 times
לְכַסּ֤וֹתto cover
lekhasotH3680 →152 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַכֹּֽתָרֹת֙the capitals
hakotarotH3805 →24 times
אֲשֶׁר֙which
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עַל־[were] on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
רֹ֣אשׁ[the] top of
roshH7218 →599 times
הָֽרִמֹּנִ֔יםthe pomegranates
harimonimH7416 →32 times
וְכֵ֣ןand thus
vekhenH3651 →771 times
עָשָׂ֔הhe did
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
לַכֹּתֶ֖רֶתfor the capital
lakoteretH3805 →24 times
הַשֵּׁנִֽית׃<the> second
hashenitH8145 →156 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
7 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Kings 25:17Each pillar was eighteen cubits tall. The bronze capital atop one pillar was three cubits high, with a network of bronze pomegranates all around. The second pillar, with its network, was similar.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 7:15–22
He cast two pillars of bronze, each eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits in circumference.
- Jeremiah 52:21–23
Each pillar was eighteen cubits tall and twelve cubits in circumference; each was hollow, four fingers thick.
- 1 Kings 7:15–22
Through
Exodus 28:14and two chains of pure gold, made of braided cord work; and attach these chains to the settings.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 7:17
For the capitals on top of the pillars he made a network of lattice, with wreaths of chainwork, seven for each capital.
- Exodus 39:15
For the breastpiece they made braided chains like cords of pure gold.
- Exodus 28:22–25
For the breastpiece, make braided chains like cords of pure gold.
- 2 Chronicles 4:12–13
the two pillars; the two bowl-shaped capitals atop the pillars; the two sets of network covering both bowls of the capitals atop the pillars;
- 2 Kings 25:17
Each pillar was eighteen cubits tall. The bronze capital atop one pillar was three cubits high, with a network of bronze pomegranates all around. The second pillar, with its network, was similar.
- 1 Kings 7:17
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Kings

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Of the Temple of Solomon 2.18.11; F. W. Farrar, The First Book of Kings (Expositor's Bible); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Keil, The Books of the Kings.
