1 Kings 7:38
New International Version
He then made ten bronze basins, each holding forty baths and measuring four cubits across, one basin to go on each of the ten stands.

New Living Translation
Huram also made ten smaller bronze basins, one for each cart. Each basin was six feet across and could hold 220 gallons of water.

English Standard Version
And he made ten basins of bronze. Each basin held forty baths, each basin measured four cubits, and there was a basin for each of the ten stands.

Berean Standard Bible
He also made ten bronze basins, each holding forty baths and measuring four cubits across, one basin for each of the ten stands.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Then he made ten lavers of bronze; each laver contained forty baths, and each laver was four cubits. On each of the ten carts was a laver.

New American Standard Bible
And he made ten basins of bronze, each holding forty baths; each basin was four cubits, and on each of the ten stands was one basin.

NASB 1995
He made ten basins of bronze, one basin held forty baths; each basin was four cubits, and on each of the ten stands was one basin.

NASB 1977
And he made ten basins of bronze, one basin held forty baths; each basin was four cubits, and on each of the ten stands was one basin.

Legacy Standard Bible
He also made ten lavers of bronze, one laver held forty baths; each laver was four cubits, and on each of the ten stands was one laver.

Amplified Bible
Then he made ten basins of bronze; each basin held forty baths and was four cubits, and there was one basin on each of the ten stands.

Christian Standard Bible
Then he made ten bronze basins —each basin held 220 gallons and each was six feet wide—one basin for each of the ten water carts.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then he made 10 bronze basins—each basin holding 220 gallons and each was six feet wide—one basin for each of the 10 water carts.

American Standard Version
And he made ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths; and every laver was four cubits; and upon very one of the ten bases one laver.

Contemporary English Version
Hiram also made ten small bronze bowls, one for each stand. The bowls were almost two meters across and could hold about 800 liters.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Hiram also made ten bronze basins. Each basin held 240 gallons. Every basin was six feet [wide]. There was one basin on each of the ten stands.

Good News Translation
Huram also made ten basins, one for each cart. Each basin was 6 feet in diameter and held 200 gallons.

International Standard Version
Hiram also fashioned ten bronze basins, each holding about 40 baths, each basin measuring four cubits in diameter, with one basin for each stand.

Majority Standard Bible
He also made ten bronze basins, each holding forty baths and measuring four cubits across, one basin for each of the ten stands.

NET Bible
He also made ten bronze basins, each of which could hold about 240 gallons. Each basin was six feet in diameter; there was one basin for each stand.

New Heart English Bible
He made ten basins of bronze: one basin contained forty baths; and every basin was six feet eleven inches; and on every one of the ten bases one basin.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then 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.

World English Bible
He made ten basins of bronze. One basin contained forty baths. Every basin measured four cubits. One basin was on every one of the ten bases.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he makes ten lavers of bronze; the one laver contains forty baths [and] the one laver [is] four by the cubit; one laver on the one base [is] for [each of] the ten bases;

Young's Literal Translation
And he maketh ten lavers of brass; forty baths doth the one laver contain, four by the cubit is the one laver, one laver on the one base is to the ten bases;

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will make ten wash-basins of brass: the one wash-basin will hold forty baths, four by the cubit the one wash-basin, the one wash-basin upon the one base to the ten bases.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He made also ten lavers of brass: one laver contained four bases, and was of four cubits: and upon every base, in all ten, he put as many lavers.

Catholic Public Domain Version
He also made ten hand basins of brass. One hand basin contained four baths, and was of four cubits. And each basin he set upon a base, which is ten bases.

New American Bible
He made ten bronze basins, each four cubits in diameter with a capacity of forty baths, one basin atop each of the ten stands.

New Revised Standard Version
He made ten basins of bronze; each basin held forty baths, each basin measured four cubits; there was a basin for each of the ten stands.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then he made ten lavers of brass; one laver held forty baths; and every laver was four cubits; and upon every one of the ten bases one laver.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he made ten basins of brass. Each basin held forty baths; each basin was four cubits, each on one base, thus for the ten bases.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he made ten brazen lavers, each laver containing forty baths, and measuring four cubits, each laver placed on a several base throughout the ten bases.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Ten Bronze Basins
38He also made ten bronze basins, each holding forty baths and measuring four cubits across, one basin for each of the ten stands. 39He set five stands on the south side of the temple and five on the north, and he put the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner of the temple.…

Cross References
Exodus 30:18-21
“You are to make a bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. Set it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it, / with which Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet. / Whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the LORD, they must wash with water so that they will not die. ...

2 Chronicles 4:6
He also made ten basins for washing and placed five on the south side and five on the north. The parts of the burnt offering were rinsed in them, but the priests used the Sea for washing.

Exodus 38:8
Next he made the bronze basin and its stand from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

Numbers 8:7
This is what you must do to cleanse them: Sprinkle them with the water of purification. Have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves.

Leviticus 8:6
Then Moses presented Aaron and his sons and washed them with water.

John 2:6-7
Now six stone water jars had been set there for the Jewish rites of purification. Each could hold from twenty to thirty gallons. / Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim.

Hebrews 9:10
They consist only in food and drink and special washings—external regulations imposed until the time of reform.

Ezekiel 40:38-39
There was a chamber with a doorway by the portico in each of the inner gateways. There the burnt offering was to be washed. / Inside the portico of the gateway were two tables on each side, on which the burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings were to be slaughtered.

2 Kings 16:17
King Ahaz also cut off the frames of the movable stands and removed the bronze basin from each of them. He took down the Sea from the bronze oxen that were under it and put it on a stone base.

2 Chronicles 4:14
the stands; the basins on the stands;

Mark 7:3-4
Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially. / And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining.

Matthew 15:2
“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”

Revelation 4:6
And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and back.

Revelation 15:2
And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, beside which stood those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name. They were holding harps from God,

2 Chronicles 4:2-5
He 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. / Below the rim, figures of oxen encircled it, ten per cubit all the way around the Sea, cast in two rows as a part of the Sea. / The Sea stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The Sea rested on them, with all their hindquarters toward the center. ...


Treasury of Scripture

Then made he ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths: and every laver was four cubits: and on every one of the ten bases one laver.

ten lavers

Exodus 30:17-21,28
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, …

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.

Exodus 40:11,12
And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it…

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1 Kings 7
1. The building of Solomon's house
2. Of the house of Lebanon
6. Of the porch of pillars
7. Of the porch of judgment
8. Of the house for Pharaoh's daughter
13. Hiram's work of the two pillars,
23. Of the molten sea
27. Of the ten bases
38. Of the ten lavers
40. and all the vessels














He also made ten bronze basins
The construction of the ten bronze basins is part of the larger project of building and furnishing Solomon's Temple, a significant undertaking in Israel's history. The use of bronze, a durable and valuable metal, signifies the importance and permanence of the temple's function. Bronze was commonly used in ancient Near Eastern cultures for its strength and resistance to corrosion, making it suitable for sacred purposes. The number ten often symbolizes completeness or divine order in biblical numerology, suggesting the thoroughness of the temple's preparation for worship.

each holding forty baths
A "bath" is an ancient unit of liquid measurement, roughly equivalent to 5.8 gallons or 22 liters. Therefore, each basin could hold approximately 232 gallons or 880 liters. This substantial capacity indicates the basins' role in ritual purification, a critical aspect of temple worship. The large volume underscores the importance of cleanliness and preparation before approaching God, reflecting the holiness required in worship practices.

and measuring four cubits across
A cubit is an ancient measurement based on the length of the forearm, approximately 18 inches or 45 centimeters. Thus, each basin was about six feet or 1.8 meters in diameter. This size suggests the basins were not only functional but also impressive in appearance, contributing to the temple's grandeur. The dimensions reflect the precision and care in the temple's construction, emphasizing the reverence due to God.

one basin for each of the ten stands
The basins were placed on stands, which were likely intricately designed and crafted, as described earlier in the chapter. Each stand having its own basin indicates an organized and systematic approach to temple rituals. This arrangement allowed for multiple priests to perform purification rites simultaneously, facilitating the temple's busy sacrificial system. The stands and basins together highlight the temple's role as a center of worship and community life in Israel, pointing to the order and structure God desires in worship.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Solomon
The king of Israel who commissioned the building of the temple and its furnishings, including the bronze basins.

2. Hiram
A skilled craftsman from Tyre, who was responsible for creating many of the temple's furnishings, including the bronze basins.

3. The Temple in Jerusalem
The central place of worship for the Israelites, where these basins were placed as part of the temple's furnishings.

4. Bronze Basins
Large containers used for ceremonial washing, symbolizing purification and readiness to serve God.

5. The Ten Stands
Structures designed to hold the bronze basins, indicating order and purpose in temple worship.
Teaching Points
Symbolism of Purification
The bronze basins symbolize the need for spiritual cleansing before approaching God. Just as the priests needed to wash, we must seek spiritual purity through repentance and faith in Christ.

Order and Purpose in Worship
The detailed construction and placement of the basins and stands reflect God's desire for order and intentionality in worship. Our worship should be thoughtful and purposeful, aligning with God's instructions.

God's Provision for Worship
The provision of these basins shows God's care in providing what is necessary for His people to worship Him properly. We can trust God to provide what we need to serve Him faithfully.

The Role of Skilled Craftsmen
Hiram's involvement highlights the value of using our God-given skills for His glory. Whatever our talents, we should dedicate them to serving God and His purposes.Verse 38. - Then made he ten layers of brass: one laver contained forty baths [i.e., about 340 gals., if we accept the account of Josephus, Ant 8:2.9. But see on ver. 26]: and every laver was four cubits. [It is uncertain whether the height or the diameter is meant. Keil decides for the latter - and four cubits, the width of the sides of the stand, may well have been also the diameter of the basin - on the ground that as" the basins were set upon (עַל) the stands," it can hardly refer to the height. But it is worthy of remark that "the height of all the ether parts has been mentioned" (Rawlinson). See vers. 27, 32, 35, and without this particular we could not calculate the entire height, which, if the laver were four cubits, would be about thirteen feet. This surprising size is accounted for by remembering the height of the altar, to which the fat and other sacrificial portions had to be transferred from the laver]: and upon every one of the ten bases one laver. [Ten layers would not be at all too many when we remember the prodigious number of victims which were occasionally offered.]

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He also made
וַיַּ֛עַשׂ (way·ya·‘aś)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

ten
עֲשָׂרָ֥ה (‘ă·śā·rāh)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 6235: Ten

bronze
נְחֹ֑שֶׁת (nə·ḥō·šeṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5178: Copper, something made of that metal, coin, a fetter, base

basins,
כִיֹּר֖וֹת (ḵî·yō·rō·wṯ)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3595: Pot, basin

each
הָאֶחָ֗ד (hā·’e·ḥāḏ)
Article | Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

holding
יָכִ֣יל ׀ (yā·ḵîl)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3557: To keep in, to measure, to maintain

forty
אַרְבָּעִ֨ים (’ar·bā·‘îm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 705: Forty

baths
בַּ֜ת (baṯ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1324: A bath (a Hebrew measure)

and
אֶחָד֙ (’e·ḥāḏ)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

measuring four
אַרְבַּ֤ע (’ar·ba‘)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 702: Four

cubits across,
בָּֽאַמָּה֙ (bā·’am·māh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 520: A mother, a cubit, a door-base

one
הָאַחַ֔ת (hā·’a·ḥaṯ)
Article | Number - feminine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

basin
הַכִּיּ֣וֹר (hak·kî·yō·wr)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3595: Pot, basin

for each
הָאֶחָ֔ד (hā·’e·ḥāḏ)
Article | Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

of the ten
לְעֶ֖שֶׂר (lə·‘e·śer)
Preposition-l | Number - feminine singular construct
Strong's 6235: Ten

stands.
הַמְּכוֹנָ֣ה (ham·mə·ḵō·w·nāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4350: A fixed resting place, base


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OT History: 1 Kings 7:38 He made ten basins of brass: one (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 7:37
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