2CH 4

2 Chronicles 4:6

WEB

He also made ten basins, and put five on the right hand and five on the left, to wash in them. The things that belonged to the burnt offering were washed in them, but the sea was for the priests to wash in.

BSB

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.

KJV

¶ He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them: such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.

Matthew Henry

Verses 1–10

2 Chronicles 4:1–10

David often speaks with much affection both of the house of the Lord and of the courts of our God. Both without doors and within there was that which typified the grace of the gospel and shadowed out good things to come, of which the substance is Christ.

I. There were those things in the open court, in the view of all the people, which were very significant.

1. There was the brazen altar, Ch2 4:1. The making of this was not mentioned in the Kings. On this all the sacrifices were offered, and it sanctified the gift. This altar was much larger than that which Moses made in the tabernacle; that was five cubits square, this was twenty cubits square. Now that Israel had become both numerous and more rich, and it was to be hoped more devout (for every age should aim to be wiser and better than that which went before it), it was expected that there would be a greater abundance of offerings brought to God's altar than had been. It was therefore made such a capacious scaffold that it might hold them all, and none might excuse themselves from bringing those temptations of their devotion by alleging that there was not room to receive them. God had greatly enlarged their borders; it was therefore fit that they should enlarge his altars. Our returns should bear some proportion to our receivings. It was ten cubits high, so that the people who worshipped in the courts might see the sacrifice burnt, and their eye might affect their heart with sorrow for sin: "It is of the Lord's mercies that I am not thus consumed, and that this is accepted as an expiation of my guilt." They might thus be led to consider the great sacrifice which should be offered in the fulness of time to take away sin and abolish death, which the blood of bulls and goats could not possibly do. And with the smoke of the sacrifices their hearts might ascend to heaven in holy desires towards God and his favour. In all our devotions we must keep the eye of faith fixed upon Christ, the great propitiation. How they went up to this altar, and carried the sacrifices up to it, we are not told; some think by a plain ascent like a hill: if by steps, doubtless they were so contrived as that the end of the law (mentioned Exo 20:26) might be answered.

2. There was the molten sea, a very large brass pan, in which they put water for the priests to wash in, Ch2 4:2, Ch2 4:6. It was put just at the entrance into the court of the priests, like the font at the church door. If it were filled to the brim, it would hold 3000 baths (as here, Ch2 4:5), but ordinarily there were only 2000 baths in it, Kg1 7:26. The Holy Ghost by this signified, (1.) Our great gospel privilege, that the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin, Jo1 1:7. To us there is a fountain opened for all believers (who are spiritual priests, Rev 1:5, Rev 1:6), nay, for all the inhabitants of Jerusalem to wash in, from sin, which is uncleanness. There is a fulness of merit in Jesus Christ for all those that by faith apply to him for the purifying of their consciences, that they might serve the living God, Heb 9:14. (2.) Our great gospel duty, which is to cleanse ourselves by true repentance from all the pollutions of the flesh and the corruption that is in the world. Our hearts must be sanctified, or we cannot sanctify the name of God. Those that draw nigh to God must cleanse their hands, and purify their hearts, Jam 4:8. If I was thee not, thou hast no part with me; and he that is washed still needs to wash his feet, to renew his repentance, whenever he goes in to minister, Joh 13:10.

3. There were ten lavers of brass, in which they washed such things as they offered for the burnt-offerings, Ch2 4:6. As the priests must be washed, so must the sacrifices. We must not only purify ourselves in preparation for our religious performances, but carefully put away all those vain thoughts and corrupt aims which cleave to our performances themselves and pollute them.

4. The doors of the court were overlaid with brass (Ch2 4:9), both for strength and beauty, and that they might not be rotted with the weather, to which they were exposed. Gates of brass we read of, Psa 107:16.

II. There were those things in the house of the Lord (into which the priests alone went to minister) that were very significant. All was gold there. The nearer we come to God the purer we must be, the purer we shall be. 1. There were ten golden candlesticks, according to the form of that one which was in the tabernacle, Ch2 4:7. The written word is a lamp and a light, shining in a dark place. In Moses's time they had but one candlestick, the Pentateuch; but the additions which, in process of time, were to be made of other books of scripture might be signified by this increase of the number of the candlesticks. Light was growing. The candlesticks are the churches, Rev 1:20. Moses set up but one, the church of the Jews; but, in the gospel temple, not only believers, but churches, are multiplied. 2. There were ten golden tables (Ch2 4:8), tables whereon the show-bread was set, Ch2 4:19. Perhaps every one of the tables had twelve loaves of show-bread on it. As the house was enlarged, the house-keeping was. In my father's house there is bread enough for the whole family. To those tables belonged 100 golden basins, or dishes; for God's table is well furnished. 3. There was a golden altar (Ch2 4:19), on which they burnt incense. It is probable that this was enlarged in proportion to the brazen altar. Christ, who once for all made atonement for sin, ever lives, making intercession, in virtue of that atonement.

Cross-references: 2Chr 4:1 · Exod 20:26 · 2Chr 4:2 · 2Chr 4:6 · 2Chr 4:5 · 1Kgs 7:26 · 1John 1:7 · Rev 1:5 · Rev 1:6 · Heb 9:14 · Jas 4:8 · John 13:10 · 2Chr 4:9 · Ps 107:16 · 2Chr 4:7 · Rev 1:20 · 2Chr 4:8 · 2Chr 4:19

Hebrew interlinear

בָהֶ֔םvahemprep + suffix · pronominal · 3rd · masc · plur
בָ֑םvamprep + suffix · pronominal · 3rd · masc · plur
בּֽוֹboprep + suffix · pronominal · 3rd · masc · sing

H6213

עָשָׂהʻâsâh/aw-saw'/

v — do, make

Derivation: a primitive root;

to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

KJV: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, × certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, feast, (fight-) ing man, finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, hinder, hold (a feast), × indeed, be industrious, journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, × sacrifice, serve, set, shew, × sin, spend, × surely, take, × thoroughly, trim, × very, vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use.

עָשָׂה

vb — do

עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make

Qal 2524

I.

1. do (1560 t.)

2. deal with

3. oft. in phr. do kindness with

4. abs. act, act with effect

II.

1. make (670 t.)

2. produce, yield

3. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

4. make offering

5. attend to, put in order

6. observe, celebrate, religious festival

7. acquire property of various kinds

8. appoint priests

9. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

10. use

11. spend, pass, days of life

Niph. 97

1. be done

2.

a. be made, of concr. things

b. be produced from vine

c. be prepared, of food

d. be offered

e. be observed, passover

f. be used

Pu. I was made

עָשָׂה

vb — press

[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze

H3595

כִּיּוֹרkîyôwr/kee-yore'/

n-m — round, excavated, bored, dish, caldron, washbowl, pulpit

Derivation: or כִּיֹּר; from the same as 3564;

properly, something round (as excavated or bored), i.e. a chafing-dish for coals or a caldron for cooking; hence (from similarity of form) a washbowl; also (for the same reason) a pulpit or platform

KJV: hearth, laver, pan, scaffold.

כִּיֹּר

n.m — pot

כִּיֹּר, כִּיּוֹר n.m. 1 K 7:38 pot, basin

1. pot for cooking

2. fire-pot

3. basin of bronze for washing, laver; set on a bronze support

4. platform or stage of bronze (prob. round, bowl-like in shape) on which, acc. to Chr, Solomon stood and kneeled

H6235

עֶשֶׂרʻeser/eh'ser/

n — ten

Derivation: masculine of term עֲשָׂרָה; from 6237;

ten (as an accumulation to the extent of the digits)

KJV: ten, (fif-, seven-) teen.

עֶשֶׂר

n.m — ten

עֶשֶׂר, עֲשָׂרָה 176 n.m. and f. ten

H5414

נָתַןnâthan/naw-than'/

v — give, put, make

Derivation: a primitive root;

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

KJV: add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, × avenge, × be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, × doubtless, × without fail, fasten, frame, × get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), × have, × indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), lie, lift up, make, O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, × pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), sing, slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, × surely, × take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, weep, willingly, withdraw, would (to) God, yield.

נָתַן

vb — give

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

1. give

2. Put, set

3. Make, constitute

Niph. 82

1. be given

2. Be put, set

Hoph.

1.

a. be given, bestowed

b. = be given to one for wife

2. be put upon

H2568

חָמֵשׁchâmêsh/khaw-maysh'/

n — five

Derivation: masculine חֲמִשָּׁה; a primitive numeral;

five

KJV: fif(-teen), fifth, five (× apiece).

חָמֵשׁ

n.m — five

חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה 342 n.m. and f. five

H3225

יָמִיןyâmîyn/yaw-meen'/

n-f — right, stronger, south

Derivation: from 3231;

the right hand or side (leg, eye) of a person or other object (as the stronger and more dexterous); locally, the south

KJV: left-handed, right (hand, side), south.

יָמִין

n.f — right hand

יָמִין 137 n.f. right hand

1. right hand

2. of situation on, or direction toward the right

3. of other parts of the body

4. = south, because when facing east the right hand is toward the south

H8040

שְׂמֹאולsᵉmôʼwl/sem-ole'/

n-m — dark, enveloped, north, left

Derivation: or שְׂמֹאל; a primitive word (rather perhaps from the same as 8071 (by insertion of the aleph) through the idea of wrapping up);

properly, dark (as enveloped), i.e. the north; hence (by orientation), the left hand

KJV: left (hand, side).

שְׂמֹאל

n.[m.] — the left

שְׂמֹאל, שְׂמֹאול 54 n.[m.] the left (√ dub.)

1. left, region on the left

2. left hand

3. = north (on left of one facing east)

H7364

רָחַץrâchats/raw-khats'/

v — lave

Derivation: a primitive root;

to lave (the whole or a part of a thing)

KJV: bathe (self), wash (self).

רָחַץ

vb — wash

רָחַץ 72 vb. wash, wash off, away, bathe

Qal 69

1. trans. wash (with water)

2. intrans. wash, bathe (oneself)

Pu. be washed

Hithp. if I washed myself in snow

H853

אֵתʼêth/ayth/

prt — self, even, namely

Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].

אֵת

mark of the accusative

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

H4639

מַעֲשֶׂהmaʻăseh/mah-as-eh'/

n-m — action, transaction, activity, product, poem, property

Derivation: from 6213;

an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically, a poem) or (generally) property

KJV: act, art, bakemeat, business, deed, do(-ing), labor, thing made, ware of making, occupation, thing offered, operation, possession, × well, (handy-, needle-, net-) work(ing, -manship), wrought.

מַעֲשֶׂה

n.m — deed

מַעֲשֶׂה 233 n.m. deed, work

H5930

עֹלָהʻôlâh/o-law'/

n-f — step, holocaust

Derivation: or עוֹלָה; feminine active participle of 5927;

a step or (collectively, stairs, as ascending); usually a holocaust (as going up in smoke)

KJV: ascent, burnt offering (sacrifice), go up to. See also 5766.

עֹלָה

n.f — whole burnt-offering

עֹלָה 286 n.f. whole burnt-offering

עֹלָה

n.f — ascent

[עֹלָה] n.f. ascent, stairway, Ez 40:26 Kt

H1740

דּוּחַdûwach/doo'-akh/

v — thrust, cleanse

Derivation: a primitive root;

to thrust away; figuratively, to cleanse

KJV: cast out, purge, wash.

דּוּחַ

vb — rinse

[דּוּחַ, דִּיחַ] vb. rinse, cleanse away by rinsing, washing

Hiph.

1. rinse, victims to be offered in sacrifice

2. fig. cleanse by washing

H3220

יָםyâm/yawm/

n-m — sea, large body of water, Mediterranean Sea, large river, artifical basin, west, south

Derivation: from an unused root meaning to roar;

a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south

KJV: sea (× -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern, side, -ward).

יָם

n.m — sea

יָם 390 n.m. sea

H3548

כֹּהֵןkôhên/ko-hane'/

n-m — officiating, priest, acting priest

Derivation: active participle of 3547;

literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)

KJV: chief ruler, × own, priest, prince, principal officer.

כֹּהֵן

n.m — priest

כֹּהֵן 750 n.m. priest

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