2 Chronicles 4:11-22 - Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

Bible Comments

      11 And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basons. And Huram finished the work that he was to make for king Solomon for the house of God;   12 To wit, the two pillars, and the pommels, and the chapiters which were on the top of the two pillars, and the two wreaths to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were on the top of the pillars;   13 And four hundred pomegranates on the two wreaths; two rows of pomegranates on each wreath, to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were upon the pillars.   14 He made also bases, and lavers made he upon the bases;   15 One sea, and twelve oxen under it.   16 The pots also, and the shovels, and the fleshhooks, and all their instruments, did Huram his father make to king Solomon for the house of the LORD of bright brass.   17 In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredathah.   18 Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out.   19 And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the showbread was set;   20 Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold;   21 And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that perfect gold;   22 And the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers, of pure gold: and the entry of the house, the inner doors thereof for the most holy place, and the doors of the house of the temple, were of gold.

      We have here such a summary both of the brass-work and the gold-work of the temple as we had before (1 Kings 7:13-51, c.), in which we have nothing more to observe than, 1. That Huram the workman was very punctual: He finished all that he was to make (2 Chronicles 4:11 2 Chronicles 4:11), and left no part of his work undone. Huram, his father, he is called, 2 Chronicles 4:16 2 Chronicles 4:16. Probably it was a sort of nickname by which he was commonly known, Father Huram; for the king of Tyre called him Huram Abi, my father, in compliance with whom Solomon called him his, he being a great artist and father of the artificers in brass and iron. He acquitted himself well both for ingenuity and industry. 2. Solomon was very generous. He made all the vessels in great abundance (2 Chronicles 4:18 2 Chronicles 4:18), many of a sort, that many hands might be employed, and so the work might go on with expedition, or that some might be laid up for use when others were worn out. Freely he has received, and he will freely give. When he had made vessels enough for the present he could not convert the remainder of the brass to his own use; it is devoted to God, and it shall be used for him.

2 Chronicles 4:11-22

11 And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basons.c And Huram finished the work that he was to make for king Solomon for the house of God;

12 To wit, the two pillars, and the pommels, and the chapiters which were on the top of the two pillars, and the two wreaths to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were on the top of the pillars;

13 And four hundred pomegranates on the two wreaths; two rows of pomegranates on each wreath, to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were upond the pillars.

14 He made also bases, and laverse made he upon the bases;

15 One sea, and twelve oxen under it.

16 The pots also, and the shovels, and the fleshhooks, and all their instruments, did Huram his father make to king Solomon for the house of the LORD of brightf brass.

17 In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clayg ground between Succoth and Zeredathah.

18 Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out.

19 And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the shewbread was set;

20 Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold;

21 And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that perfecth gold;

22 And the snuffers, and the basons,i and the spoons, and the censers, of pure gold: and the entry of the house, the inner doors thereof for the most holy place, and the doors of the house of the temple, were of gold.