I Kings 7:46 · Bible study
1 Kings 7:46 Commentary: The Foundry Site
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why Solomon chose the Jordan valley clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan for casting the temple bronze, revealing ancient foundry practice.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Solomon’s bronze temple items were cast in the Jordan plain at a location with clay suitable for large molds, between Succoth and Zarethan.
- Key words: יָצַק (yatsaq, to pour/cast), מַעֲבֶה (ma'aveh, thickness/compactness), אֲדָמָה (adamah, ground/soil), כִּכָּר (kikkar, plain/circle).
- Main debate: The exact identification of Zarethan (whether east or west of the Jordan, and whether identical to Zeredah/Jeroboam’s birthplace).
- Theological theme: God’s concern for meticulous preparation in worship; the integration of workmanship and faith in the temple project.
- Best use: Illustrating that worship involves not just spirit but also practical skill, materials, and location, all offered to God.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The king had them cast in clay molds in the plain of the Jordan between Succoth and Zarethan.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The king cast them in the plain of the Jordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan.
KJV King James Version 1769
In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarthan.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
In the plain of the Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
In the circuit of the Jordan hath the king cast them, in the thick soil of the ground, between Succoth and Zarthan.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
In the plain of the Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay-ground between Succoth and Zaretan.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
In the plains of the Jordan, did the king cast them in a clay ground, between Socoth and Sartham.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Todo lo hizo fundir el rey en la llanura del Jordán, en tierra arcillosa, entre Succoth y Sarthán.
Todo o fez fundir o rei na planície do Jordão, em terra argilosa, entre Sucote e Zaretã.
Le roi les fit fondre dans la plaine du Jourdain dans un sol argileux, entre Succoth et Tsarthan.
In der Gegend am Jordan ließ sie der König gießen in dicker Erde, zwischen Sukkoth und Zarthan.
In de vlakte van de Jordaan goot ze de koning, in dichte aarde, tussen Sukkoth en tussen Zarthan.
Il re li fece fondere nella pianura del Giordano, in un suolo argilloso, fra Succoth e Tsarthan.
To odlewał król na równinie u Jordanu w iłowatej ziemi, między Sochotem i między Sartanem.
Царь выливал их в глинистой земле, в окрестности Иордана, между Сокхофом и Цартаном.
是遵王 命在約旦 平原、 疏割 和 撒拉但 中間藉 膠泥 鑄成的。
He made them of liquid metal in the lowland of Jordan, at the way across the river, at Adama, between Succoth and Zarethan.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Kings 7:46
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse describes the location where Solomon (through Hiram) cast the bronze furnishings for the temple. The site was in the Jordan plain, specifically a section of clay ground between Succoth (east of the Jordan, in Gad’s territory) and Zarethan (also called Zaretan, Zartanah, or Zeredah). The clay soil was chosen for its suitability to make the large molds required for items like the bronze pillars and the Sea. Gill, JFB, and Cambridge all note that the Hebrew for “clay ground” (lit. “thickness of the ground”) indicates stiff, compact clay ideal for casting. The work is attributed to the king because it was done by his order, though Hiram of Tyre was the master craftsman. There is minor debate about the exact identification of Zarethan (whether east or west of the Jordan), but the general location in the lower Jordan valley is not disputed.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The bronze temple furnishings were cast at a specific clay-ground site in the Jordan valley between the towns of Succoth and Zarethan, using methods appropriate for large metalwork.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Location of Succoth and Zarethan | Both were in the Jordan valley, Succoth east of the Jordan in Gad, Zarethan nearby but possibly on the west. | Some identify Zarethan with Zeredah (Jeroboam’s hometown, west of Jordan), while others place both sites on the east side based on Joshua 3:16. |
| Meaning of 'clay ground' | The Hebrew phrase (lit. 'thickness of the ground') indicates a compact, clay-rich soil suitable for foundry molds. | Some translations render it 'mold of the ground' (as in BSB: 'clay molds'), while others keep 'clay ground' or 'thick soil', a nuance of whether the ground itself served as the mold. |
| Who did the casting, Solomon or Hiram? | The actual work was done by Hiram (v.13-14) under Solomon’s authority; 'the king cast' is a delegated statement. | No real debate; traditions differ only in emphasis on how directly the king was involved (since the king provides resources and oversight). |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Jordan Valley, known as the “plain of Jordan” (kikkar ha-Yarden), is a wide alluvial plain stretching north of the Dead Sea. Both Succoth and Zarethan appear elsewhere in Scripture. Succoth (Hebrew “booths”) was named by Jacob when he camped there after parting with Esau (Genesis 33:17). It lay east of the Jordan, in the tribal territory of Gad (Joshua 13:27). Zarethan appears in Joshua 3:16 as a landmark near where the Jordan waters stopped for Israel’s crossing. It is also called Zartanah (1 Kings 4:12) and Zeredathah (2 Chronicles 4:17), with the latter possibly linking it to the birthplace of Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:26). The exact location of both sites remains uncertain, but they were near each other in the Jordan valley, likely on opposite sides of the river.
The choice of this location for the foundry was practical. The clay soil, “ma’aveh ha-adamah” (thickness of the ground), provided the material for making large molds. In ancient bronze casting, molds were often formed in clay pits to handle the immense heat and weight of molten metal. Items described earlier in 1 Kings 7, the two bronze pillars (Jachin and Boaz), the bronze Sea (a large basin on twelve oxen), ten bases, and numerous smaller vessels, required a foundry distant enough from Jerusalem to avoid smoke and fumes (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). Multiple furnaces would have been needed to melt the quantities of bronze simultaneously. The proximity to the Jordan River also provided water for cooling and possibly for transporting materials. The craftsman Hiram, himself a skilled bronzeworker from Tyre, oversaw this industrial operation.
Textual Notes
No significant textual variants affect the meaning of this verse. The verse is well preserved across manuscript traditions. The most notable variation is the spelling of Zarethan: the MT has Tsaretan, while parallel texts give Zaretan (Joshua 3:16), Zartanah (1 Kings 4:12), and Zeredah (2 Chronicles 4:17). The KJV reads “Zarthan.” These are minor orthographic differences for the same location. The phrase “clay ground” is rendered literally as “the thickness of the ground” in the marginal notes of many translations (so the Cambridge Bible). The consulted commentaries note no variants that alter the historical or theological sense.
Reception History
Ancient and medieval interpreters generally read this verse as a straightforward geographic note. Jewish scholars like Rashi and Radak commented on the location’s connection to Jacob’s booths (Succoth) and to the crossing of the Jordan. Christian interpreters of the Reformation era, such as the Geneva Bible note, saw it as a demonstration of God’s detailed provision for worship, even the clay was chosen. Matthew Henry (1710) used it to illustrate the principle that “God’s house should be built of the best.” Later critical scholarship (Lange, JFB, Cambridge) focused on the industrial and logistical dimensions, describing the foundry process and comparing it to ancient Greek and Roman metalworking. In the 20th century, archaeological surveys attempted to identify Succoth with Tell Deir ‘Alla and Zarethan with Tell es-Sa‘idiyeh, though neither identification is certain. Across eras, the verse has been prized less for theological innovation than for its concrete witness to the scale and skill of Israel’s temple project.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God uses ordinary places for holy work. The plain of Jordan was farmland, not a sacred site, yet it became the foundry for the temple furnishings. God’s glory does not depend on location; He works through common ground.
- Every detail matters for worship. The precise choice of clay over sandy soil shows care for the quality of the vessels. Worship that honors God pays attention to means as well as ends.
- Skilled hands serve the king’s vision. Hiram executed the work, but the text says “the king cast them.” Leadership involves delegating and empowering others. Solomon’s temple required collective gifts.
Five-point outline
- Location: between Succoth and Zarethan. These places recall God’s faithfulness, Jacob’s shelter and the Jordan’s parting. The site itself reminds Israel of divine provision.
- Material: clay ground. Ordinary earth shaped into molds for sacred objects. God still works through created matter: wood, wax, bread, wine.
- Process: casting, not carving. The bronze was poured into prepared molds. This parallels God forming Israel in the wilderness, shaped through heat and waiting.
- Scale: huge quantities of bronze. Verse 47 says the weight was unweighed. God’s generosity overflows measurement; His house was supplied with lavish abundance.
- Legacy: the work endured. These castings stood for centuries until the Babylonian destruction. What is built for God’s purposes outlasts human empires.
Illustration hooks
- Choosing the right workshop: A potter or metalworker knows the wheel needs the right clay; a chef knows the oven location matters. Solomon picked the Jordan plain for its soil and space, not for convenience.
- Team effort in a construction project: A cathedral requires architects, stonemasons, glaziers. Here the king ordered, Hiram designed, and workers cast. No one person did it all.
- Making something permanent: Bronze lasts. The effort put into casting well paid off for generations. The investment of time and skill honors God.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why didn’t they cast these closer to Jerusalem? Wouldn’t it be easier to work near the temple site?
- How do we know exactly where Succoth and Zarethan were? Does it matter?
- This verse seems like a geography detail. What spiritual lesson can I take from a foundry location?
Leading a Discussion
This verse drops into the middle of a long inventory of temple furnishings. But the location detail is no accident, it shows the planning and practical wisdom behind Israel’s worship. As your group reads 1 Kings 7:46, consider why the writer included this note, and what it teaches about God’s concern for the material side of faith.
Discussion questions
- What does the phrase “the king cast them” suggest about Solomon’s role? Who actually did the work (see v.13-14)?
- Why might the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan have been chosen? What advantages did it offer for bronze casting?
- How do the place names Succoth and Zarethan connect to earlier stories in Israel’s history (Genesis 33, Joshua 3)?
- The text notes that the clay was “thick” or “compact.” What does this tell us about the kind of molds used for large bronze items?
- This location is far from Jerusalem. What does this reveal about the logistics of building the temple? Was it efficient or intentional?
- If God cared about the type of soil for the molds, what does that imply about how we should approach our work and worship today?
- How does seeing the temple as a physically built structure, with forges, foundries, and workmen, change your view of the holiness of God’s house?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 33:17 | Jacob traveled to Succoth, built himself a house, and made shelters for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. |
| Joshua 3:16 | the waters which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap a great way off, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those that went down toward the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people passed over near Jericho. |
| Joshua 13:27 | and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, the Jordan’s bank, to the uttermost part of the sea of Chinnereth beyond the Jordan eastward. |
| I Kings 4:12 | Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam; |
| II Chronicles 4:17 | The king cast them in the plain of the Jordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the "clay ground" was a specific spot where Hiram found the exact kind of clay needed for casting metal. He then reports that scholars disagree on its location, with some placing it on one side of the Jordan and others the other, while Calmet suggests it was near Bethshan.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes these two place names as a geographical reference and directs the reader to the accounts in Judges where Succoth and Zarthan appear, implying that understanding these locations depends on seeing their role in those earlier narratives.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the Hebrew phrase literally means "in the thickness of the ground," an idiom for stiff or clayey soil, reflecting the language's limited adjectives. It also observes that the named locations, Succoth and Zarethan, were both probably east of the Jordan, though a variant name may link one site to the west, making the spatial description unusual.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Note specifies the exact location where the king cast the metal items: the clay ground in the Jordan plain, between Succoth and Zarthan. This detail emphasizes that the work was done in a particular region known for its suitable clay soil.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the brass work was cast directly into moulds formed in thick, stiff clay ground, a method suited for large objects like pillars and basins. Though Hiram did the actual casting, the king is credited because it was done on his orders. The location was a specific part of the plain of Jericho between Succoth and Zarthan.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB argues the site was chosen not for distance from Jerusalem, as some suppose, but because the soil supplied abundant marl, clay, and sand needed for bronze casting. He also notes that such large objects required multiple furnaces fused together and tapped at once.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues the pillars Jachin and Boaz were free-standing monuments, not structural supports, with names carrying symbolic weight. He interprets Jachin as signifying God's firm establishment of His dwelling in Israel and Boaz as pointing to its enduring strength, marking a decisive shift from the movable tabernacle to a permanent house. He firmly rejects any comparison with heathen symbols, insisting these pillars spring from uniquely Israelite covenant theology.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry interprets the brass pillars Jachin and Boaz as visible emblems of the temple's stability, teaching that God establishes the church and it stands in His strength. The pomegranates and lily work decorating them symbolise the fruitfulness and beauty that should adorn God's house.