Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 7:27
And he made ten bases of brass; four cubits [was] the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it.
27 39. Of the ten bases, and the lavers upon them (2Ch 4:6)
27. ten bases of brass ] These were stands for the ten lavers mentioned below. See 1Ki 7:38.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Ten bases of brass – These were for the ten lavers (1Ki 7:38. See 2Ch 4:6). In general terms the bases were square stands, 6 feet each way, and 4 12 feet high, elaborately ornamented on their four sides, and resting upon four wheels, 2 14 feet in diameter. Each stand supported a laver 6 feet high, which contained 40 baths 1Ki 7:38, or about 340 gallons.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 27. He made ten bases] That is, pedestals, for the ten lavers to rest on.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He made ten bases; upon which stood the ten lavers mentioned below, 1Ki 7:38, in which they washed the parts of the sacrifices, 2Ch 4:6.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
27-39. he made ten bases ofbrassThese were trucks or four-wheeled carriages, for thesupport and conveyance of the lavers. The description of theirstructure shows that they were elegantly fitted up and skilfullyadapted to their purpose. They stood, not on the axles, but on fourrests attached to the axles, so that the figured sides wereconsiderably raised above the wheels. They were all exactly alike inform and size. The lavers which were borne upon them were vesselscapable each of holding three hundred gallons of water, upwards of aton weight. The whole, when full of water, would be no less than twotons [NAPIER].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he made ten bases of brass,…. Seats, stands, or settles for the ten lavers after mentioned:
four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof; as broad as it was long, and so a square, that the laver might stand firm upon it:
and three cubits the height of it; from the ground plates to the surface, that the priests might be able to reach the layers, and wash their sacrifices.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Brazen Stands and Their Basins.
(Note: The description which follows will be more easily understood by comparing it with the sketch given in my biblische Archologie, Taf. iii. fig. 4.)
– He made ten stands of brass, each four cubits long, four cubits broad, and three cubits high. , stands or stools (Luther), is the name given to these vessels from their purpose, viz., to serve as supports to the basins which were used for washing the flesh of the sacrifices. They were square chests cast in brass, of the dimensions given.
1Ki 7:28-29 Their work (their construction) was the following: they had , lit., surroundings, i.e., panels of flat sides, and that between , commissurae, i.e., frames or borders, which enclosed the sides, and were connected together at the angles; and upon the panels within the borders (there were figures of) lions, oxen, and cherubim. The statement in Josephus, that each centre was divided into three compartments, has nothing to support it in the biblical text, nor is it at all probable in itself, inasmuch as a division of this kind would have rendered the figures placed upon them insignificantly small. “And upon the borders was a base above.” is a noun, and has been rendered correctly by the Chaldee , basis. The meaning is, above, over the borders, there was a pedestal for the basin upon the chest, which is more fully described in 1Ki 7:31. To take as an adverb does not give a suitable sense. For if we adopt the rendering, and upon the corner borders (or ledges) likewise above (De Wette and Ewald), – i.e., there were also figures of lions, oxen, and cherubim upon the corner borders, – it is impossible to tell what the meaning of can be, to say nothing of the fact that on the corner borders there could hardly be room for such figures as these. This last argument also tells against the rendering adopted by Thenius: “and upon the corner borders, above as well as below the lions and oxen, (there were) wreaths;” in which, moreover, it is impossible to attach any supportable meaning to the . When, on the other hand, Thenius objects to our view that the pedestal in question is spoken of for the first time in 1Ki 7:31, and that the expression “above the corner borders (ledges)” would be extremely unsuitable, since the pedestal in question was above the whole stand; the former remark is not quite correct, for 1Ki 7:31 merely contains a more minute description of the character of the pedestal, and the latter is answered by the fact that the pedestal derived its strength from the corner borders or ledges. “And below the lions and oxen were wreaths, pendant work.” , here and at 1Ki 7:36, is to be explained from in Pro 1:9 and Pro 4:9, and signifies twists or wreaths. is not “work of sinking,” i.e., sunken work (Thenius), which never can be the meaning of , but pendant work, festoons, by which, however, we cannot understand festoons hanging freely, or floating in the air.
1Ki 7:30 “Every stool had four brazen wheels and brazen axles, and the four feet thereof had shoulder-pieces; below the basin were the shoulder-pieces cast, beyond each one (were) wreaths.” The meaning is that the square chests stood upon axles with wheels of brass, after the style of ordinary carriage wheels (1Ki 7:33), so that they could be driven or easily moved from one place to another; and that they did not rest directly upon the axles, but stood upon four feet, which were fastened upon the axles. This raised the chest above the rim of the wheels, so that not only were the sides of the chest which were ornamented with figures left uncovered, but, according to 1Ki 7:32, the wheels stood below the panels, and not, as in ordinary carriages, at the side of the chest. With regard to the connection between the axles and the wheels, Gesenius ( Thes. p. 972) and Thenius suppose that the axles were fastened to the wheels, as in the Roman plaustra and at the present day in Italy, so as to turn with them; and Thenius argues in support of this, that is to be connected not only with what immediately precedes, but also with . But this latter is unfounded; and the idea is altogether irreconcilable with the fact that the wheels had naves ( , 1Ki 7:33), from which we must infer that they revolved upon the axles. The words are ambiguous.They may either be rendered, “and its four feet had shoulder-pieces,” or, as Thenius supposes, “and its four feet served as shoulder-pieces.” means stepping feet, feet bent out as if for stepping (Exo 25:12). The suffix attached to refers to , the masculine being often used indefinitely instead of the feminine, as in in 1Ki 7:28. Thenius compares these feet to the of the Greeks, and imagines that they were divided below, like fork-shaped upright contrivances, in which, as in forks, the wheels turned with the axles, so that the axle-peg, which projected outwards, had a special apparatus, instead of the usual pin, in the form of a stirrup-like and on the lower side hand-shaped holder ( ), which was fastened to the lower rim of the , and descended perpendicularly so as to cover the foot, and the general arrangement of the wheels themselves received greater strength in consequence. These feet, which were divided in the shape of forks, are supposed to be called (shoulders), because they were not attached underneath at the edge of the stand, but being cast with the corner rims passed down in the inner angles, so that their uppermost portion was under the basin, and the lowest portion was under the stand, which we are to picture to ourselves as without a bottom, and projecting as a split foot, held the wheel, and so formed its shoulder-pieces. But we cannot regard this representation as either in accordance with the text, or as really correct. Even if could in any case be grammatically rendered, “they served them (the wheels and axles) as shoulders,” although it would be a very questionable course to take in a different sense here from that which it bears in the perfectly similar construction in 1Ki 7:28, the feet which carried the stand could not possibly be called the shoulders of the wheels and their axles, since they did not carry the wheels, but the . Moreover, this idea is irreconcilable with the following words: “below the basin were the shoulder-pieces cast.” If, for example, as Thenius assumes, the mechonah head a cover which was arched like a dome, and had a neck in the centre into which the basin was inserted by its lower rim, the shoulder-pieces, supposing that they were cast upon the inner borders of the chest, would not be below the basin, but simply below the corners of the lid of the chest, so that they would stand in no direct relation whatever to the basin. We must therefore give the preference to the rendering, which is grammatically the most natural one, “and its feet had shoulder-pieces,” and understand the words as signifying that from the feet, which descended of course from the four corner borders of the chest down to the axles, 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. According to 1Ki 7:34, these shoulder-pieces were so cast upon the four corners of the chest, that they sprang out of it as it were. , opposite to each one were wreaths. Where these festoons were attached, the various senses in which is used prevent our deciding with certainty. At any rate, we must reject the alternation proposed by Thenius, of into , for the simple reason that in the sense of “one to the other” would not be Hebraic.
1Ki 7:31-34 In 1Ki 7:31 we have a description of the upper portion of the mechonah, which formed the pedestal for the basin, and therewith an explanation of . “And the mouth of it (the basin) was within the crown and upwards with a cubit, and the mouth of it (the crown) was rounded, stand-work, a cubit and a half (wide), and on its mouth also there was engraved work, and its panels were square, not round.” To understand this verse, we must observe that, according to 1Ki 7:35, the mechonah chest was provided at the top with a dome-shaped covering, in the centre of which there was an elevation resembling the capital of a pillar ( , the crown), supporting the basin, which was inserted into it by its lower rim. The suffix in (its mouth) is supposed by Thenius to refer to the mechonah chest, and he questions the allusion to the basin, on the ground that this was so flat that a mouth -like opening could not possibly be spoken of, and the basins were never within the mechonah. But however correct these two remarks may be in themselves, they by no means demonstrate the necessity of taking as referring to the mechonah chest. For (the mouth) is not necessarily to be understood as denoting a mouth-like opening to the basin; but just as in Exo 28:32 signifies the opening of the clothes for the head, i.e., for putting the head through when putting on the clothes, so may (its mouth) be the opening or mouth for the basin, i.e., the opening into which the basin fitted and was emptied, the water in the basin being let off into the mechonah chest through the head-shaped neck by means of a tap or plug. The mouth was really the lower or contracted portion of the shell-shaped basin, which was about a cubit in height within the neck and upwards, that is to say, in all, inasmuch as it went partly into the neck and rose in part above it. The (the mouth thereof) which follows is the (upper) opening of the crown-like neck of the lid of the mechonah. This was rounded, , stand-work, i.e., according to De Wette’s correct paraphrase, formed after the style of the foot of a pillar, a cubit and a half in diameter. “And also upon the mouth of it (the mechonah) was carved work.” The (also) refers to the fact that the sides of the mechonah were already ornamented with carving. , the panels of the crown-like neck ( ) and its mouth ( ) were square, like the panels of the sides of the mechonah chest. The fact that panels are spoken of in connection with this neck, may be explained on the assumption that with its height of one cubit and its circumference of almost five cubits (which follows from its having a diameter of a cubit and a half) it had stronger borders of brass to strengthen its bearing power, while between them it consisted of thinner plates, which are called fillings or panels. – In 1Ki 7:32, 1Ki 7:33, the wheels are more minutely described. Every stool had four wheels under the panels, i.e., not against the sides of the chest, but under them, and , hands or holders of the wheels, i.e., special contrivances for fastening the wheels to the axles, probably larger and more artistically worked than the linch-pins of ordinary carriages. These were only required when the wheels turned upon the axles, and not when they were fastened to them. The height of the wheel was a cubit and a half, i.e., not half the height, but the whole. For with a half height of a cubit and a half the wheels would have been three cubits in diameter; and as the chest was only four cubits long, the hinder wheels and front wheels would almost have touched one another. The work (construction) of the wheels resembled that of (ordinary) carriage wheels; but everything about them (holders, felloes, spokes, and naves) was cast in brass. – In 1Ki 7:34 the description passes to the upper portion of the mechonah. “And he made four shoulder-pieces at the four corners of one (i.e., of every) stand; out of the stand were its shoulder-pieces.” are the shoulder-pieces already mentioned in 1Ki 7:30, which were attached to the feet below, or which terminated in feet. They were fastened to the corners in such a way that they seemed to come out of them; and they rose above the corners with a slight inclination (curve) towards the middle of the neck or capital, till they came under the outer rim of the basin which rested upon the capital of the lid of the chest, so as to support the basin, which turned considerably outwards at the top.
1Ki 7:35-36 “And on the upper part of the stand (the mechonah chest) half a cubit high was rounded all round, and on the upper part were its holders, and its panels out of it. is the upper portion of the square chest. This was not flat, but rounded, i.e., arched, so that the arching rose half a cubit high above the height of the sides. This arched covering (or lid) had , holders, and panels, which were therefore upon the upper part of the . The holders we take to be strong broad borders of brass, which gave the lid the necessary firmness; and the fillings or panels are the thinner plates of brass between them. They were both , “out of it,” out of the upper part of the mechonah, i.e., cast along with it. With regard to the decoration of it, 1Ki 7:36 states that “he cut out (engraved) upon the plates of its holders, and upon its panels, cherubim, lions, and palms, according to the empty space of every one, and wreaths all round.” We cannot determine anything further with regard to the distribution of these figures.
1Ki 7:37-38 “Thus he made the ten stools of one kind of casting, measure, and form, and also ten brazen basins ( ), each holding forty baths, and each basin four cubits.” In a round vessel this can only be understood of the diameter, not of the height or depth, as the basins were set upon ( ) the stands. is dependent upon : he made ten basins, … one basin upon a stand for the ten stands, i.e., one basin for each stand. If then the basins were a cubit in diameter at the top, and therefore their size corresponded almost exactly to the length and breadth of the stand, whilst the crown-like neck, into which they were inserted, was only a cubit and a half in diameter (1Ki 7:31), their shape must have resembled that of widespreading shells. And the form thus given to them required the shoulder-pieces described in 1Ki 7:30 and 1Ki 7:34 as supports beneath the outer rim of the basins, to prevent their upsetting when the carriage was wheeled about.
(Note: The description which Ewald has given of these stands in his Geschichte, iii. pp. 311,312, and still more elaborately in an article in the Gttingen Gelehrten Nachr. 1859, pp. 131-146, is not only obscure, but almost entirely erroneous, since he proposes in the most arbitrary way to make several alterations in the biblical text, on the assumption that the Solomonian stands were constructed just like the small bronze four-wheeled kettle-carriages (hardly a foot in size) which have been discovered in Mecklenburg, Steyermark, and other places of Europe. See on this subject G. C. F. Lisch, “ ber die ehernen Wagenbecken der Bronzezeit, ” in the Jahrbb. des Vereinsf. Mecklenb. Geschichte, ix. pp. 373,374, where a sketch of a small carriage of this kind is given.)
1Ki 7:39 And he put the stands five on the right side of the house and five on the left; and the (brazen) sea he put upon the right side eastwards, opposite to the south. The right side is the south side, and the left the north side. Consequently the stands were not placed on the right and left, i.e., on each side of the altar of burnt-offering, but on each side of the house, i.e., of the temple-hall; while the brazen sea stood farther forward between the hall and the altar, only more towards the south, i.e., to the south-east of the hall and the south-west of the altar of burnt-offering. The basins upon the stands were for washing (according to 2Ch 4:6), namely, “the work of the burnt-offering,” that is to say, for cleansing the flesh and fat, which were to be consumed upon the altar of burnt-offering. By means of the stands on wheels they could not only easily bring the water required near to the priests who were engaged in preparing the sacrifices, but could also let down the dirty water into the chest of the stand by means of a special contrivance introduced for the purpose, and afterwards take it away. As the introduction of carriages for the basins arose from the necessities of the altar-service, so the preparation of ten such stands, and the size of the basins, was occasioned by the greater extension of the sacrificial worship, in which it often happened that a considerable number of sacrifices had to be made ready for the altar at the same time. The artistic work of these stands and their decoration with figures were intended to show that these vessels were set apart for the service of the sanctuary. The emblems are to some extent the same as those on the walls of the sanctuary, viz., cherubim, palms, and flowers, which had therefore naturally the same meaning here as they had there; the only difference being that they were executed there in gold, whereas here they were in brass, to correspond to the character of the court. Moreover, there were also figures of lions and oxen, pointing no doubt to the royal and priestly characters, which were combined, according to Exo 19:6, in the nation worshipping the Lord in this place.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(27-29) The smaller lavers of brass for washing the sacrifices, and the movable bases on which they rested, are described still more elaborately. Some of the details of the description are obscure, and it is clear that our translators were very much at fault about them. Generally, however, it appears that each base was a kind of hollow chest, 6 feet square on plan, and 4 feet high, having at the angles pilasters or fillets (ledges in 1Ki. 7:28), with panels on each side (borders in 1Ki. 7:28), ornamented with lions, oxen, and cherubims, below which hung festoons of thin metal-work(certain additions made of thin work, in 1Ki. 7:29). Each base was set on four brazen wheels with brazen axles (plates in 1Ki. 7:30) only 27 inches high, and with naves, felloes, and spokes, all cast in brass. On each base was a convex circular stand (1Ki. 7:35), with a mouth, or circular opening (apparently the chapiter of 1Ki. 7:31), upon which, or over which, the laver stood. This was nine inches high, ornamented with carvings of cherubims, lions, and palm-trees. From the four corners of the upper surface of the base sprang undersetters, apparently brackets helping to support the laver, which rested above the mouth of the convex stand, and to keep it fast in its place (1Ki. 7:30; 1Ki. 7:34). The laver was 6 feet in diameter, and held 40 baths, or about 360 gallons. The whole stood high, no doubt to bring it nearly on a level with the brazen altar, which was 15 feet high. In form, perhaps, each laver was a smaller copy of the molten sea. Of the whole a conjectural description and sketch are given in the Dictionary of the Bible, art. LAVERS.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
27. Ten bases Square chest-shaped supports on which the brazen lavers mentioned in 1Ki 7:38 rested. The exact form of these bases and the lavers is, like that of the pillars Jachin and Boaz, difficult to define. The Scripture text itself is very obscure the terms used are rare, and the versions all differ widely, and afford us no real aid. We may, however, by a careful study of the Hebrew text and the aid of the annexed cut, approximate a tolerably correct idea of the construction of these vessels. While the water in the brazen sea served for the priests to wash in, the lavers held the water in which they washed “such things as they offered for the burnt offering.” 2Ch 4:6. Hence they were set upon lofty bases to lift them near to the top of the great brazen altar of burnt offerings, which was ten cubits high. 2Ch 4:1. The bases were three cubits high, (1Ki 7:27,) the wheels a cubit and a half, (32,) the round compass half a cubit, (35,) the laver one cubit, and its base work a cubit and a half, (31,) and the corners or feet (30) were probably half a cubit, so that the height of the entire structure would be eight cubits, or about twelve feet. This would bring the top of the laver within three feet of the top of the great altar, and thus place it within convenient reach of the officiating priest.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Fashioning Of The Bases For The Lavers ( 1Ki 7:27-37 ).
As well as ‘the Sea’ at which priest could wash their hands and feet, there were also to be ten large wash bowls, situated on ten moveable bases, which were to be used for the purpose of washing parts of the sacrifices. They could be filled from the ‘sea’ and wheeled over to the altar for that purpose. The bases were somewhat complicated, described in technical language, and are explained first.
A ‘trolley’ for carrying bowls, which must have been something similar to these although much smaller, was discovered at Larnaka in Cyprus. It was a small bronze carriage, mounted on four wheels, with the square upper frame supporting a cylindrical ring which was adapted to receive rounded vessels. These ones in Solomon’s Temple were much larger. Another example was found at Enkomi, and a similar framework on a base but without the wheels was discovered at Megiddo.
Analysis.
a
b And the work of the bases was on this manner, they had panels, and there were panels between the ledges, and on the panels that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubim (1Ki 7:28).
c And upon the ledges there was a pedestal above, and beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging work (1Ki 7:29).
d And every base had four bronze wheels, and axles of bronze, and its four feet had undersetters. Beneath the laver were the undersetters molten, with wreaths at the side of each (1Ki 7:30).
e And the mouth of it within the capital and above was a cubit, and its mouth was round after the work of a pedestal, a cubit and a half, and also on the mouth of it were gravings, and their panels were foursquare, not round (1Ki 7:31).
d And the four wheels were underneath the panels, and the axletrees of the wheels were in the base, and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit. And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel, their axletrees, and their felloes, and their spokes, and their naves, were all molten. And there were four undersetters at the four corners of each base. Its undersetters were of the base itself (1Ki 7:32-34).
c And in the top of the base was there a round compass half a cubit high; and on the top of the base were its stays and its panels were of the same (1Ki 7:35).
b And on the plates of its stays, and on its panels, he engraved cherubim, lions, and palm-trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths round about (1Ki 7:36).
a After this manner he made the ten bases. All of them had one casting, one measure, and one form (1Ki 7:37).
Note that in ‘a’ he made the ten bases and in the parallel how he made the ten bases is referred to. In ‘b’ the panels were decorated with lions, oxen and Cherubim, and in the parallel were decorations of lions, oxen and palm trees. In ‘c’ the ‘pedestal above’ is referred to, and in the parallel details of that pedestal are given. In ‘d’ the wheels and undersetters are indicated, and in the parallel they are described. Central in ‘e’ is the description of the cylindrical ‘mouth’ which will hold the bowls of water.
1Ki 7:27
‘ And he made the ten bases of bronze. Four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits its breadth, and three cubits its height.’
The bases were made of bronze, and were four cubits by four cubits (foursquare), and three cubits in height. They would need to be foursquare (rather than oblong) to hold the four cubit bowls in place.
1Ki 7:28-29
‘ And the work of the bases was on this manner, they had panels, and there were panels between the ledges, and on the panels that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubim, and upon the ledges there was a pedestal above, and beneath the lions and oxen were spiral patterns of hanging work.’
The bases were panelled between the two ledges at top and bottom, and on these panels were depictions of lions, oxen and cherubim. Above the top ledge was a pedestal which would hold the bowl. And beneath the representations of the lions and oxen were spiral patterns of hanging work.
It will be noted that apart from the Cherubim no images of living creatures were allowed within the Sanctuary itself. They could too easily be open to the wrong interpretation. But here in the Inner court they were a reminder that these creatures were a part of God’s creation, covering heavenly beings (the Cherubim), wild beasts (the lions) and domestic animals (the oxen). The Larnaka laver stand mentioned above was decorated with sphinxes (the pagan equivalent to Cherubim) and stylised palm trees.
1Ki 7:30
‘ And every base had four bronze wheels, and axles of bronze, and its four feet had undersetters. Beneath the laver were the undersetters molten, with spiral patterns at the side of each.’
Each of the bases had four wheels to them, fixed on axles of bronze, and the four legs in which the axles were set had undersetters (literally ‘shoulders’ ) on them at the top which held up the basin, with spiral patterns (wreaths) by each one.
1Ki 7:31
‘ And the mouth of it within the capital and above was a cubit, and its mouth was round after the work of a pedestal, a cubit and a half, and also on the mouth of it were gravings, and their panels were foursquare, not round.’
The ‘mouth’ would be the circular frame which was designed to hold the basin (which was four cubits in diameter). It was ‘round in the same way as a stand (or pedestal)’. This might suggest that above the main square base was a round pedestal or stand which could be described as ‘the head (or capital)’ (see 1Ki 7:29) and held the circular framework, and was itself a cubit and a half above the main frame. The circular frame then rose one cubit above the top framework (the capital), no doubt by means of struts. Alternatively the top pedestal rose a cubit and a half above the main framework, with the circular frame sunk half a cubit within it, thus being one cubit above the main base. The circular frame was decorated with engravings, while the panels below on the main base (in 1Ki 7:32 the four wheels are below the panels) were foursquare, not round.
Alternatively ‘in the same way as a pedestal’ may be a foreshortening for ‘in the same way as the wheels in the pedestal’, for the wheels were themselves a cubit and a half (1Ki 7:32). That would involve the word ‘pedestal’ being applied both to the top part of the whole, and to the whole, which is not impossible.
1Ki 7:32
‘ And the four wheels were underneath the panels, and the axletrees of the wheels were in the base, and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit.’
The axle trees of the wheels were fitted into the base in such a way that they were below the panels, and thus did not hide them, and each wheel was a cubit and a half (three quarters of a metre, two foot three inches) in diameter.
1Ki 7:33
‘ And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel, their axletrees, and their felloes, and their spokes, and their naves, were all molten.’
The wheels were designed in a similar way to chariot wheels, except that all the parts of them were of cast work.
1Ki 7:34
‘ And there were four undersetters at the four corners of each base. Its undersetters were of the base itself.’
These four undersetters were mentioned in 1Ki 7:30, going from corner to corner at the top of the base and strengthening the base, and holding the cylindrical frame, being in fact cast as a part of the base.
1Ki 7:35
‘ And in the top of the base was there a round compass half a cubit high; and on the top of the base were its stays and its panels were of the same.’
Here we have an abbreviated summary of the whole. If the suggestion that the top pedestal or stand rose one and a half cubits above the main base and that the circular frame for holding the bowls was sunk by half a cubit so that it was one cubit above the main base is correct (see 1Ki 7:31), that would explain the half cubit here which can then be seen as describing the height of the rounded pedestal above the circular frame. Also on top of the base were its stays, and its panels were part of the base.
1Ki 7:36
‘ And on the plates of its stays, and on its panels, he engraved cherubim, lions, and palm-trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths round about.’
And on the plates connected with the stays, and on the panels of the base, were engraved Cherubim, lions and palm trees, in accordance with the mount of space that they provided. The palm trees may have been engraved only on the stays, as they were not earlier mentioned as on the panels. Sphinxes and palm trees were similarly found on the Larnaka laver.
1Ki 7:37
‘ After this manner he made the ten bases. All of them had one casting, one measure, and one form.’
So this was the way in which he made the ten bases, and they were all made in exactly the same way, and to the same measurement, and in the same shape.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
1Ki 7:27. He made ten bases of brass That is, stands or tables, upon which the lavers mentioned, 1Ki 7:38 were to be placed; and which were to be so situated, 1Ki 7:39 that as soon as the priests entered they might have water to wash their hands and feet. For the other parts of the furniture of the temple, we refer to what has been said on the tabernacle furniture: see also Lightfoot on the temple, p. 228. The heathens had lustral water at the gate of their temples, to wash their hands before they offered their sacrifices. See Spencer de Leg. Heb. Diss. 3:
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
(27) And he made ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it. (28) And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders, and the borders were between the ledges: (29) And on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubims: and upon the ledges there was a base above: and beneath the lions and oxen were certain additions made of thin work. (30) And every base had four brasen wheels, and plates of brass: and the four corners thereof had undersetters: under the laver were undersetters molten, at the side of every addition. (31) And the mouth of it within the chapiter and above was a cubit: but the mouth thereof was round after the work of the base, a cubit and an half: and also upon the mouth of it were gravings with their borders, foursquare, not round. (32) And under the borders were four wheels; and the axletrees of the wheels were joined to the base: and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit. (33) And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel: their axletrees, and their naves, and their felloes, and their spokes, were all molten. (34) And there were four undersetters to the four corners of one base: and the undersetters were of the very base itself. (35) And in the top of the base was there a round compass of half a cubit high: and on the top of the base the ledges thereof and the borders thereof were of the same. (36) For on the plates of the ledges thereof, and on the borders thereof, he graved cherubims, lions, and palm trees, according to the proportion of every one, and additions round about. (37) After this manner he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one size. (38) Then made he ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths: and every laver was four cubits: and upon everyone of the ten bases one laver. (39) And he put five bases on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house: and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward over against the south. (40) And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and the basons. So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he made king Solomon for the house of the LORD: (41) The 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; (42) And four hundred pomegranates 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; (43) And the ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases; (44) And one sea, and twelve oxen under the sea; (45) And the pots, and the shovels, and the basons: and all these vessels, which Hiram made to king Solomon for the house of the LORD, were of bright brass. (46) In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarthan. (47) And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceeding many: neither was the weight of the brass found out. (48) And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the LORD: the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the shewbread was, (49) And the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the oracle, with the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs of gold, (50) And the bowls, and the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple. (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; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the LORD.
I include the whole within one reading; for one general observation will answer our view of the subject. The whole, no doubt, was typical of the gospel church, of which, in a figurative language, the prophet speaks, that for brass the Lord would bring, gold; and for iron silver; and for wood brass; and for stones iron. Isa 60:17 . And this is literally the case, when the ceremonial ordinances of the Old Testament dispensation give way to the spiritual service of the New. When the shadow is done away in the substance, and the Lord Jesus, preached only in type and figure, became realized in the souls of his people. Think, Reader, of our privileges in Jesus! What were the molten sea, the lavers, or the pots, compared to the fountain of Jesus’ blood; the laver of regeneration, by the Holy Ghost; or the Covenant of salvation, given us by God our Father? What services in the temple worship like those venerable institutions of our Jesus; Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord? Here, blessed Redeemer, may my soul constantly seek thy face, and wait on thee continually, calling for thy gracious presence in those sweet words of thy church: Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. Son 4:16 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Ki 7:27 And he made ten bases of brass; four cubits [was] the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it.
Ver. 27. And he made ten bases of brass. ] To bear up so many lesser layers. 1Ki 7:38
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Vases and Lavers
1Ki 7:27-39
In addition to the great molten sea, described in the previous verses, there were ten portable vessels, or vases, that ran on wheels, so that they could be pushed across the level marble floor to any part of the court where fresh cleansing water was required. Five of these lavers were placed on the right, and ten on the left, of the great brazen altar. Such things as belonged to the burned-offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in, 2Ch 4:6.
We should carefully note the large provision made under the old Covenant for ceremonial washings. How precise is this account of these vessels! Does it not give weight to that injunction: Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord? Isa 52:11. This passage reminds us of the infinite purity of God, who charges His angels with folly, Job 4:18, and in whose sight the heavens are not clean, Job 15:15. As our Lord said to His disciples: He that is clean needs to wash his feet, Joh 13:10. Every act of ours, even though we are priests unto God, needs to be cleansed and sanctified by the Word of God and prayer, Act 6:4.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
ten bases: These highly ornamental bases appear to have been square stands, or immense pedestals, for the purpose of supporting the lavers. 2Ki 25:13, 2Ki 25:16, 2Ch 4:14, Jer 52:17, Jer 52:20
Reciprocal: 1Ki 7:43 – ten bases 2Ki 16:17 – borders
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 7:27-29. He made ten bases of brass Upon which stood ten lavers mentioned below, (1Ki 7:38,) in which they washed the parts of the sacrifices, 2Ch 4:6. They had borders Broad brims, possibly for the more secure holding of the lavers. Upon the ledges there was a base above This is very obscurely expressed; hut probably by the base above is meant the uppermost part of the base; which, though it was above, yet was a base to the laver, which stood upon it. Certain additions
Either as bases for the feet of the said lions and oxen, or only as further ornaments.