1 Kings 7:38
in 1 Kings 7He also made ten bronze basins, each holding forty baths and measuring four cubits across, one basin for each of the ten stands.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he made ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths; and every laver was four cubits; and upon every one of the ten bases one laver.
KJV
Then made he ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths: and every laver was four cubits: and upon every one of the ten bases one laver.
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This verse in 1 Kings 7
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThen made he ten lavers - These were set on the ten bases or pedestals, and were to hold water for the use of the priests in their sacred office, particularly to wash the victims that were to be offered as a burnt-offering, as we learn from 2Ch 4:6; but the brazen sea was for the priests to wash in. The whole was a building of vast art, labor, and expense.
This site's exposition
ten lavers of brass
on 1 Kings 7:38-40
Ten lavers of forty baths each ride the ten bases, five ranged on each side of the house, and the sea stands at the southeast corner. Hiram finishes the movable brasswork with the small tools, pots, shovels and basons, and the narrator marks the completion before turning to the inventory. The multiplication from one tabernacle laver to ten plus a sea measures the scale of the priestly service the house expects.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
The number forty conventionally typifies great perfection because, of course, four tens make forty; now there are ten precepts whereby our whole code of conduct is laid down in the divine law, but four books of the Gospels in which entry into our heavenly homeland …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
All within doors was gold, and all made new (except the ark, with its mercy-seat and cherubim), the old being either melted down or laid by--the golden altar, table, and candlestick, with all their appurtenances. The altar of incense was still one, for Christ and his intercession are so: but he made ten golden tables, 2 Chron. iv.
Then made he ten lavers of brass,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
he made ten bases of brass--These were trucks or four-wheeled carriages, for the support and conveyance of the lavers. The description of their structure shows that they were elegantly fitted up and skilfully adapted to their purpose. They stood, not on the axles, but on four rests attached to the axles, so that the figured sides were considerably raised above the wheels.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Every laver was four cubits - Assuming height to be intended, and taking the cubit at 20 inches, the entire height of the lavers as they stood upon their wheeled stands would seem to have been 13 ft. 9 in. It is evident, therefore, that the water must have been drawn from them, as from the “molten sea,” through cocks or taps.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּ֛עַשׂ | vaiyaas | and he made | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| עֲשָׂרָ֥ה | ʾasarah | ten | H6235 → | 176 times |
| כִיֹּר֖וֹת | khiyorot | lavers | H3595 → | 23 times |
| נְחֹ֑שֶׁת | nechoshet | bronze | H5178 → | 140 times |
| אַרְבָּעִ֨ים | ʾarbaim | forty | H705 → | 136 times |
| בַּ֜ת | bat | bath[s] | H1324 → | |
| יָכִ֣יל׀ | yakhil | it contained | H3557 → | 38 times |
| הַכִּיּ֣וֹר | hakiyor | the laver | H3595 → | 23 times |
| הָאֶחָ֗ד | haechad | <the> one | H259 → | 971 times |
| אַרְבַּ֤ע | ʾarba' | [was] four | H702 → | 318 times |
| בָּֽאַמָּה֙ | baamah | by the cubit | H520 → | 247 times |
| הַכִּיּ֣וֹר | hakiyor | the laver | H3595 → | 23 times |
| הָאֶחָ֔ד | haechad | <the> one | H259 → | 971 times |
| כִּיּ֤וֹר | kiyor | a laver | H3595 → | 23 times |
| אֶחָד֙ | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [was] on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַמְּכוֹנָ֣ה | hamekhonah | the stand | H4350 → | 24 times |
| הָאַחַ֔ת | haachat | <the> one | H259 → | 971 times |
| לְעֶ֖שֶׂר | leeser | for [the] ten | H6235 → | 176 times |
| הַמְּכֹנֽוֹת׃ | hamekhonot | the stands | H4350 → | 24 times |
וַיַּ֛עַשׂand he made
vaiyaasH6213 →2628 times
עֲשָׂרָ֥הten
ʾasarahH6235 →176 times
כִיֹּר֖וֹתlavers
khiyorotH3595 →23 times
נְחֹ֑שֶׁתbronze
nechoshetH5178 →140 times
אַרְבָּעִ֨יםforty
ʾarbaimH705 →136 times
בַּ֜תbath[s]
batH1324 →
יָכִ֣יל׀it contained
yakhilH3557 →38 times
הַכִּיּ֣וֹרthe laver
hakiyorH3595 →23 times
הָאֶחָ֗ד<the> one
haechadH259 →971 times
אַרְבַּ֤ע[was] four
ʾarba'H702 →318 times
בָּֽאַמָּה֙by the cubit
baamahH520 →247 times
הַכִּיּ֣וֹרthe laver
hakiyorH3595 →23 times
הָאֶחָ֔ד<the> one
haechadH259 →971 times
כִּיּ֤וֹרa laver
kiyorH3595 →23 times
אֶחָד֙one
ʾechadH259 →971 times
עַל־[was] on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַמְּכוֹנָ֣הthe stand
hamekhonahH4350 →24 times
הָאַחַ֔ת<the> one
haachatH259 →971 times
לְעֶ֖שֶׂרfor [the] ten
leeserH6235 →176 times
הַמְּכֹנֽוֹת׃the stands
hamekhonotH4350 →24 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 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
1 John 1:7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
it leads to
- Ephesians 5:8
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,
- Romans 13:12
The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
- Revelation 1:5
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by…
- Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
- Revelation 7:14
“Sir,” I answered, “you know.” So he replied, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the…
- Ephesians 5:8
Through
Hebrews 10:22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 36:25
I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.
- John 3:5
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
- Ephesians 5:26
to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
- Ezekiel 36:25
About 1 Kings
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Of the Temple of Solomon 2.20.12; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.