1 Kings 7:28-38 Commentary: The Bronze Stands and Lavers

²⁸This was the design of the stands: They had side panels attached to uprights,

²⁹and on the panels between the uprights were lions, oxen, and cherubim. On the uprights was a pedestal above, and below the lions and oxen were wreaths of beveled work.

³⁰Each stand had four bronze wheels with bronze axles and a basin resting on four supports, with wreaths at each side.

³¹The opening to each stand inside the crown at the top was one cubit deep, with a round opening like the design of a pedestal, a cubit and a half wide. And around its opening were engravings, but the panels of the stands were square, not round.

³²There were four wheels under the panels, and the axles of the wheels were attached to the stand; each wheel was a cubit and a half in diameter.

³³The wheels were made like chariot wheels; their axles, rims, spokes, and hubs were all of cast metal.

³⁴Each stand had four handles, one for each corner, projecting from the stand.

³⁵At the top of each stand was a circular band half a cubit high. The supports and panels were cast as a unit with the top of the stand.

³⁶He engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees on the surfaces of the supports and panels, wherever each had space, with wreaths all around.

³⁷In this way he made the ten stands, each with the same casting, dimensions, and shape.

³⁸He also made ten bronze basins, each holding forty baths and measuring four cubits across, one basin for each of the ten stands.

²⁸The work of the bases was like this: they had panels; and there were panels between the ledges;

²⁹and on the panels that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubim; and on the ledges there was a pedestal above; and beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging work.

³⁰Every base had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze; and its four feet had supports. The supports were cast beneath the basin, with wreaths at the side of each.

³¹Its opening within the capital and above was a cubit. Its opening was round like the work of a pedestal, a cubit and a half; and also on its opening were engravings, and their panels were square, not round.

³²The four wheels were underneath the panels; and the axles of the wheels were in the base. The height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit.

³³The work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel. Their axles, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all of cast metal.

³⁴There were four supports at the four corners of each base. Its supports were of the base itself.

³⁵In the top of the base there was a round band half a cubit high; and on the top of the base its supports and its panels were the same.

³⁶On the plates of its supports and on its panels, he engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, each in its space, with wreaths all around.

³⁷He made the ten bases in this way: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one form.

³⁸He 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.

²⁸And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders, and the borders were between the ledges:

²⁹And 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.

³⁰And 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.

³¹And 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.

³²And 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.

³³And 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.

³⁴And there were four undersetters to the four corners of one base: and the undersetters were of the very base itself.

³⁵And 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.

³⁶For 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.

³⁷After this manner he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one size.

³⁸Then 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.

²⁸And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had panels; and there were panels between the ledges;

²⁹and 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 wreaths of hanging work.

³⁰And every base had four brazen wheels, and axles of brass; and the four feet thereof had undersetters: beneath the laver were the undersetters molten, with wreaths at the side of each.

³¹And the mouth of it within the capital and above was a cubit: and the mouth thereof was round after the work of a pedestal, a cubit and a half; and also upon the mouth of it were gravings, and their panels were foursquare, not round.

³²And 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.

³³And 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.

³⁴And there were four undersetters at the four corners of each base: the undersetters thereof were of the base itself.

³⁵And in the top of the base was there a round compass half a cubit high; and on the top of the base the stays thereof and the panels thereof were of the same.

³⁶And on the plates of the stays thereof, and on the panels thereof, he graved cherubim, lions, and palm-trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths round about.

³⁷After this manner he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one form.

³⁸And 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.

²⁸And this is the work of the base: they have borders, and the borders are between the joinings;

²⁹and on the borders that are between the joinings are lions, oxen, and cherubs, and on the joinings a base above, and beneath the lions and the oxen are additions--sloping work.

³⁰And four wheels of brass are to the one base, and axles of brass; and its four corners have shoulders--under the laver are the molten shoulders, beside each addition.

³¹And its mouth within the chapiter and above is by the cubit, and its mouth is round, the work of the base, a cubit and half a cubit; and also on its mouth are carvings and their borders, square, not round.

³²And the four wheels are under the borders, and the spokes of the wheels are in the base, and the height of the one wheel is a cubit and half a cubit.

³³And the work of the wheels is as the work of the wheel of a chariot, their spokes, and their axles, and their felloes, and their naves; the whole is molten.

³⁴And four shoulders are unto the four corners of the one base; out of the base are its shoulders.

³⁵And in the top of the base is the half of a cubit in the height all round about; and on the top of the base its spokes and its borders are of the same.

³⁶And he openeth on the tablets of its spokes, and on its borders, cherubs, lions, and palm-trees, according to the void space of each, and additions round about.

³⁷Thus he hath made the ten bases; one casting, one measure, one form, have they all.

³⁸And 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;

²⁸And the work of the bases was this: they had panels, and the panels were between the fillets.

²⁹And on the panels that were between the fillets were lions, oxen and cherubim; and over the fillets there was a base above; and beneath the lions and oxen were garlands of festoon-work.

³⁰And every base had four wheels of brass, and axles of brass; and on its four corners were shoulder-pieces: under the laver were shoulder-pieces molten, behind every garland.

³¹And the mouth of it within the crown and above was a cubit; and its mouth was rounded, [as] the work of the base, a cubit and a half; and also upon its mouth was sculpture; but their panels were square, not round.

³²And the four wheels were under the panels; and the supports of the wheels were in the base; and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit.

³³And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel: their supports, and their rims, and their spokes and their naves were all molten.

³⁴And there were four shoulder-pieces to the four corners of one base; of the base itself were its shoulder-pieces.

³⁵And in the top of the base there was a circular elevation of half a cubit round about; and on the top of the base its stays and its panels were of the same.

³⁶And he engraved on the plates of its stays and on its panels cherubim, lions and palm-trees, according to the space upon each; and garlands were round about.

³⁷After this [manner] he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting, one measure, one form.

³⁸And he made ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths; every laver was four cubits; upon every one of the ten bases one laver.

²⁸And the work itself of the bases, was intergraven: and there were gravings between the joinings.

²⁹And between the little crowns and the ledges, were lions, and oxen, and cherubims; and in the joinings likewise above: and under the lions and oxen, as it were bands of brass hanging down.

³⁰And every base had four wheels, and axletrees of brass: and at the four sides were undersetters, under the laver molten, looking one against another.

³¹The mouth also of the laver within, was in the top of the chapiter: and that which appeared without, was of one cubit all round, and together it was one cubit and a half: and in the corners of the pillars were divers engravings: and the spaces between the pillars were square, not round.

³²And the four wheels, which were at the four corners of the base, were joined one to another under the base: the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half.

³³And they were such wheels as are used to be made in a chariot: and their axletrees, and spokes, and strakes, and naves, were all cast.

³⁴And the four undersetters, that were at every corner of each base, were of the base itself, cast and joined together.

³⁵And on the top of the base, there was a round compass of half a cubit, so wrought that the laver might be set thereon, having its gravings, and divers sculptures of itself.

³⁶He engraved also in those plates, which were of brass, and in the corners, cherubims, and lions, and palm trees, in likeness of a man standing, so that they seemed not to be engraven, but added round about.

³⁷After this manner, he made ten bases, of one casting and measure, and the like graving.

³⁸He made also ten lavers of brass: one laver contained four bates, and was of four cubits: and upon every base, in all ten, he put as many lavers.