And Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.
verse value 3752
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 36 letters. The shortest word is "he·built" (בָּנָ֣ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·his·house" (אֶת־כׇּל־בֵּיתֽוֹ, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "all·his·house" (אֶת־כׇּל־בֵּיתֽוֹ). The root בית appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·his·house" (root בית, 191x in I Kings); "Solomon" (root שלמה, 162x in I Kings); "year" (root שנה, 72x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'year', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 2 words. Full calculation: וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ֙ [and·his·house] (825) + בָּנָ֣ה [he·built] (57) + שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה [Solomon] (375) + שְׁלֹ֥שׁ [three] (630) + עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה [ten] (575) + שָׁנָ֑ה [year] (355) + וַיְכַ֖ל [and·he·finished] (66) + אֶת־כׇּל־בֵּיתֽוֹ [all·his·house] (869) = 3752.
Rashi
“And Solomon built his house for thirteen years.” This teaches that he hastened in the work of the Almighty, but he delayed in his own [house], and Scripture recounts this in his praise.
Radak
"Thirteen years." [Solomon] was occupied with the construction of his own house for thirteen years after the completion of the House of the LORD. And some explain that he was occupied with the construction of his own house for only two years, and that "thirteen years" means: until the completion of the thirteenth year of his reign. According to this latter explanation, it is difficult to reconcile with what is stated below: "And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon built the two houses" — it appears that he spent twenty years building the two houses: seven on the House of the LORD and thirteen on his own house. They may resolve this by explaining that [the "twenty-one years" refers to] the twenty-first year of his reign — seven years after the completion of the houses he gave the cities to Hiram. And although Hiram had supplied Solomon with cedar wood, cypress wood, and gold for the building of the houses, he did not give these cities to Hiram until the end of the twentieth year of his reign.
Metzudat David
Thirteen years. He teaches here that he delayed in building his house, and did not finish it until thirteen years; but in the building of the house of the Lord he hastened and finished it in seven years, although it was greater far beyond his house.
And he finished , etc. Meaning: although he delayed in it thirteen years, he did not weary of the toil of the building, until he finished all of it.
Malbim
For thirteen years, after the construction of the Temple, he began the construction of his own house, as it is stated below: "And it came to pass, at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the two houses" (9:10) — "he finished all his house." Even though the construction extended over many days, nevertheless, he did not grow weary of the toil of the building until he completed it.
For he built the house of the forest of Lebanon: the length thereof was a hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars.
verse value 6129
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 96 letters. The shortest word is "upon" (עַ֗ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·pillars" (עַל־הָעַמּוּדִֽים, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 258: cedars, cedars. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "posts·of" (עַמּוּדֵ֣י), "and·beams" (וּכְרֻת֥וֹת). The root אמה appears 3 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·house" (root בית, 191x in I Kings); "upon" (root על, 127x in I Kings); "and·he·built" (root בנה, 66x in I Kings). First appearance of the root עמוד ("posts·of") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'its·height', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 8 words.
Rashi
"House of the Forest of Lebanon." Jonathan [the Aramaic translator] rendered it: "House of the cooling [i.e., summer residence] of the kings" (the cedar pillars standing in rows of a hundred cubits in length, each row a hundred cubits long, and from the first row to the fourth row fifty cubits, which is the width of the house — a gloss by the author of Sefer Tzurat HaBayit):
"And hewn cedar beams." Cedar beams: along the length of the house there was a row of pillars on the ground, and the beams ran from pillar to pillar. (And the second row was opposite the first row across the width of the house, and so were the four rows, and the covering of boards for the floor of the house was laid from row to row upon the beams. These pillars were made with openings, opening after opening, like a portico, and the beams were like lintels above doorposts. These beams also served to support the partitions, which are the "sides" mentioned in the verse. It states "the sides that were upon the pillars" and does not say "upon the beams," because the pillars are the primary support upon which the house rests, while the beams serve only to hold and connect pillar to pillar so that the tent would be one unit. They lay on their sides and were not upright. When it says "upon the pillars," it means upon the beams that are upon the pillars. They are not called by their own name in relation to them. It is also possible that the beams do not rise above the pillars, meaning they do not lie on top, but rather they are placed at the heads of the pillars, level with them at the top, not like a lintel that overhangs the doorposts, but like a long peg connecting two pillars. Thus, what is written, "and beams upon the pillars," means on the upper side of the pillars. Hence, what is upon the beams is considered to be upon the pillars. End of the explanation of the author of "The Form of the House.")
Radak
“House of the Forest of Lebanon.” The Targum of Jonathan [renders it]: “House of the building of the kings.” It appears that the custom of kings at that time was to build a house in a forest to cool themselves there in the summer days. And Solomon built [this house] in a forest that was known in the Land of Israel, called Lebanon, and he built this house of cedar trees, its walls and its roofing. And he built it upon four rows of cedar columns, at the four corners of the house, and from column to column were cedar beams, which are large walls called “merishei” in the language of our Sages of blessed memory, and the Targum [translates]: “their beams.”
Ralbag
“And he built the House of the Forest of Lebanon.” It appears from what is mentioned afterward that this building Solomon constructed for himself, and this building was to cool himself there in the days of summer. For this reason, it seems that he made many openings. And I think that the Forest of Lebanon was close to the Temple, and for this reason the Temple is called “Lebanon.” And it is mentioned that he already built this house on four rows of cedar columns. And I think that the cedar columns were all across the width of the house, and he divided the length into three parts, with two columns in each row. And the cedars were cut on the columns to bear the ceiling beams upon them, and they were large and strong. And their length, according to what we have described, was a third of a hundred cubits.
Metzudat David
The house of the Forest of Lebanon. So it was called, for because of the multitude of pillars that stood in it, it appeared like a forest abounding in trees. Or: he built it in the place of the Forest of Lebanon; for it was the custom of kings in that time to build for themselves a house in a forest, to cool themselves there in the days of summer. And it is made with many windows, to bring in the air.
On four rows of cedar pillars. And those rows stood across the width of the house; and its length was divided for them into three equal parts. But along the length of the house there were proper walls, in the manner of building.
And hewn cedars. Hewn cedars; he laid them upon those pillars, to join them together so that they not move from their place.
Metzudat Zion
Halevanon. The name of the forest:
Malbim
"And the House of the Forest of Lebanon" is called so because it was abundant in cedars, like a forest, or because it was built in the Forest of Lebanon, which was near Jerusalem. For such was the custom of kings to build a summer house in a forest to cool themselves there. And it had many doors and windows open to the breeze of the day, upon four rows of cedar pillars. The pillars were placed across the width of the house, dividing the length of the house into three parts, each part being thirty-three and a third cubits. And there were cedar beams from pillar to pillar across the width of the house, to join the pillars to one another and to place the ceiling upon them.
And it was covered with cedar above upon the side-chambers, that lay on forty and five pillars, fifteen in a row.
verse value 3888
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 54 letters. Verse gematria: 3888 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·pillars" (עַל־הָעַמּוּדִ֔ים, 9 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·covered" (וְסָפֻ֣ן), "upon·the·side-chambers" (עַל־הַצְּלָעוֹת֙), "and·five" (וַחֲמִשָּׁ֑ה). The root חמש appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "ten" (root עשר, 39x in I Kings); "forty" (root ארבע, 31x in I Kings). First appearance of the root מעל ("from·above") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·five', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְסָפֻ֣ן [and·covered] (196) + בָּאֶ֗רֶז [in·the·cedar] (210) + מִמַּ֙עַל֙ [from·above] (180) + עַל־הַצְּלָעוֹת֙ [upon·the·side-chambers] (701) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [that] (501) + עַל־הָעַמּוּדִ֔ים [upon·the·pillars] (275) + אַרְבָּעִ֖ים [forty] (323) + וַחֲמִשָּׁ֑ה [and·five] (359) + חֲמִשָּׁ֥ה [five] (353) + עָשָׂ֖ר [ten] (570) + הַטּֽוּר [row] (220) = 3888.
Rashi
"Paneled with cedar." A covering over it from above:
"On the sides." Upper partitions that were upon the [hewn] beams, four partitions, one opposite the other in width, stretched along the length of the house, all of them being openings and windows, for the summer house was constructed for ventilation. And upon those partitions was the roof covering, the paneling. Forty-five boards constituted the paneling: three rows of boards (for three spaces) that were between the four rows of pillars. Fifteen boards were in each row (meaning that between each space there were placed fifteen of them). Their length was across the width between one row and the next, and their width was along the length of the house, one next to the other.
Radak
And overlaid it with cedar wood. And he covered it with boards of cedar.
"Regarding the sides." These are the hewn cedars [כרותות] mentioned [earlier], and the Targum [renders it] machitzaya; this is the same matter, for the walls are called mechitzah (partition).
Forty-five. These are the cedar beams with which the house was covered; there were forty-five of them, for there were three rows, and each row contained fifteen beams.
Ralbag
And behold, it was enclosed in cedar beams above, upon the sides, and they were the cedar beams that were upon the pillars, which were forty-five in number, for there were fifteen pillars in one row. Thus, the cedar beams that were upon them were fifteen. From this it becomes clear that from part of the thickness of one pillar to the end of the thickness of the second pillar extending from it was three cubits and one-third of a cubit. However, the thickness of these pillars was, according to what appears to me from what is mentioned later, two and a half cubits. The distance between one row and another was thirty cubits, and the height of the pillars was thirty cubits. By this it is confirmed that all the pillars, together with the cedar beams upon them, were square.
Metzudat David
And it was panelled with cedar above upon the rafters. For upon the pillars and upon the cedar walls joining them together, he laid rafters and boards, to be the partitions of the house above; and upon those rafters he laid cedar planks, to be a ceiling [and he said 'upon the pillars' and did not mention the hewn cedars, for the pillars were the main support for the weight of the rafters].
Forty-five. The number of the cedar planks covering the ceiling was forty-five.
Fifteen in a row. For the pillars divided the length into three equal parts; and therefore the ceiling too was divided into three parts; and in each part they laid a row of cedar planks, and in it were fifteen in number. And they laid the length of the planks along the length of the house; if so, the length of each plank was thirty-three cubits and a third of a cubit; and the width of the planks across the width of the house, and the width of each plank was three cubits and a third of a cubit.
Metzudat Zion
Hatzalot. The planks:
Malbim
"And it was paneled": the paneling of the ceiling's planks was laid upon the ribs, that is, upon the hewn cedars he mentioned, [which were placed] upon the columns — forty-five. This means that the total number of planks was forty-five, namely, there were fifteen planks in each row, arranged across the width of the house, so that in the fifty cubits [of width] there were fifteen planks. And one may say that each plank was three and one-fifth cubits thick, or that there was space between each one and the next.
And there were beams in three rows; and light was over against light in three ranks.
verse value 2463
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 34 letters. The shortest word is "three" (שָׁלֹ֥שׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·beams" (וּשְׁקֻפִ֖ים, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·beams" (וּשְׁקֻפִ֖ים), "and·light" (וּמֶחֱזָ֥ה). The root שלוש appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "three" (root שלוש, 27x in I Kings). First appearance of the root מחזה ("and·light") in I Kings. First appearance of the root פעם ("times") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'rows', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: וּשְׁקֻפִ֖ים [and·beams] (536) + שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה [three] (635) + טוּרִ֑ים [rows] (265) + וּמֶחֱזָ֥ה [and·light] (66) + אֶל־מֶחֱזָ֖ה [to·light] (91) + שָׁלֹ֥שׁ [three] (630) + פְּעָמִֽים [times] (240) = 2463.
Rashi
And there were three rows of window-frames. Furthermore, he made a roof-covering alongside the three rows of boards, and the three rows of window-frames, because the width of fifteen boards did not roof the house along its entire length, which was one hundred cubits. And he made alongside them to roof the house a roof-covering of small boards, placed upon small rafters remaining (it should be said: placed) from the row of cedar beams to the row, three rafters one next to (it should be said: at the end of) the other, and window-frames on both their sides, like a lintel in which a door hangs, and upon those window-frames, the heads of the small boards were placed in them; the length of the small boards was opposite the width of the large boards that he had placed first.
"Edge to edge." The heads of the boards of this window-frame, opposite [the heads of] the boards of that [other] window-frame.
"michzeh": The term denotes an "edge" or "corner," and Menachem interprets it thus. Its cognate appears in Psalms 107:30: "to the harbor of their desire." And every instance of "chazit" in the language of the Mishnah is used this way: thus it is in the arrangement of the Tamid offering (Tamid 29a); and likewise [the phrase] "he makes the chazit (edge) on the outside," in the chapter "HaShutafin" in Bava Batra (2a). Jonathan (the Targumist) likewise translated it as: "zoi le-kavil zoi" (corner corresponding to corner). But [for] "sealed window-frames" (above, 6:4), and likewise here (verse 5): "square lintel [shakuf]," he translated all of them as: "kelonsa" [a pole/beam].
Radak
"And three rows of window frames [shekufim]." He made windows in this house and called them shekufim because a person looks out (mashkif) from them, as it is said, "And Abimelech looked out through the window" (Genesis 26:8). And what is meant by "three rows"? Three rows of cedar beams between window and window. And what is meant by "window opposite window"? Mirror opposite mirror, meaning that the windows were in the three walls, and this is what is stated three times: "And there were windows opposite windows." And this is "window opposite window." And the Targum [translates]: "And three rows of poles, corner opposite corner, three times." And in the words of our Sages of blessed memory: "And it was suspended upon poles," and they are long rods, like the shaft of a spear, and "zoi" means "corner."
Ralbag
"And there were three rows of lintels." These are the side-pieces mentioned above, which were in the form of a lintel together with the pillars. It is clear from this that there were only three rows of these upon the four rows of pillars.
“From vision to vision” three times. This means that the doorway was opposite another doorway facing it, and this arrangement occurred in this house three times, for there were three doorways on each side of the land, each opposite the other. And behold, the doorway is called a “vision” because there a person would see what is outside.
Metzudat David
And windows, three rows. In the walls that stood along the length of the house, he made three rows of windows, one above the other, in the height of the wall.
Opposite to opposite. For in the wall on this side and that side he made three rows of windows; and he said that the windows were aligned, one opposite the other. Meaning: the windows from the wall on this side, opposite the windows from the wall on that side.
Three times. Meaning: so it was in all three rows.
Metzudat Zion
U'shekefim. Windows through which one would look and gaze:
U'machze. It too is a matter of a window, through which one would see:
Malbim
"And there were window-frames": on both sides of the length there was a structure of ashlar stones (as stated below), and there were windows there to let in air. There were three rows, meaning three windows one above the other in height, and likewise there were three on the side of the length, one next to the other. And it was face to face, meaning the windows of one side of the length were aligned opposite the windows of the other side of the length, and this was three times, for so it was in each division, since the length of the house was divided into three, as mentioned above. And in each [division] there were three rows of windows, and this was on both sides of the length.
And all the doors with their posts were square in the frame; and light was over against light in three ranks.
verse value 2981
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 47 letters. The shortest word is "framework" (שָׁ֑קֶף, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·all·the·openings" (וְכׇל־הַפְּתָחִ֥ים, 9 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·all·the·openings" (וְכׇל־הַפְּתָחִ֥ים), "and·the·doorposts" (וְהַמְּזוּז֖וֹת), "pertaining to the fourth" (רְבֻעִ֣ים). The root מחזה appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "three" (root שלוש, 27x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'framework', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְכׇל־הַפְּתָחִ֥ים [and·all·the·openings] (599) + וְהַמְּזוּז֖וֹת [and·the·doorposts] (477) + רְבֻעִ֣ים [pertaining to the fourth] (322) + שָׁ֑קֶף [framework] (480) + וּמ֧וּל [and·opposite] (82) + מֶחֱזָ֛ה [opening] (60) + אֶל־מֶחֱזָ֖ה [to·light] (91) + שָׁלֹ֥שׁ [three] (630) + פְּעָמִֽים [times] (240) = 2981.
Rashi
"And all the doorways and doorposts." [This is stated] because a typical royal residence is made with many doorways, for the sake of ventilation, and therefore it was called the House of the Forest, for it resembled a forest.
"Square, lintel." Jonathan translates: "square and overlaid with poles [kelonsa]." And the entrances were covered with thin boards; they were square, like the other entrances of houses, and not made with an arch, like the entrances of a hall.
"And edge to edge." The 'facing' of one edge is turned toward the other edge — the end of one board facing the end of another board — three times in each ceiling, and I do not know how.
Radak
"And all the doorways and the doorposts had square shekef." The doorways were square, meaning that they were not fashioned at the top in the manner of a dome; and likewise the doorposts of the gates were square and not rounded.
Shkef. And there is an explanation that "shkef" is like a "maskef" (lintel), for the lintel above the doorways was also square, and the lintel is a window made above the doorway to look out from it, whoever calls at the gate, and that window was made aperture opposite aperture three times, as we have explained.
Ralbag
And all the doorways and doorposts were square. This means that these doorways were in the shape of a square, for the lintel that was above them, together with the pillars at both of its ends, made the doorway in the form of a square of thirty cubits in each direction. And by this it is clarified what is meant by “from sight to sight across the breadth of the house,” for in that house this occurred three times; all of it extended in this square, together with the lintels above it. And behold, this house was divided into three equal parts. This is what appears to me in the explanation of the shape of this house, and it agrees very much with the language that appears here. And behold, we have not seen in it a proper explanation for this.
Metzudat David
And all the entrances. The spaces of the doors opened in those walls were square; for the lintels were straight, not rounded.
And the doorposts. They are the pillars of the doorposts; they were square, four-sided, like the way of most doorposts.
A window. Also the small window made above the door was square.
And facing, opening to opening. Like 'and an opening was opposite an opening.' And he means: the window on this side was opposite the window on the other side.
Three times. It is possible that there were three doors in the wall on this side, and three in the wall on this; and the window above them; and all three were opposite one another. And so in each part that was between the pillars, there was one door on this side, and one door on this.
Metzudat Zion
Shekef. Window:
Malbim
And all the doorways—the doorways were on the side of the width of the house, on both sides of the width, between the rows of pillars. And there were four lintels, which were a lintel upon a lintel, for there were three windows above the doorways, until the lintel was four: namely, one lintel of the doorway, and three of the three windows. And likewise, “window opposite window,” meaning that the doorways and the windows above them were aligned opposite each other in the rows of pillars which were in the length of the house in a straight line. And there were three times that there were three doorways in each row.
And he made the porch of pillars: the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits; and a porch before them; and pillars and thick beams before them.
verse value 3554
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 70 letters. The shortest word is "and·(object marker)" (וְאֵ֨ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·posts" (הָֽעַמּוּדִים֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 285: upon·their·face, upon·their·face. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "porch·of" (אוּלָ֤ם), "and·posts" (וְעַמֻּדִ֥ים), "and·darkness" (וְעָ֖ב). The root אולם appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "did" (root עשה, 143x in I Kings); "upon·their·face" (root פנים, 95x in I Kings); "cubits" (root אמה, 47x in I Kings). First appearance of the root עב ("and·darkness") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'breadth', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 5 words.
Rashi
"And the porch of the pillars." He made a porch before these pillars, an entrance to the house, fifty cubits in length, corresponding to the width of the house, which was fifty cubits, and thirty cubits in width, extending before the length of the house. However, the greater measurement is always called length, and the shorter one is called width.
"And the portico was in front of them." A high portico was built over the entire house.
"And pillars and beams upon their faces." Upon the hewn cedar timbers that were on the lower pillars, he set up other [additional] pillars, and rafters from pillar to pillar; the pillars were for interweaving the side-pieces from one to the other, and the beams were for roofing the upper story. "Av" is the same as "marish" [a rafter], as we have learned: "and the avim—these are the rafters."
Radak
"And the porch of the pillars." The porch is what is called the "house of the entrance," and its roof was made in the form of a dome. The porch leaned upon the pillars, for the house was built upon four pillars, as he mentioned and said. Thus, this porch was in front of the pillars, and this is what he said: "And a porch in front of them." Furthermore, there were other pillars in front of them, and also thick beams in front of them. "Thick" refers to thick wood; it is large timber, called "marishim" in the words of our Sages of blessed memory, and they said: "And the thick beams—these are the marishim."
Ralbag
“And the porch of the pillars he made fifty cubits long and thirty cubits wide.” And behold, this porch, according to my understanding, had its length corresponding to the width of the House of the Forest of Lebanon that we mentioned, and it too was square, in the manner of the square of the other sections that we mentioned, for it was adjacent to the pillars; and therefore its height was equal to their height.
“And the porch upon their faces, etc.” This means that upon the faces of the pillars, which were located near the entrances mentioned above, there was a sort of porch. There were pillars within it, and thick cedar beams were upon their faces. And these pillars, I estimate, were made of cedar, even though the porch was a constructed building, as will become apparent from what is mentioned subsequently.
Metzudat David
And the portico of the pillars. To the house of the Forest of Lebanon, he made a portico standing on cedar pillars; its length was fifty cubits and its width thirty cubits.
And a portico before them. He explains the place of the portico's pillar; and he said that a pillar leaned against the house of the forest before the doors; and in the manner of a gatehouse; and its length stood along the length of the house, to be opposite all three doors that were in the three parts of the house [and for this reason he said 'before them,' for they were before all three; and see the beginning of the treatise on the Building of the House and the diagram].
And pillars and beams before them. Before the doors of this portico stood pillars fixed in the ground; and above them a thick wood joining them together, so that they not move from their place. And it was made for decoration and splendor; or to be like a partition and for guard.
Malbim
“And the porch before the pillars he made: a porch, and its length was fifty cubits, corresponding to the width of the House of the Forest of Lebanon, and its width was thirty cubits, extending along the length of the house. And the porch was before them, in front of the house. And the porch was yet another porch, and before the second porch there were pillars, and a thick beam before them — this refers to the marish, which is thick wood, as our Sages of blessed memory stated: ‘The thick ones are the marishim.’”
And he made the porch of the throne where he might judge, even the porch of judgment; and it was covered with cedar from floor to floor.
verse value 3765
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 51 letters. Notable word values: "throne" (הַכִּסֵּא֙) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "where" (אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·the·floor" (עַד־הַקַּרְקָֽע, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "throne" (הַכִּסֵּא֙), "he·would·judge·there" (יִשְׁפׇּט־שָׁ֔ם), "porch·of" (אֻלָ֥ם). The root אולם appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "where" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "did" (root עשה, 143x in I Kings); "throne" (root כסא, 34x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'did', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְאוּלָ֤ם [and·porch·of] (83) + הַכִּסֵּא֙ [throne] (86) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [where] (501) + יִשְׁפׇּט־שָׁ֔ם [he·would·judge·there] (739) + אֻלָ֥ם [porch·of] (71) + הַמִּשְׁפָּ֖ט [judgment] (434) + עָשָׂ֑ה [did] (375) + וְסָפ֣וּן [and·covered] (202) + בָּאֶ֔רֶז [in·the·cedar] (210) + מֵהַקַּרְקַ֖ע [from·the·floor] (515) + עַד־הַקַּרְקָֽע [to·the·floor] (549) = 3765.
Rashi
"And the portico of the throne." (Targum:) "And the portico, to set up there the seat of the court where they judge, he made as a vestibule for the court." The term "perosda" means "vestibule."
And overlaid with cedar wood: The floor was covered with cedar boards.
From the ground. Jonathan’s Targum: From foundation to foundation. From the foundation of this wall, and until the foundation of this wall.
Radak
"And the porch of the throne." He joined [the word] "porch" to [the word] "throne," for there was nothing there but the throne of judgment. This implies that he built a porch for the house of judgment, and there was the throne upon which he sat and judged those who came before him in judgment. And what is stated afterwards, "the porch of judgment," is either a repetition of the matter, or its meaning is that for that porch in which was the throne, he built another porch before it, which is called the porch of judgment, which served as an entrance hall to the house of judgment. And so it appears to be the opinion of the Targum, which translates: "a porch to set there the throne of the court of judgment; he made an entrance hall for the house of judgment." And the meaning of "porseida" is an entrance hall, as they said: "Prepare yourself in the corridor so that you may enter the fine banquet hall." And there are some manuscripts that spell it with a samekh.
From the floor to the floor. The Targum of Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translates it as "from foundation to foundation," meaning from the foundation of this wall to the opposite wall; that is to say, the entire floor was covered with cedar planks.
Ralbag
But as for the hall where the throne is, where judgment will be rendered there. And in another place, the final judgment will take place, and it is called the Hall of Judgment. Or perhaps it is all one matter, meaning that the hall of the throne where judgment is rendered there is the Hall of Judgment. Or perhaps the first phrase is a description, namely, "the throne where judgment is rendered there," meaning that from it it is designated as the Hall of Judgment, as Jonathan translated.
"And it was paneled with cedar from the floor to the floor." This means [it covered] the entire floor of the Hall of Judgment, from the foundation of this wall to the foundation of the wall opposite it.
Metzudat David
And the portico of the throne. Meaning: to the portico in which the throne stood, upon which he sat to judge there -- to this portico he made yet another outside it, the portico of judgment, in which those who came to judgment would stand, until they would be called to come before the king.
Ceiled with cedar. He covered the floor with cedar boards.
From the floor to the floor. Meaning: from the base of this wall to the base of the wall opposite it.
Malbim
However, before the pillars there was another hall, in which stood the throne of judgment, where the king himself judged in major cases. And there was also a hall of judgment, where the Sanhedrin sat and the litigants stood, and it was situated before the hall of the throne. The ceiling and the floor of the hall were covered with cedar wood from end to end, meaning from one end to the other.
And his house where he might dwell, in the other court, within the porch, was of the like work. He made also a house for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom Solomon had taken to wife, like to this porch.
verse value 6238
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 74 letters. The shortest word is "there" (שָׁ֜ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "for·daughter·of·Pharaoh" (לְבַת־פַּרְעֹה֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 17: this, this. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·his·house" (וּבֵיתוֹ֩), "where·he·might·dwell" (אֲשֶׁר־יֵ֨שֶׁב), "court" (חָצֵ֣ר). The root בית appears 3 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "where·he·might·dwell" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "was" (root היה, 196x in I Kings); "and·his·house" (root בית, 191x in I Kings). First appearance of the root מעשה ("as·the·work") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'was', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 8 words.
Rashi
"And his house in which he dwelt." A permanent dwelling, to eat there and to sleep there.
"Within the portico." Further within than the portico of the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
“And he shall make a house.” It occurred to him to build a house for Pharaoh’s daughter.
Like this hall. Like the construction of this hall:
Radak
"And his house wherein he dwelt" – this is the house mentioned above, "And Solomon built his house thirteen years." And it states that the other courtyard, which belonged to this house and was the courtyard that was within the porch, was constructed in the manner of the Hall of Judgment, as previously mentioned. Similarly, the house he built for Pharaoh's daughter was also constructed in the manner of this colonnade.
Ralbag
"And his house where he dwelt there — the other courtyard, within the portico." This means that it was the other courtyard, which is interior to the portico, in which he built his house, where he would dwell constantly, and where he would eat, drink, and lie down. Thus it was made in this manner, meaning that all the ground there was paneled with cedar.
"And he shall make a house for Pharaoh's daughter." This means that the house which was built for Pharaoh's daughter was constructed in the same manner as this hall, namely the Hall of Judgment, the entire floor of which was overlaid with cedar wood.
Metzudat David
And his house in which he dwelt. Meaning: his place of permanent residence.
The other court. Which stood in the other court, from within the portico of judgment, on the way of entrance from the outside to the place of the royal houses.
It was like this work. Like the work of the portico of judgment, paneled with cedar like it. And a house he made. The house that he made for Pharaoh's daughter was also like the portico of judgment.
Malbim
"And his house where he dwelt" — furthermore, there was there the king's house, which was designated for his residence and habitation, for eating and drinking. This is the house mentioned at the beginning of the chapter. And also "the other courtyard" — namely, the courtyard in front of the king's house.
"From the house to the hall": this means the king's house and the courtyard before it was [what is called] "from the house to the hall," and interior to it, and it was also like the construction of the halls mentioned. And according to this, there were eight divisions: the king's house, and before it his great courtyard, and before it the House of the Forest of Lebanon, and before it the Hall of Pillars, and another hall before it, and before them all the pillars and the crossbeams in front of them, and before it the Throne of Judgment, and before it the Hall of Judgment.
“And a house he shall make”: After completing the construction of the buildings, he began to build a house for Pharaoh’s daughter as well, in the same design as this hall.
All these were of costly stones, according to the measures of hewn stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation to the coping, and so on the outside to the great court.
verse value 4802
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 73 letters. Notable word values: "all·these" (כׇּל־אֵ֜לֶּה) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "valuable" (יְקָרֹת֙, 4 letters) and the longest is "to·the·copings" (עַד־הַטְּפָח֔וֹת, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 150: and·outside, and·from·foundation, and·outside. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "all·these" (כׇּל־אֵ֜לֶּה), "valuable" (יְקָרֹת֙), "sawed" (מְגֹרָר֥וֹת). The root חוץ appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "within" (root בית, 191x in I Kings); "all·these" (root אלה, 28x in I Kings); "stone" (root אבן, 23x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·outside', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 5 words. Full calculation: כׇּל־אֵ֜לֶּה [all·these] (86) + אֲבָנִ֤ים [stone] (103) + יְקָרֹת֙ [valuable] (710) + כְּמִדּ֣וֹת [measure] (470) + גָּזִ֔ית [hewn·stone] (420) + מְגֹרָר֥וֹת [sawed] (849) + בַּמְּגֵרָ֖ה [saw] (250) + מִבַּ֣יִת [within] (452) + וּמִח֑וּץ [and·outside] (150) + וּמִמַּסָּד֙ [and·from·foundation] (150) + עַד־הַטְּפָח֔וֹת [to·the·copings] (582) + וּמִח֖וּץ [and·outside] (150) + עַד־הֶחָצֵ֥ר [to·the·court] (377) + הַגְּדוֹלָֽה [great] (53) = 4802.
Rashi
All of these are precious stones. All of these stones were made massive [heavy].
“Like the measurements of hewn stones.” Like the measurement of hewn stones, there was one standard measurement for hewn stones in the land:
"And from the foundation to the coping." This structure was built with these hewn stones in height, from the foundation to the top of the beam.
And from the foundation. It is the language of "foundation."
"The tefachim." [This means] the top of the beam, as in (Isaiah 48:13): "My right hand has spread out the heavens."
“And from the outside.” On the outer side, the entire length of the walls was constructed of these stones, up to the Great Court.
Radak
"All these." All these houses that were mentioned, which Solomon built—the House of the Lord, his own house, the House of Judgment, the house of Pharaoh's daughter, and their courtyards—all of them were built with precious stones, that is, stones of fine quality from the quarry, as we explained above.
“Of hewn stones.” A hewn stone was known by its measurement among them, just as in the days of our Sages of blessed memory, when the measurement of a hewn stone was five handbreadths.
"Sawed with a saw." A saw is [the tool that produces] a flat, even surface, [such] that the faces of the stones were smoother and straighter when they were sawed with a saw than they would have been if they had been chiseled with hammers. And the explanation of "from within and from without" is that both faces were sawed.
From the foundation up to the tefachim [corbel-stones]. And there were straight and smooth stones there, thus from the foundation up to the space of the beams, and the place where the beams were laid is called "tefachim" [handbreadths], because the stones on which the ends of the beams rest protrude outside the wall by the measure of a handbreadth, both from the inside and from the outside. And the structure of the building was also from outside the house up to the great courtyard, but the great courtyard was a separate construction, as it stated: "three rows of stones and a row of cedar beams."
Ralbag
All these were precious stones, according to the dimensions of a hewn stone. Now, the measure of a hewn stone was fixed and known to them.
"Sawed with a saw, from within and from without." This means that these stones, in order to smooth them further, were sawed with a saw, which is a sword with many notches [i.e., a serrated blade], called "shira" in the vernacular, for it leaves the stone very smooth and whole. And this was done to these stones on both of their visible surfaces, one visible from the inside and the other visible from the outside.
"And from the foundation to the handbreadths." This means from the foundation stones to the visible stones of the wall, that they should be precise in their measurement, measuring them by handbreadths — and all the visible stones of the wall were all in this manner. Or perhaps it says "to the handbreadths" because in the upper row, upon which the ceiling is placed, the stones protrude beyond the opening by the measure of a handbreadth or slightly more. This means that they place them there as additions on the inside. And this is clear in beautiful and complete buildings.
“And from outside unto the great court.” From outside the house unto the great court, all the stones in the construction were made in this manner. And the intention in saying “all these porches and houses” which he mentioned after mentioning the House of the Forest of Lebanon is to include them.
Metzudat David
All these. All the buildings that he mentioned, he built of precious and large stones, in the measurements fitting for dressed stone, according to what was known to them.
Sawn with the saw. Cut with a saw, to make them smooth on both sides, on the inner side and on the outer side.
From the foundation. From the foundation to the ceiling; and this is 'to the cornices.' For the custom is to make something like a cornice, the size of a handbreadth, protruding from the wall near the ceiling, and it is [part of] the splendor of the craftsmanship.
And outside. And even the rest of the buildings, that stood outside these houses, until the great court -- all of them he built in the manner of the aforementioned construction. But the great court itself he built with a different construction, as is explained in the matter.
Metzudat Zion
Yikarot. Heavy and difficult, or honored and distinguished:
Magurot b'magra. Magra is an iron tool full of notches; since with it wood is cut by a scraping motion it is called magra; likewise (II Samuel 12:31) 'he put them under saws' (vayashem b'magra):
Malbim
All these structures mentioned above were made of precious stones in quality:
And as the hewn stones were in quantity, and they were sawn and beveled on the inside and on the outside—meaning, on both sides—and stones such as these were from the foundation up to the coping, that is, to the height of the roof beams; and likewise, from the outside up to the great courtyard.
And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.
verse value 3476
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 49 letters. The shortest word is "ten" (עֶ֣שֶׂר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·founded" (וּמְיֻסָּ֕ד, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 447: cubits, cubits. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·founded" (וּמְיֻסָּ֕ד), "stone" (וְאַבְנֵ֖י). The root אבן appears 4 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "cubits" (root אמה, 47x in I Kings); "ten" (root עשר, 39x in I Kings); "stone" (root אבן, 23x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'great', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: וּמְיֻסָּ֕ד [and·founded] (120) + אֲבָנִ֥ים [stone] (103) + יְקָר֖וֹת [valuable] (716) + אֲבָנִ֣ים [stone] (103) + גְּדֹל֑וֹת [great] (443) + אַבְנֵי֙ [stone] (63) + עֶ֣שֶׂר [ten] (570) + אַמּ֔וֹת [cubits] (447) + וְאַבְנֵ֖י [stone] (69) + שְׁמֹנֶ֥ה [eight] (395) + אַמּֽוֹת [cubits] (447) = 3476.
Rashi
And it was built, etc., with large stones. And the foundation that was within the ground was of stones larger than the measurements of the hewn stones.
Radak
"And founded on stones." This structure was founded on good and large stones; there were stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits. But from the foundation upward, the stones were good but not as large as the measure of the foundation; rather, they were of the measure of a dressed stone. And our Sages of blessed memory said that these stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits were corbels protruding outside the wall, bulging inward into the house. And he said, "stones of ten and stones of eight," meaning that these enter and these exit. And from those that exited, one ascended to the large ones, where the elders of the priesthood slept, for they did not bring beds into the Temple. And the novice priests slept each on his garment upon the ground.
Ralbag
“And founded on precious stones.” This means that the foundation stones were larger than the hewn stones, for there were stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits among them. And above the foundation were precious stones, of the measure of hewn stones, and they were overlaid with cedar wood on the ceiling, or there were there, in the coverings, hewn slabs of stone together with those stones.
Metzudat David
And it was founded, etc. Meaning: what was said above that the foundation stones were equal to the wall stones -- this is only in that the stones were precious like them; but they did not equal in size, for the foundation stones were larger than the wall stones. For the foundation stones were ten cubits, etc., and they are larger than the measure of dressed stone.
Malbim
"Stones, etc." And the foundation itself was [made of] large stones, ten and eight cubits [in size], and it too was [made] of precious stones.
And above were costly stones, after the measure of hewn stones, and cedar-wood.
verse value 2144
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "hewn·stone" (גָּזִ֖ית, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·from·above" (וּמִלְמַ֗עְלָה, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·from·above" (וּמִלְמַ֗עְלָה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "stone" (root אבן, 23x in I Kings); "and·cedar" (root ארז, 20x in I Kings). Full calculation: וּמִלְמַ֗עְלָה [and·from·above] (221) + אֲבָנִ֧ים [stone] (103) + יְקָר֛וֹת [valuable] (716) + כְּמִדּ֥וֹת [as·measures·of] (470) + גָּזִ֖ית [hewn·stone] (420) + וָאָֽרֶז [and·cedar] (214) = 2144.
Rashi
"And above were precious stones." Above the foundations were precious stones up to the coping, as stated above:
"And cedar." (Targum:) "And boards of cedar," as it is stated (verse 7): "and it was paneled with cedar."
Metzudat David
And from above. The walls that are upon the foundations.
And cedar. All these buildings, the ceiling was covered with cedar.
Malbim
And from above, etc. The stones that were above, near the beam, were of the size of hewn stone, and the cedar that was mixed [with the stone] in the construction.
And the great court round about had three rows of hewn stone, and a row of cedar beams, like as the inner court of the house of Hashem, and the court of the porch of the house.
verse value 5141
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 68 letters. The shortest word is "and·enclosure" (וְחָצֵ֨ר, 4 letters) and the longest is "house·of·Hashem" (בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֛ה, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·enclosure" (וְחָצֵ֨ר), "and·to·enclosure·of" (וְלַחֲצַ֧ר), "and·to·porch·of" (וּלְאֻלָ֥ם). The root חצר appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "house·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 254x in I Kings); "house" (root בית, 191x in I Kings); "three" (root שלוש, 27x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'cedars', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְחָצֵ֨ר [and·enclosure] (304) + הַגְּדוֹלָ֜ה [great] (53) + סָבִ֗יב [round·about] (74) + שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ [three] (635) + טוּרִ֣ים [rows] (265) + גָּזִ֔ית [hewn·stone] (420) + וְט֖וּר [and·row·of] (221) + כְּרֻתֹ֣ת [beams] (1020) + אֲרָזִ֑ים [cedars] (258) + וְלַחֲצַ֧ר [and·to·enclosure·of] (334) + בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֛ה [house·of·Hashem] (438) + הַפְּנִימִ֖ית [inner] (595) + וּלְאֻלָ֥ם [and·to·porch·of] (107) + הַבָּֽיִת [house] (417) = 5141.
Rashi
Three courses of hewn stone. The wall was constructed of three courses of stones, and a course of wood upon them.
Radak
"And to the court." The construction of the great court was like that which was stated above, "And he built the inner court," etc. And so too did he do for the construction of the House, like this construction.
Ralbag
"And the great court all around, etc." This means that the great court, in which was the king's house, was surrounded on all sides by thirty courses of hewn stones and a course of cedar beams upon them. And so it was with the inner court of the House of the Lord, as stated previously. And so it was with the porch of the house, meaning the porch that was in front of the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies.
Metzudat David
And the great court all around. Which surrounded all the king's houses.
Three rows. The building of its walls was of dressed stone, three rows one upon the other; and upon them the fourth row was of hewn and well-chiseled cedars. And so until the completion of the height of the walls, it was built in this manner.
And to the inner court of the house of the Lord. Meaning: and like the building that he built for the court of the house of the Lord mentioned above; and so he built the portico that was before the sanctuary; for all of them he built with three rows of dressed stone, etc.
Malbim
"And the great courtyard"—that is to say, the wall that surrounded all the buildings consisted of three rows, etc. And so it was for the inner courtyard of the House of the Lord, and for the Ulam of the House.
And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.
verse value 1937
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. Verse gematria: 1937 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "from·Tyre" (מִצֹּֽר, 3 letters) and the longest is "Hiram" (אֶת־חִירָ֖ם, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "Hiram" (אֶת־חִירָ֖ם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "Solomon" (root שלמה, 162x in I Kings); "and·he·sent" (root שלח, 46x in I Kings). Full calculation: וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ [and·he·sent] (354) + הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ [king] (95) + שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה [Solomon] (375) + וַיִּקַּ֥ח [and·took] (124) + אֶת־חִירָ֖ם [Hiram] (659) + מִצֹּֽר [from·Tyre] (330) = 1937.
Ralbag
"And King Solomon sent and took Hiram, etc." It recalls that his father also was a worker in bronze, and therefore he had greater expertise in this craft.
Metzudat David
Hiram. Such was the name of the craftsman.
Malbim
“And he sent” – this occurred at the end of the seven years, when the construction of the Temple was completed.
He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill, to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.
verse value 8961
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 114 letters. The shortest word is "he" (ה֜וּא, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·his·work" (אֶת־כׇּל־מְלַאכְתּֽוֹ, 10 letters). Words sharing gematria 126: widow, to·the·king. 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "son·of·a·woman" (בֶּן־אִשָּׁה֩), "from·tribe·of" (מִמַּטֵּ֣ה), "and·his·father" (וְאָבִ֣יו). The root נחשת appears 2 times in this verse. 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Solomon" (root שלמה, 162x in I Kings); "to·do" (root עשה, 143x in I Kings); "to·the·king" (root איל, 125x in I Kings). First appearance of the root אלמנה ("widow") in I Kings. First appearance of the root מטה ("from·tribe·of") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·brass', dividing the verse into phrases of 16 and 5 words.
Rashi
"Choresh" [craftsman]. An artisan:
“And He filled him with wisdom, and with understanding, and with knowledge.” These are three tools of craftsmanship with which the world was created, as it is stated (Proverbs 3:19–20): “The Lord founded the earth by wisdom, He established the heavens by understanding; by His knowledge the deep waters were split.” With all three of them the Temple was built.
Radak
“From the tribe of Naphtali.” He was from the tribe of Naphtali, and his mother was from the daughters of Dan, as it is stated in Chronicles: “the son of a widow woman from the daughters of Dan.” And what it says, “and his father was a Tyrian man,” means that he resided [as a sojourner] in Tyre — just as Oved Edom the Gittite, who was a Levite, was called “the Gittite” because he resided in Gath — so too, because he resided in Tyre, he was called “Tzori” (Tyrian). And the pronunciation of “Tzori” is accented on the final syllable.
“A coppersmith.” He himself, or his father as well, was a coppersmith. Our Sages of blessed memory derived from this that a person is obligated to engage in his father's craft. Therefore, Scripture mentions his father, because he too was a craftsman, and his son learned his craft. And what is stated, "the son of a widow," is to inform us that her husband, Hiram's father, had died. Therefore, Solomon took his son, for he too was a skilled craftsman. And what is stated, "a coppersmith, to do all work in copper," whereas in Chronicles it says, "who knew how to work in gold, silver, copper, iron, etc."—there, all the crafts he possessed are enumerated. Here, however, only the work of copper is mentioned, because for that specific work Solomon needed him, as it is stated that he made the pillars, the capitals, the stands, the basins, the sea, the shovels, and the sprinkling basins—all of them were vessels of copper.
Metzudat David
Of the tribe of Naphtali. His father was of the tribe of Naphtali; and his mother was of the daughters of Dan, as is said in Chronicles (II 2:13).
A man of Tyre. He dwelt a long time in Tyre.
A worker in bronze. It refers to his father.
And he was filled. Meaning: and for this reason his son Hiram was filled with the wisdom of the work of bronze; for he learned from his father.
Metzudat Zion
Choreish. Artisan:
Malbim
The questions: Here it states that he was the son of a widow woman from the tribe of Naphtali, whereas in Chronicles it states that he was the son of a woman from the daughters of Dan. And as for what the commentators say, that his father was from the tribe of Naphtali -- does not Chronicles state that his father was a man of Tyre? In Chronicles it states that Hiram, king of Tyre, sent him, and that he was sent at the beginning of the construction, and that he knew how to work in gold and silver. And here it states that Solomon sent for him, and that this was at the completion of the construction, and that he knew how to work only in bronze. And in Chronicles it states, "And Hiram his father made the pots and the shovels," implying that there were two individuals, a father and his son.
"Son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali": This means that from his father’s side he was of the tribe of Naphtali, for his mother was from the daughters of Dan, as stated in Chronicles. And what it says, "and his father was a man of Tyre": This means that he dwelt in Tyre, as the commentators explain. And it seems to me that what is stated in Chronicles, that King Hiram sent a letter to Solomon saying, "Now I have sent to you a skilled man, the son of a woman from the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, who knows how to work in gold and silver," etc.—this was the father of this Hiram, and his name was also Hiram. He was sent by the king of Tyre at the beginning of the construction. He knew how to work in gold and silver as well, as is explained there, and he performed all the work of gilding the houses with gold and the work of silver. He was the son of a woman from the daughters of Dan, and from his father’s side he was of the people of Tyre. After seven years he died, and Solomon sent for his son. And this is what the verse means: "And Solomon sent and took Hiram from Tyre," for the first one came to him by the command of the king of Tyre, and the second one came because Solomon sent for him. This second one was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali. She was a widow because Hiram, her husband, had died. And this second one was only a coppersmith, and he performed only the work of copper. By this you will understand what is stated in Chronicles II (3:16): "And the pots and the shovels Hiram his father made for King Solomon," etc., for this was the work of the father. And likewise in Kings, it is precise in saying, "And Hiram made the shovels." There it added "Hiram," and in all the others it said, "And he made," for this was the first Hiram.
Thus he fashioned the two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high each; and a line of twelve cubits did compass it about; [and so] the other pillar.
verse value 6068
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 73 letters. Notable word values: "one" (הָאֶחָ֔ד) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "cubits" (אַמָּ֗ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "two·ten" (שְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 46: cubits, cubits. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "pillar" (הָעַמּ֣וּד), "and·line·of" (וְחוּט֙), "two·ten" (שְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה). The root עמוד appears 3 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "two" (root שנה, 72x in I Kings); "one" (root אחד, 61x in I Kings); "cubits" (root אמה, 47x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'copper', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 12 words.
Rashi
The two pillars. That he set up in the hall, Yachin and Boaz.
"Eighteen cubits was the height thereof, etc." And in Chronicles II (3:15) it states: "Thirty-five cubits was their height," [indicating] that he cast both of them together. As for the missing cubit, I say that it was half a cubit for each [column] at its top, which did not resemble the workmanship of the rest of the column, as stated below (verse 22) in this matter: "And upon the top of the columns was the work of lilies."
“And a cord of twelve cubits went around the second pillar.” This teaches that it was four cubits by four cubits, round. For anything whose circumference is three handbreadths has a width of one handbreadth, and its thickness is four fingers, and it is hollow. This is explicitly stated at the end of the Book of Jeremiah (52:21). And this is a concise verse: it explained the length of one [pillar], and one learns the other from it; and it explained the circumference of the second, and one learns the first from it. And so did Jonathan translate: “And a cord of twelve cubits encompassed it, and so for the second pillar.”
Radak
"And he cast." It says "and he cast" because he made their form in the ground in which he had melted [the bronze].
Eighteen cubits. And in Chronicles, thirty-five cubits in length. What is stated in Chronicles is said regarding the measurement of both columns together at the time of casting, when they were lying down; therefore, it said there “length.” However, here it says “height,” referring to when they were erected. The height of one column was eighteen cubits, and so was the second column. Thus, the total height of both was thirty-six cubits. As for the statement of thirty-five cubits, half a cubit from each column entered into the capital; therefore, it did not say thirty-six, but rather thirty-five. These columns were hollow, as stated at the end of Jeremiah: “Its thickness was four fingers, it was hollow.” And what is said, “And a line of twelve cubits measured the circumference of the second column,” the same law applies to the first column. The height mentioned for the first column, the same applies to the second; rather, the Scripture employed a concise manner of expression, which is one of the thirty-two rules by which the Torah is expounded. And so it says at the end of Jeremiah: “Eighteen cubits was the height of one column, and a line of twelve cubits measured its circumference,” and it says at the end, “And so for the second column, etc.” Jonathan’s Targum translates the verse: “Behold, eighteen cubits was the height of one column, and a line of twelve cubits measured its circumference, and so for the second column.” And the measurement of the circumference of the column was twelve cubits, and this is what is said: “And a line of twelve cubits measured the circumference of the column.”
Ralbag
"And He made the two pillars." This means that he fashioned their form, on account of the mold into which he poured the bronze after it had been melted.
The height of each pillar was eighteen cubits. In the Book of Chronicles it is explained that the height of both of them was thirty-five cubits; thus, one cubit is missing from this figure. It is possible to say that he was not precise in this matter, just as he was not precise in similar ways in many other places, where he stated that David reigned in Hebron for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem for thirty-three years, whereas in another place he said that the days during which David reigned were forty years.
And a line of twelve cubits would encircle the second pillar. From this it is clarified that the diameter of the circular pillar was approximately three and four-fifths of a cubit. And it has been clarified in the Book of Jeremiah that the pillar was hollow and its thickness was four fingers.
Metzudat David
And he cast. Since he did not do the work in the pillars, but only made the forms of the pillars on the ground, and poured there the bronze after smelting -- for this reason he said 'and he cast,' meaning: he made the forms of the two pillars, which were of bronze, etc.
Eighteen cubits. And in Chronicles (II 3:15) it is said: 'thirty-five cubits in length.' But there it speaks of the measure of both pillars together; and the half cubit that is extra here is that which is made after the casting, by striking with the hammer, to insert it into the capital mentioned in the matter. And for this reason it is not counted in Chronicles, for there it is said in the language of 'length,' which indicates that he counted at the time of the casting, when they lay on the ground; and that half cubit was not then. But here it is said in the language of 'height,' and he counts then after the erection; and that half cubit had already been added.
And a cord of twelve , etc. And so it was four in width; for whatever has one in width has three in circumference.
The second. Like 'and the second.' And he means: and so was the second pillar; and at the end of Jeremiah (52:21) it is said: 'and its thickness was four fingers, hollow.'
Metzudat Zion
Vitzar. From the language of form:
Uchut. Rope and line:
Malbim
(15–22) The Questions: Here it states that their height was eighteen cubits, whereas in Chronicles it says that their stature was thirty-five cubits. Here it states that the height of the capital was five cubits, whereas in verse 19 it says that it was four cubits, and at the end of the book it says that they were three cubits. Verse 18 is extremely problematic, and the commentators struggled with it. And regarding what verse 19 states, "and a capital, etc., in the porch," the term "in the porch" has no explanation. Moreover, why does it say three times that he made a capital? And verse 20 is problematic and has no explanation.
And he formed first, he drew their shape in a pattern of eighteen cubits, and in Chronicles it says thirty-five cubits; there it counts the length of both of them, for he joined them as one piece, and when they were divided, he struck with a hammer and made on the edge of each the work of a lily, and it was lengthened by half a cubit. And what is stated, "it shall compass the second pillar," the same applies to the first pillar, for both were equal in their length and breadth. And as it is stated in Jeremiah (chapter 51): "Eighteen cubits was the height of the first pillar, and a line of twelve cubits compassed it, and its thickness was four fingers, hollow."
And he made two capitals of molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars; the height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits.
verse value 10632
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 76 letters. The shortest word is "did" (עָשָׂ֗ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·posts" (הָעַמּוּדִ֖ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 1025: capital crown, capital crown. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "capitals" (כֹתָרֹ֜ת), "upon·top·of" (עַל־רָאשֵׁ֥י), "poured" (מֻצַ֣ק). The root כתרת appears 3 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "did" (root עשה, 143x in I Kings); "to·give" (root נתן, 113x in I Kings); "one" (root אחד, 61x in I Kings). First appearance of the root כתרת ("capitals") in I Kings. First appearance of the root יצק ("poured") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'copper', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 10 words.
Rashi
And two crowns. In Old French: "pomel."
Motsak. "Trischgitir" in Old French:
The height of each capital was five cubits. And at the end of the book (2 Kings 25:17) it says: three cubits. We learned in the Mishnah regarding the forty-nine measurements: the lower two cubits of the capitals were equal to the column, in that they had no decorative design, and the upper three cubits projected outward, encircled with a design, as it is stated (in verse 17): "nets, the work of a net," they were encircled like a kind of palm fronds. And I say that the two lower cubits were not counted at the end of the book, because they were equal to the column, and the column was inserted into the capital for two cubits.
Radak
And he made two crowns. The explanation is that "crowns" refers to diadems, like the "crown of his kingship," and its Targum renders it as "qaronaton" (ornamental bands).
"Cast [in] bronze." The capitals were entirely of molten bronze; they cast the capitals in the same manner as they cast the pillars.
The height of each capital was five cubits. And at the end of this book it says, “And the height of the capitals was three cubits.” Our Sages of blessed memory said: The lower two cubits of the capitals were equal to the column, in that they had no pattern or figure; and the upper three were separate, projecting outward, with netting work, like the pattern of a net, resembling the fronds of a palm tree, which were encircled. Therefore, in this book at the end, he did not count except the upper three cubits, in which there was the netting. Therefore, it says nearby, “And netting and pomegranates upon the capitals all around.”
Ralbag
“And he made two capitals to set upon the heads of the pillars, of molten bronze.” This means that he made the interior of bronze and fashioned them to be placed upon the heads of the pillars, of solid bronze, in the form of two crowns joined together, each of them in the shape of a stone, and from one side the pillar was inserted into them. Now, in this place it states that the height of the capital was five cubits, and at the end of this narrative it states that their height was three cubits. And this is proof that the lower two cubits were like the workmanship of the pillar itself, and the pillar was inserted into them. From this it becomes clear that the width of the capitals was greater than their depth, for their width added to the width of the pillar, and the width of the pillar was three cubits and four-fifths of a cubit approximately, as previously stated.
Metzudat David
Solid bronze. They were cast-work, and of bronze.
Five cubits. And at the end of II Kings (25:17) it is said: 'three cubits.' And this is because the two lower cubits of the height of the crown [of the capital] were not carved, and so they were equal to the form of the pillar; and for this reason they were not counted.
Malbim
And he made two capitals. The explanation is that there were two capitals for the two pillars, one capital for each pillar, and the height of each was five cubits. And in the Book of Kings it states that it was three cubits, because the capital was divided into two rings, and the height of the upper ring was three cubits, as will be clarified.
He also made nets of checker-work, and wreaths of chain-work, for the capitals which were upon the top of the pillars: seven for the one capital, and seven for the other capital.
verse value 9388
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 76 letters. The shortest word is "which" (אֲשֶׁ֖ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·posts" (הָעַמּוּדִ֑ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 1050: to·the·capitals, for·the·capital·crown, for·the·capital·crown. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "networks" (שְׂבָכִ֞ים), "wreaths" (גְּדִלִים֙), "chains" (שַׁרְשְׁר֔וֹת). The root כתרת appears 3 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "which" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "one" (root אחד, 61x in I Kings); "seven" (root שבע, 38x in I Kings). First appearance of the root שבכה ("network") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·posts', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Rashi
"Nets, the work of a net." The nets that they had were like a kind of dome, which they call a "kupe'a."
"The work of a net." The shapes were encircled with [images of] date-palm fronds, as it is said (Job 18:8): "and he walks about on a snare," and they had twisted cords like the work of chains.
Seven for the one capital. There were seven palm fronds for one circumference, for one net:
Ralbag
Shivchim: The work of a net. It is the work of a mesh, called "karpesfin" in the vernacular, and it surrounded the entire capital from above and from below.
Tassels made in the form of chains for the capitals. They are called "trinas" in the vernacular, and there were seven of them surrounding each mesh.
Metzudat David
Networks, work of network. Carvings of branches, work of network, pierced from side to side and interlaced one with another.
Work of chains. It was made for the capitals; meaning: for the upper part, as explained in the matter.
Seven. Carvings of seven branches surrounded each capital.
Metzudat Zion
Shevachim. Like branches; like (II Samuel 18:9) 'the bough of the terebinth' (sovekh ha'elah):
Shevacha. Like a net-work:
Gadlim. Woven and braided; like (Deuteronomy 22:12) 'you shall make yourself tassels' (gadilim ta'aseh l'cha):
Sharsherot. Chains:
Malbim
Regarding the capitals, two types of workmanship were performed: its upper half was covered with a network, which was a covering made of mesh-work, woven of bronze, and beneath the network were chains made of chain-work. There were seven chains for each capital. The beginning of the chains was on the network at its end, to cover the gap between the two bowls (which will be explained in verse 20), and at the end of the chains hung two rows of pomegranates, whose heads were suspended from the chains and whose ends covered the lower bowl.
And he made the pillars; and there were two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the capitals that were upon the top of the pomegranates; and so did he for the other capital.
verse value 8168
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 79 letters. The shortest word is "which" (אֲשֶׁר֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·pillars" (אֶת־הָעַמּוּדִ֑ים, 9 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "the·pillars" (אֶת־הָעַמּוּדִ֑ים), "upon·the·network" (עַל־הַשְּׂבָכָ֣ה), "the·capitals" (אֶת־הַכֹּֽתָרֹת֙). The root עשה appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "which" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "and·did" (root עשה, 143x in I Kings); "one" (root אחד, 61x in I Kings). First appearance of the root רמון ("the·pomegranates") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·pillars', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 14 words.
Rashi
And two rows: of pomegranates and of bronze. The pomegranates were inserted into the chains that encircled the capitals, as is explicitly stated in Chronicles (II 3:16), and in the Mishnah of the Forty-Nine Measures:
"To cover the capital that was upon the top of the pomegranates." This is a verse with inverted word order; it should be understood as: "[The pomegranates] cover the capitals that were upon the head." And indeed, the capitals were constructed according to the order of meaning of the verses: each one was like two basins. The lower basin had its receptacle facing upward, and it is called a "golah" (bowl), as stated in this matter (below, verse 41): "and the golah of the capitals," and Jonathan translated it: "agunei koronton" (basins of the crown). The upper basin was inverted over the lower one, its receptacle facing downward, and it is called a "sevakhah" (network), as is stated in this matter (ibid.): "and the networks were two to cover the two golah of the capitals." Thus, it was broad at the place of adhesion, sloping upward, and sloping downward, and this is called the "belly." Jonathan also translated accordingly: "opposite the belly" (verse 20) as "to receive the joining." The height of these two basins was four cubits, and this is what it says (verse 19): "And the work of lilies in the porch was four cubits." They were decorated with them like lily flowers, just as the decorations were on the walls of the porches, four cubits in height. And the fifth cubit was a small capital above the large one; this is what is stated (verse 20): "And a capital above the two pillars."
Radak
"To cover the capitals." It does not mean that the single grating was to cover both capitals; rather, the explanation is that the single grating, one of the two gratings that covered the capitals, [is being referred to].
“Which were upon the top of the pomegranates.” How was this so? Were not the capitals upon the top of the columns, and the pomegranates upon the capitals? And there are manuscripts in which it is written “which were upon the top of the columns.” This is an error, for the masorah states “top of the pomegranates”—there is no other instance [of the phrase] “top of the pomegranates” except here; the rest [of the instances] are “top of the columns.” If so, it is possible that there were other capitals also upon the top of the pomegranates.
And so he did for the second capital: two rows of pomegranates upon the lattice, for the sake of the capitals, to cover it, just as he had done with the others.
Ralbag
And he made the pillars, and two rows around upon the one grating. I think that these pillars were rows standing upright in the grating, while the pillars were fixed in the grating with two cords from it, very wide, and when they were drawn after them from the seven cords which were in each grating, and this was to cover the capital which was on the heads of the pillars, and it is the upper stone. And behold, the vav in the word "and two rows" is like a soft pa' in the language of Ishmael, and the meaning in it is: And he made the pillars, two rows. And he intends by this that he had already made the pillars in the grating in the manner we have described, and he made them two rows, and the intention is one of what we mentioned before.
Metzudat David
And he made the pillars. Above he said that he made the forms of the pillars on the ground; and here he said that he made the pillars themselves. Meaning: that he poured the bronze after smelting, into the place of the excavated mould.
And two rows , etc. Upon each network -- it is the upper part of the capital -- he surrounded two rows of pomegranates, one above the other; and they were made of bronze, and strung on chains, and their heads tied one to another; and he put them upon the network.
To cover the capital. Meaning: for the network made to cover one of the capitals -- the lower part of it. For the form of the capital was like two bowls, folded one upon the other: the lower one with its receiving place upward, equal to the form of the pillar, for it was without carving; and it is called below in the matter 'the crown of the capital.' And the upper one with its receiving place downward, folded upon the lower; and it is made with network-work, as is said in the matter. And the networks are two, to cover the two crowns of the capital. And the pomegranates were hanging in the bottom of the network; if so, they were near the upper crown, and they covered it. And for this reason he said: the rows were upon the network, made to cover the crown of the capital -- the upper part of it, the one near the heads of the pomegranates when they hang in the bottom of the network; for then the upper crown is near them, and it is covered from them, as stated.
And so he made. In the manner that he hung the pomegranates in one, so he hung in the second.
Metzudat Zion
Al rosh harimonim. Adjacent to the top of the pomegranates:
Malbim
"And he made" up to here: the matter of how he depicted them in the pattern. And now he speaks of their making: "two rows around on the grating." At the bottom of the grating there were two rows of pomegranates. And what is stated, "to cover the capitals," means: the grating that was to cover the capitals. And what is stated, "on the heads of the pomegranates," its measure is: "and two rows around which were on the heads of the pomegranates." This means that there were two rows of chains on the heads of the pomegranates, for the pomegranates were suspended in chains, as stated in Chronicles: "And he made a hundred pomegranates and placed them in the chains." And the pomegranates were suspended in the chains by their heads, not in the middle of the pomegranate. And therefore it says, "which were on the heads of the pomegranates," meaning that the chains were attached to the heads of the pomegranates, and the bodies of the pomegranates hung downward upon the lower ring.
And the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars in the porch were of lily-work, four cubits.
verse value 4173
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 41 letters. Verse gematria: 4173 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "which" (אֲשֶׁר֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·posts" (הָעַמּוּדִ֔ים, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "in·the·porch" (בָּאוּלָ֑ם). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "which" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "cubits" (root אמה, 47x in I Kings); "four" (root ארבע, 31x in I Kings). First appearance of the root שושן ("lily") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·porch', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 2 words. Full calculation: וְכֹתָרֹ֗ת [and·capitals] (1026) + אֲשֶׁר֙ [which] (501) + עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ [upon·top·of] (601) + הָעַמּוּדִ֔ים [the·posts] (175) + מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה [deed] (415) + שׁוּשַׁ֣ן [lily] (656) + בָּאוּלָ֑ם [in·the·porch] (79) + אַרְבַּ֖ע [four] (273) + אַמּֽוֹת [cubits] (447) = 4173.
Radak
There was a lotus design in the vault. On the capitals that were atop the columns, there was upon them a lotus design four cubits high, opposite the vault, which is the dome. And this is what it also states below: “And on the tops of the columns was lotus work.” And the Targum translates it as “lotus work gathered in the vault.” And similarly, the Targum translates “flower of the lotus” as “gathered lotus.”
Ralbag
"And the capitals that were over the pillars." This means that he had already done this with the capitals that were atop the pillars, which are the upper bowls; the design of lilies and flowers rose up above the capitals in the hall to a height of four cubits. And I suspect that this design was made on the two rows of pillars that protrude from the grating, for those pillars were higher than the capitals, and they had the form of flowers and lilies.
Metzudat David
The work of a lily in the portico. For the carvings of the seven branches surrounded all around the upper part of the capital; but above, meaning: the surface that sees the dome, called 'portico' -- the work of that surface was the work of a lily. Or he means: after they erected the pillars in the portico, they made of bronze the work of a lily, and joined it upon the capital when they were in the portico.
Four cubits. The work of the lily was on a surface of four cubits upon the capital from above; for the pillars were four cubits in width, as is said above; and the capitals protruded on every side; and so they were more than four cubits. But the work of the lily was only on a surface of four cubits.
Metzudat Zion
Shushan. The name of a plant; since it always has six petals, it is called shushan:
Ba'ulam. The primary meaning of the word 'ulam' [portico] was placed upon the vaulted ceiling; so our Sages of blessed memory said (Eruvin 102a, Rashi s.v. kiphei d'arba):
Malbim
And the capital that was upon the heads of the pillars—this means that there was also depicted a capital, a work of lilies, in the hall. This means that a lily was depicted on the wall of the hall at the place where the tops of the pillars reached, namely, eighteen cubits in the height of the wall of the hall. And the length, width, and height of the capital depicted on the wall were four cubits.
And there were capitals above also upon the two pillars, close by the belly which was beside the network; and the pomegranates were two hundred, in rows round about upon each capital.
verse value 7063
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 81 letters. The shortest word is "upon" (עַ֖ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·the·pomegranates" (וְהָרִמּוֹנִ֤ים, 8 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "also·from·above" (גַּם־מִמַּ֙עַל֙), "from·opposite·of" (מִלְּעֻמַּ֣ת), "belly" (הַבֶּ֔טֶן). The root כתרת appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "which" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "upon" (root על, 127x in I Kings); "upon·two" (root שנה, 72x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'network', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 7 words.
Rashi
"Also from above, opposite the belly." This refers to the side of the network, at the end of the network, at its edges; it is in the middle, at the place of the glue (that is on the network) [one must say: that the network] is glued to the bowl (golah) beneath it.
And the pomegranates were two hundred. The pomegranates were made in two rows around, linked together by chains, and they surrounded the network.
"Upon the second capital." This too is a shortened verse; [it means] concerning the one, and so too concerning the other.
Radak
“Opposite the bulge.” This refers to the central location beside the lattice; there were other capitals above that same location. And Targum Yonatan translates it "malkevel divka" (opposite/corresponding to the bulge).
Two hundred rows around the second capital. And the same applies to the first, for there were four hundred pomegranates between the two pillars, as I will explain below. And what it says “two hundred rows” does not mean that the rows themselves were two hundred in number, but rather that there were two hundred pomegranates per network, which constitutes two rows around, with one hundred in each row. This is what it says in Chronicles: “He made one hundred pomegranates and placed them on the chains,” and these are the chains that he made for the capitals. Likewise, what it says in the book of Jeremiah, “all the pomegranates, one hundred on the network in one row,” means that similarly in the second row there were one hundred, and thus there were two hundred on one network and two hundred on the other network. And what it says there, “ninety-six around,” I explain that of the one hundred that were in one row, ninety-six were arranged around one side, and the four were arranged around the other side, also in a circle.
Ralbag
“And capitals upon the two pillars, etc.” These are the lower capitals, meaning the lower bowls that faced the great pillars. He intends to say that insofar as they faced the pillars, there was a row of pomegranates, and also above that place, opposite the belly—which is the middle joining of the two bowls, for that place did not face the pillars—there was a row of pomegranates. Now, each of these rows had one hundred pomegranates, as it is written in the Book of Chronicles, where it says, “And the pomegranates were four hundred for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for one network, to cover the two projections of the capitals that were upon the pillars.” Now, the pomegranates were suspended by chains, as mentioned there. And it appears that the chains, of which there were seven for each capital, were three in the upper projection and three in the lower projection, and the one was at the place of their joining, which was opposite the belly. Now, they said in this place that the pomegranates were two hundred rows around. The intention is not that there were two hundred rows, for this is not so, as we have mentioned. Rather, the intention here is that the pomegranates were two hundred rows around, meaning that they were arranged in two rows around.
Metzudat David
And the capitals , etc. He comes to say from where this surface was; and he said: do not think that the capitals of the pillars were only around the pillar, and were not made like a hat-dome to cover also the space of the pillar from above; for those capitals covered also from above, from across the belly -- it is the space of the pillar facing the side of the network upward. And so from this came the surface that had upon it the work of the lily.
And the pomegranates, two hundred, in rows. Meaning: the number of pomegranates was two hundred, strung on two rows; and they were placed all around upon the capital, a hundred in each row.
The second. Like 'and the second.' Meaning: and so was the number of pomegranates for the second capital.
Metzudat Zion
Habeten. He speaks figuratively [by way of borrowed usage] of the hollow of the pillar; and likewise (Jonah 2:3) 'from the belly of Sheol' (mibeten she'ol); he means: the hollow depth of Sheol:
Malbim
And regarding the crown, it will be explained according to what was said in verse 41, "And the crowns that were upon the heads of the pillars were two, and the networks were two, to cover the two crowns that were upon the heads of the pillars, and the pomegranates were four hundred for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two crowns that were upon the faces of the pillars." The explanation is that the crown was divided into two parts, and each part is called a "golah" (cap). This is what is meant by "And the crowns were two," namely, two on each pillar: the upper part, which was like a hat on the head of the pillar, is called the "golah." The "golah" on the heads of the pillars was covered by a network, and the lower "golahs," which are called the crowns on the faces of the pillars, were covered by two rows of pomegranates. And this is what is stated at the end of Kings: "And there was a crown above it of bronze, and the height of the crown was three cubits, and a network, and pomegranates on the crown all around." This means that the upper part was three cubits high and was covered by a network, and there were also pomegranates on the second crown. According to this, the text here proceeds to explain the matter of the crown in detail, and it informs us of several things:
1. "And a crown on the two pillars" means that there was a crown also from above. Do not think that from above the space was exposed and that the upper crown was not a complete hat-like structure; rather, it states that the crown was also from above.
2. It comes to explain from where this crown, which is the upper "golah," began. It states that it began opposite the "belly." It depicts the crown in general as a complete body, and the upper "golah" was after two cubits of the height of the crown, which was half a cubit below the middle of the crown, corresponding to the belly, which is somewhat below the halfway point of the body. For the lower "golah" had a height of two cubits, and then the upper "golah" began, which had a height of three cubits. And it says "opposite the network," because on this side was the network that was in the upper part.
It further explains how many pomegranates there were: there were two hundred on each pillar, and four hundred for the two pillars, as stated below. And that they were in rows, meaning two rows, so that there were one hundred pomegranates in each row. This is what is stated in Chronicles: "And he made a hundred pomegranates and placed them in the chains," meaning one hundred in each chain. And that they were all around in the four directions, and when the circle was divided into four directions, there were twenty-four pomegranates in each direction, and one in the middle between each division. And this is what is stated there: "And the pomegranates were nine and six directions (meaning for the four directions), all the pomegranates one hundred on the network all around." And that they were on the second crown, meaning on the lower crown, for the upper one was covered by the network, and the lower one was covered by pomegranates.
And he set up the pillars at the porch of the temple; and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin; and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz.
verse value 5059
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 81 letters. The shortest word is "Boaz" (בֹּֽעַז, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·pillars" (אֶת־הָֽעַמֻּדִ֔ים, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 747: his·name, his·name. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "the·pillars" (אֶת־הָֽעַמֻּדִ֔ים), "to·porch·of" (לְאֻלָ֖ם), "right" (הַיְמָנִ֗י). The root קום appears 3 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·called" (root קרא, 47x in I Kings); "and·he·set·up" (root קום, 40x in I Kings); "the·pillars" (root עמוד, 22x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'palace', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 12 words.
Radak
"To the hall of the Temple." Just as it says, "In the hall of the Temple," and similarly, "For I have slain a man for my wound" — [i.e.] "for my wound" [with a bet] — and others besides it.
Yachin. The fact that he gave names to the columns was for a good omen, since they were at the entrance of the Temple, he called them by names for a good omen: one he called Yachin, from the root of "preparation," meaning that the Temple will dwell forever, as it is said, "Established as the moon, forever" (Psalm 89:38); and Boaz, from the root of "strength," and it is a compound word, Bo-oz, meaning that God will place within it strength and permanence, as it is said, "The Lord is the strength of His people" (Psalm 29:11).
Ralbag
"And he set up the pillars for the hall of the Temple." This means that he set them up there, but they had not been made [there] [i.e., they were made elsewhere and only erected there]. Now, he called the name of the right pillar, which is on the southern side, Jachin, and the name of the pillar on the northern side he called Boaz, as if he alluded by this to a great secret intended regarding the matter of the vessels of the Holy Temple, as we have explained concerning their nature in the book V'Eleh Shemot, and it is known that God, blessed be He, placed in nature, in the four seasons, a mark for the lower existences. And the two seasons in which the sun is southern are those that prepare the existences, and in the remaining seasons nature is strong and mighty to perform its actions. And this is clearly manifest in plants, for they take the mark from these seasons more than the living creatures do. And therefore he attached to this matter, right after the names of the pillars, [the fact] that the top of the pillars was of lily work, and behold, we will clarify this more fully at the end [of this section], when we mention the benefits that derive from this.
Metzudat David
To the portico of the temple. In the portico before the sanctuary.
The right. Which was on the southern corner.
Jachin. For a good omen, that the house will be established forever.
The left. Which was on the northern corner.
Boaz. It is a compound word 'in it, strength.' Meaning: in this house, in the sacrifices done in it, strength and power will be found for Israel.
Malbim
"And he set up" — now he explains their erection, that he erected them before the porch and adjacent to it, and he called each one by name. And behold, in the two pillars there is an allusion to the two modes of governance by which the Lord guides His world. The natural, fixed governance, established from the six days of Creation, is always attributed to the left hand and is called Boaz, because the strength of the Lord is fixed within it and will never change. And the miraculous governance, which the Lord performs according to need and according to the preparation of the lower realms, is called Jachin, for this one He always prepares according to the newly arising will, in accordance with the deeds of the lower beings who possess free choice.
And the divine sages have already explained that "these are the two true pillars"; they are the two legs, Netzach and Hod. The right one emanates, and the left one receives. They correspond to Yesod and Malchut. For the miraculous governance is influenced by the foundation of the world, which is called "the living one of the worlds." And therefore it says (in verse 15): "Eighteen cubits was the height of the one pillar." And they alluded in the height to the fact that Yesod draws from Tiferet Yisrael, Tiferet itself, which is hinted at by the eighteen vertebrae in the spine, which is the elevated stature in holiness.
And the natural governance flows from the attribute of Malchut, the receiving one, where there are twelve permutations of the Tetragrammaton, and after it twelve diagonal boundaries. And this is the Sea that Solomon made, which stood upon twelve oxen. And therefore it says (ibid.): "A line of twelve cubits compassed the second pillar," for it is the one that surrounds from the four winds.
And upon the top of the pillars was lily-work; so was the work of the pillars finished.
verse value 3365
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 37 letters. The shortest word is "and·upon" (וְעַ֛ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·posts" (הָעַמּוּדִ֖ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 175: the·posts, the·posts. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·ended" (וַתִּתֹּ֖ם), "occupation" (מְלֶ֥אכֶת). The root עמוד appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·upon" (root על, 127x in I Kings); "the·posts" (root עמוד, 22x in I Kings); "head" (root ראש, 21x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'lily', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְעַ֛ל [and·upon] (106) + רֹ֥אשׁ [head] (501) + הָעַמּוּדִ֖ים [the·posts] (175) + מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה [deed] (415) + שׁוֹשָׁ֑ן [lily] (656) + וַתִּתֹּ֖ם [and·ended] (846) + מְלֶ֥אכֶת [occupation] (491) + הָעַמּוּדִֽים [the·posts] (175) = 3365.
Rashi
And upon the heads of the columns was the work of lilies. Half an amah at the top of each had its wall thin like a lily, and the rest of the column was four fingers thick and hollow. Therefore, that amah was not counted among the casting of the columns in the Book of Chronicles, because it was not equal to the work of the columns.
Radak
"And it was finished." Because there were many labors and many decorations in them, as it is written, nevertheless the work of the columns was completed.
Metzudat David
And on the top of the pillars. Meaning: after the erection of the pillars in the portico, then he placed the work of the lily on the top of the pillars; and it is the surface that sees the dome of the portico.
And it was finished , etc. For at the time of its erection the work was not yet completed, until he placed upon them the work of the lily, and joined them after the erection.
Metzudat Zion
Vatatum. A matter of completion:
Malbim
And upon the heads of the pillars was the work of lilies, meaning that each pillar, in itself, was fashioned at its head like the work of lilies. And I have already written above (verse 15) that after the pillars were made, he struck with a hammer and made from half a cubit a length of a cubit, and he engraved on its flat surface the work of lilies at its head. And thereby the work of the pillars was completed, for when they were separated from the casting, they were not yet complete, for the lilies were lacking, and each pillar was lacking half a cubit, for both of them were only thirty-five cubits [in height]. And by means of his striking to make the lilies, the work became complete.
And he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and the height thereof was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.
verse value 6023
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 77 letters. The shortest word is "ten" (עֶ֣שֶׂר, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·its·brim" (עַד־שְׂפָת֜וֹ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 74: round·about, round·about. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "from·its·lip" (מִשְּׂפָת֨וֹ), "to·its·brim" (עַד־שְׂפָת֜וֹ), "cord" ((וקוה)). The root אמה appears 3 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·did" (root עשה, 143x in I Kings); "by·the·cubit" (root אמה, 47x in I Kings); "ten" (root עשר, 39x in I Kings). First appearance of the root עגל ("calf") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'molten', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 16 words.
Rashi
“Ten cubits from its rim to its rim.” In its middle, for the entire width of a round vessel is in its middle.
Its height. Its depth; and in Chronicles II 4:6 it says that he made it for the priests to wash in it, to immerse themselves within it.
"And a circumference of thirty cubits." This is what they said: "Anything whose circumference is three handbreadths has a width of one handbreadth." Its circumference is thirty, and its width is ten, and he measures from within it (Eruvin 14a).
Radak
"And he made the sea of cast metal." This means that it was cast in its shape; just as it was, so it was cast into a mold on the ground, except that they struck it with a hammer, as they did with the [other] vessels.
“Ten cubits.” Its width was ten cubits, and its circumference was thirty cubits, which encircles it. And whenever the circumference is three handbreadths, the width is one handbreadth.
Ralbag
"And he made the Sea of cast metal, etc." Now it has been explained in the Book of Chronicles that the Sea served for the priests to wash in it, and in order that the waters not be considered drawn (and thus ritually invalid), we must say that the feet of the oxen were at the bottom, and the waters came there from below, springing up from the ground and entering there. And behold, it is mentioned that the Sea was ten cubits from brim to brim, and it was round all around, and its height was five cubits. And behold, they said that a line of thirty cubits would encircle it all around; this is according to an approximation, for the circumference of a circle adds to three times the diameter by an amount equal to approximately one-seventh of the diameter. And if we say that the measurement of the encircling line was taken at the interior space of the Sea, then it would be closer to the truth, yet there would still be a slight approximation, for its thickness was one handbreadth. Therefore, the diameter of its interior space would be ten cubits minus one-third of a cubit, and its circumference would be approximately more than thirty cubits, namely thirty cubits and one-third of a cubit.
Metzudat David
And he made the sea. A large basin made in the form of a sea. And in Chronicles (II 4:6) it is said that the priests washed there to immerse themselves from their impurity. And our Sages said (Jerusalem Talmud, Yoma 3:8): that the waters were not drawn, for the legs of the oxen that stood beneath it were pierced and hollow, and through them came the waters, from the spring.
Cast. It was made by casting, not by hammering with the hammer.
From its brim. From the brim on this side, to the brim opposite it.
Round all around. On all its sides it was round.
And thirty in circumference. For whatever has one in width has three in circumference (see Eruvin 56b).
Malbim
"And he made the sea ten cubits from brim to brim": this means from the inside, that its hollow was ten cubits; and likewise, the line of thirty cubits would encircle it from the inside.
And under the brim of it round about there were knops which did compass it, for ten cubits, compassing the sea round about; the knops were in two rows, cast when it was cast.
verse value 5771
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 73 letters. The shortest word is "it" (אֹת֔וֹ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·knops" (וּפְקָעִים֩, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 74: round·about, round·about. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·knops" (וּפְקָעִים֩), "to·his·edge" (לִשְׂפָת֤וֹ), "turning" (סֹבְבִ֣ים). The root פקע appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "by·the·cubit" (root אמה, 47x in I Kings); "two·of" (root שנים, 45x in I Kings); "from·under" (root תחת, 41x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'round·about', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 5 words.
Rashi
"And gourds." Their form was that of eggs. Jonathan translates:
"Beneath its rim." In the lower three cubits, which were square, for thus we learned in the Gemara of Eruvin (there, page b): "The lower three [cubits] were square, and the upper two were round." And it is impossible for it to contain two thousand baths, which is equivalent to one hundred and fifty mikvaot of purification, [each] forty [seah], except in this manner, as our Rabbis explained in Eruvin. [But to say] that the upper [cubits] were square and the lower ones round cannot be said, since it is written "its rim was round all around"; therefore it says: "these gourds, ten to a cubit, encircled the tank all around" — meaning that in the place of its squareness [its circumference] was forty cubits, ten cubits for each side, but in the place of its roundness one cannot say "ten cubits all around."
"Two rows of the knobs were cast in its casting." The entire thing is solidly cast together; it is not that the knobs were attached to it after their casting by means of nails or by means of glue, which they call "soudure" (solder) in the vernacular.
Radak
"and knobs": The Targum of Jonathan renders it as "the form of eggs," and in Chronicles it is written "the form of oxen." If so, their bodies were round, like the shape of eggs, and their faces were in the form of oxen's faces. And what it says "under the brim" does not mean immediately under the brim, but rather below the brim, at a distance of two cubits from the brim. For the height of the Sea was five cubits, and the upper two cubits were smooth, having no figures of oxen on them. In those two cubits the Sea was round, and below those two cubits the Sea was square, the lower three cubits, and they had the form of oxen. This is what it says: "ten cubits compassed it about," meaning ten cubits in each direction. Thus, the Sea was square, forty cubits in its circumference, and thirty cubits in its roundness above. This is how our Sages of blessed memory explained it, and so it appears from the plain sense of the verse.
"Cast in its casting." The oxen [figures] were cast together with the casting of the Sea, as one, not that they were joined together afterward. And "its casting" is a noun; it means that from it, a casting was made weighing a great royal shekel.
Ralbag
And the knobs were beneath its rim, all around. They were in the form of eggs, as we mentioned earlier, and there were ten of them in a cubit, so that there would be three hundred of them in the entire circumference. For this reason, there were six hundred of them in the two rows. They were cast in the casting of the sea, not that they were attached afterward, but rather, when the sea was melted, these knobs were made together with it. And since it is written in the Book of Chronicles, "in place of the knobs," in the reading, it appears that in each knob there was the form of the head of a bull, and the waters flowed out of its mouth. And our Sages of blessed memory stated that the sea was not round, but only at its rim; however, beneath it was square. And this was clarified for them from the measure of its capacity, which was two thousand baths, and the bath is three se'ahs, as it is said, "The ephah and the bath have one measure." And since a cubit by a cubit in a height of three cubits holds forty se'ahs, as the Sages calculated, then the two thousand baths, which are six thousand se'ahs, would be four hundred and fifty times a cubit by a cubit in a height of a cubit. And since the height of this was a cubit from the aforementioned cubits, for they are approximately seventy-four cubits, and they would not be [contained] in the five cubits of the height of the sea, but only approximately three hundred and seventy cubits, and this is eighty cubits less than what we mentioned, therefore it is necessary that some of the cubits be square. And so we found in the stand that it was square, and at the top of the stand there was a half-cubit height, round all around. And our Sages of blessed memory said that in the lower three cubits the sea was square, and in the upper two cubits it was round. And by this, what we mentioned approximately is confirmed. And by this, it is more fitting than what was mentioned regarding the forms of the bulls upon which the sea rested, that there were three of them for each direction.
Metzudat David
Under the brim. Meaning: in the three lower cubits; for the two upper cubits were round, and the three lower were square; so our Sages of blessed memory said in Eruvin (14b). And those knobs were in the place of its squareness; and this is what is said: 'ten cubits surrounding' etc. And he means: the four sides, in each of which were ten cubits -- the knobs surrounded, etc.
Two rows of knobs , etc. The knobs were in two rows; and they were cast with the casting of the sea together, not by themselves and joined to the sea afterwards.
Metzudat Zion
U'feka'im. Resembling wild gourds (fiku'ot sadeh); it is the name of a certain fruit; and in Chronicles (2 Chronicles 4:3) it is written: uvakarin, because they made upon them the forms of ox heads:
Malbim
And "projections": The Targum renders it as "in the form of eggs," and in Chronicles it is written "and oxen," meaning that engraved upon the protruding projections was the likeness of oxen. "Ten cubits": one can explain that in each cubit there were ten projections. Our Sages of blessed memory, however, interpreted it to mean that over the entire span of ten cubits there were projections. And our Sages of blessed memory stated (in the Jerusalem Talmud, tractate Eruvin, and in the Babylonian Talmud, ibid.) that the lower three cubits were square, and the upper two cubits were round, for it is impossible for a vessel to hold two thousand baths except in this manner. The area of the square part, on the outside, measured on each side ten cubits and two handbreadths. The projections extended along the ten cubits, and the handbreadth on either side, corresponding to the thickness of the wall, remained smooth. The projections were arranged in two rows, for even on its upper rounded rim there were projections, in three intervals. There was a gap between each interval of approximately five handbreadths, slightly less. For the circle on the outside held, in addition to the thirty cubits, six handbreadths of the circumference of the thickness of the walls, which measured from rim to rim ten cubits and two handbreadths, and furthermore, one-seventh of the diameter, which is added to the circumference according to the rules of geometry, amounting to approximately eight and a half handbreadths.
It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; and the sea was set upon them above, and all their hinder parts were inward.
verse value 6498
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 94 letters. Verse gematria: 6498 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "standing" (עֹמֵ֞ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·all·their·hinder·parts" (וְכׇל־אֲחֹרֵיהֶ֖ם, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 641: three, three, three. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "north" (צָפ֡וֹנָה), "south-country" (נֶ֗גְבָּה), "east" (מִזְרָ֔חָה). The root שלוש appears 4 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "inward" (root בית, 191x in I Kings); "upon·them" (root על, 127x in I Kings); "upon·two" (root שנה, 72x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'on·top', dividing the verse into phrases of 19 and 2 words.
Rashi
“And all their backs.”—These are the backs of these bulls.
"Inward." Underneath the sea, their backs were turned: [three] (two) that were in the north faced those in the south, and those in the east faced those in the west.
Radak
It stood upon twelve oxen. This verse also testifies that the sea was square-shaped beneath, for it was placed with four directions opposite the square, and in each direction there were three oxen upon which the sea stood, with the faces of the oxen toward the directions and their rears were square.
Ralbag
And behold, the faces of the cattle were visible outside, while their rear ends were hidden beneath the sea.
Metzudat David
Standing. This sea stood upon twelve oxen, made of bronze.
Facing. Their faces.
And the sea upon them. A repetition of the matter for additional explanation.
And all their backs. The backs of the oxen were toward the inside; the back of this one opposite the back of that one.
And it was a hand-breadth thick; and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily; it held two thousand baths.
verse value 3861
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 42 letters. Verse gematria: 3861 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "bath" (בַּ֖ת, 2 letters) and the longest is "lip·of·cup" (שְׂפַת־כּ֖וֹס, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·its·thickness" (וְעׇבְי֣וֹ), "span" (טֶ֔פַח), "and·its·lip" (וּשְׂפָת֛וֹ). The root שפה appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "thousand" (root אלף, 20x in I Kings). First appearance of the root בת ("bath") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'lily', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְעׇבְי֣וֹ [and·its·thickness] (94) + טֶ֔פַח [span] (97) + וּשְׂפָת֛וֹ [and·its·lip] (792) + כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה [as·work·of] (435) + שְׂפַת־כּ֖וֹס [lip·of·cup] (866) + פֶּ֣רַח [flower] (288) + שׁוֹשָׁ֑ן [lily] (656) + אַלְפַּ֥יִם [thousand] (161) + בַּ֖ת [bath] (402) + יָכִֽיל [it·held] (70) = 3861.
Rashi
“And its thickness was a handbreadth.” This refers to its base and its walls; however, near its mouth it was thin, hammered, and flattened, like the workmanship of the rim of a drinking cup, and it was engraved with a flower and a lily.
Two thousand baths. Six thousand se'ah, since the bath is three se'ah, as it is stated (Ezekiel 45:11): "The ephah and the bath shall be of the same measure for them." It turns out that there are one hundred and fifty mikva'ot of purification: the four thousand [se'ah] make one hundred mikva'ot, and the two thousand [se'ah] make fifty mikva'ot (Eruvin loc. cit.). And even when you divide everything according to the measure that the Sages estimated for a mikveh — a cubit by a cubit, in height three cubits — you will find it so: three square cubits make one hundred mikva'ot, and two round [cubits] make fifty mikva'ot, since the square exceeds the circle by a quarter. And in Chronicles (II 4:5) it is written: "It could hold three thousand baths," and our Rabbis explained (there) according to the measure of dry goods, since the heaping was one-third of the container's capacity.
Radak
"And its brim." Targum Yonatan renders it: "and its brim, like the work of the brim of a cup, round, bordered with a lily-flower."
It could hold two thousand baths. And in Chronicles it says, "It could hold three thousand baths." Our Sages of blessed memory explained: two thousand when wet, and three thousand when dry. And so did Jonathan translate: "Two thousand baths it holds when wet." For any vessel whose depth is half its width, if filled to the brim and above, the excess is one-third of what the vessel holds up to its rim. Therefore, the Sea held two thousand baths when wet, as it was filled up to its rim, and three thousand baths when dry, including the mound above the rim. And [Scripture] does not say for what purpose the Sea was made; and in Chronicles it says, "for the priests to wash in it." This means that the priests immersed themselves in it to remove their impurity. And our Sages of blessed memory asked: But it was a vessel, and there is no immersion in vessels. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: A water channel was drawn to it from the Spring of Etam, and the feet of the oxen were open like pomegranates.
Ralbag
And its thickness was a handbreadth, and its rim was like the workmanship of the rim of a cup, with a lily flower. That is, a flower was engraved upon it. Now, in this place it states that it could hold two thousand baths, whereas in the Book of Chronicles it states that it could hold three thousand baths. Our Sages of blessed memory said that the measure mentioned in this place is when filled with liquid, but when filled with dry matter it would hold even more due to the heaping, and thus the heaping of the sea would account for approximately half of the measure that the sea holds, and this is possible when the substance being compacted rises above the sea by a considerable amount.
Metzudat David
And its thickness. Its edges and sides.
And its brim. The brim of the sea from above was made fine and thin, like the work of the brim of a cup, engraved with a flower and a lily.
It could hold two thousand baths. The sea held two thousand baths; and they are one hundred and fifty ritual-purification pools, each of which is forty se'ah. And in Chronicles (II 4:5) it is said: 'three thousand baths.' And our Sages said (Eruvin, there): two thousand in liquid measure, they are three thousand in dry measure, with the heaping that is in the amount of half the receptacle.
Metzudat Zion
Bat. A measure of liquid; it holds three seahs:
Yachel. Holds; like (below 8:64) 'too small to hold' (katan me'chael):
Malbim
Two thousand baths it can hold. And in Chronicles it says, "baths, three thousand," and our Sages of blessed memory explained that the two thousand [baths] are when wet, which equals three thousand when dry. Indeed, the bath is a measure of wet [substance]. However, in the days of Ezra, the scribe of the Book of Chronicles, the measure of the bath was reduced by a third, just as the measure of weight was increased, and it became so that half a shekel became one-third of a shekel, as it is stated (Nehemiah 10:33), "And we imposed on ourselves the obligation to give one-third of a shekel each year," as it is stated (Amos 5:8), "To diminish the ephah and to increase the shekel." Therefore, Ezekiel came to say that in the future, the measure of the shekel and the bath will return to what they were in ancient times, as he states (Ezekiel 45:11), "The ephah and the bath shall be of the same measure," etc., and the shekel shall be twenty gerahs. And they made the measure of wet [substance] according to the measure that was, among the ancients, the measure of dry [substance], which was less by a third, because the heaped overflow takes up a third. And the writer of the Book of Ezra made the calculation according to the measure of his time, and so too I found close to this in the Responsa of the Rashbatz.
And he made the ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it.
verse value 5495
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 66 letters. The shortest word is "ten" (עֶ֖שֶׂר, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·bases" (אֶת־הַמְּכֹנ֛וֹת, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 48: by·the·cubit, by·the·cubit, by·the·cubit. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "its·height" (קוֹמָתָֽהּ). The root אמה appears 3 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·did" (root עשה, 143x in I Kings); "the·one" (root אחד, 61x in I Kings); "by·the·cubit" (root אמה, 47x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'copper', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 11 words.
Rashi
And its height was three cubits. This refers to the height of the stand alone, excluding the height of the wheel (interpretation: apart from the base itself, the "hand of the wheel" is the wheel), upon which it sat — one and a half cubits — and the height of the stand was a cubit and a half (four cubits in length, etc.). The full cubit of height was square, but the half-cubit was round, as it is stated (verse 35): "And at the top of the stand, a height of half a cubit, round, all around."
Radak
"The stands." The stand is the base of the laver, as it is stated: "And he made the laver of bronze, and its stand of bronze" (Exodus 38:8).
Ralbag
"And he made the bases." Now, the bases served as stands for the lavers, and the lavers were used for washing; in them they would rinse the parts of the burnt-offering, as is mentioned in the Book of Chronicles. And it is recalled that the length of the base, within its hollow interior, was four cubits, and so too its width, whereas its height was three cubits.
Metzudat David
The bases. They are the stands of the washbasins; and in each base was inserted yet another stand; and in it was the seat of the washbasin, as explained in the matter.
Its height. The height of the base with the stand inserted in it.
Metzudat Zion
Hamakhot. that is to say: a base and a place of sitting:
Malbim
"And he made the bases": In the commandment regarding the laver, it was incumbent upon him to make it thus, with a base upon which it would rest, as it is stated, "And you shall make a bronze laver and its bronze base." And after Solomon had made ten lavers, he made ten bases for them.
And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders; and there were borders between the stays;
verse value 2495
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 36 letters. Notable word values: "and·this" (וְזֶ֛ה) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "and·this" (וְזֶ֛ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "fixed resting place" (הַמְּכוֹנָ֖ה, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "borders" (מִסְגְּרֹ֣ת), "and·borders" (וּמִסְגְּרֹ֖ת). The root מסגרת appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "between" (root בין, 107x in I Kings); "and·this" (root זה, 75x in I Kings); "to·them" (root הם, 34x in I Kings). First appearance of the root מסגרת ("borders") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְזֶ֛ה [and·this] (18) + מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה [deed] (415) + הַמְּכוֹנָ֖ה [fixed resting place] (126) + מִסְגְּרֹ֣ת [borders] (703) + לָהֶ֑ם [to·them] (75) + וּמִסְגְּרֹ֖ת [and·borders] (709) + בֵּ֥ין [between] (62) + הַשְׁלַבִּֽים [joinings] (387) = 2495.
Rashi
A frame for them. I saw in the Mishnah forty-nine measures; the frames were like a kind of tablets:
"Frames for them." The frames [ran] from axle to axle ("yad ofan" to "yad ofan"), and the axle ("yad ofan") is a piece of wood inserted into the wheel through a hole, called "aisel" in the vernacular. And the four wheels of the stand had frames on this side and frames on that side, on all four sides, and between one and the next was a width of four cubits. And above were "seranim" (axletrees), like "nesarim" (planks), opposite the frames, and the rungs [ran] from the bottom to the top. "And frames" — [refers to] other, [additional] frames. "Between the rungs" — like the craftsmanship of the legs of a bed made by villagers, which are not round but protrude, so as to carve lions and cherubim into them. And I say that these rungs were like the rungs of a ladder, like copper rods standing upright on the lower frame, with two or three [handbreadths] between one rod and the next, with frames fixed from rung to rung. And Targum Yonatan rendered it: "sheliviyya."
Radak
He made frames for them. For each and every stand he made frames, so that the laver would be secured within them.
The rungs. Poles, like the rungs of a ladder, and so it is said concerning the ladder: "He followed its steps," and so too does the Targum of Jonathan render it: "shelivya" (its steps).
Ralbag
And this is the description of the structure. I think that the frames were in the manner of the frame that surrounds the table, so that you place the table like a receptacle. And the form was, as it appeared to my eyes, that beneath the structure were four wheels, their form like the work of a chariot wheel, meaning like the work of cart wheels. And between the wheels were like copper planks standing upon them, and at their four corners were crossbeams connected to them—these planks—in the manner that craftsmen make in chests, that they make crossbeams in the four corners of the chest, and the planks are connected to them from end to end. And the crossbeams and the planks rose in height up to the place of the seat of the laver, and the protrusion of the crossbeams was on the inside, but on the outside everything was square and even. And outside these planks he made a kind of steps; they were stair steps that were overlaid and protruded from the planks that were in height, and their surface was parallel to the surface of the ground. And from them protruded frames around them in height, and on those frames he made forms of lions, forms of oxen, and forms of cherubim, and they were like forms of man, except that they had wings, and these are the forms that Ezekiel saw in the chariot, except that he did not mention here the form of an eagle. And behold, beneath these frames were the steps that were connected around the planks and protruded from them as if they were overlaid and protruded from there. And behold, upon these steps was from above the base of the laver, that is, its seat, and the upper frame closed and secured the laver there, and it is called the capital. And behold, the height of the laver's base was one and a half cubits; the lower cubit rose in a square, and the upper half-cubit was round, and there the laver entered, one and a half cubits, and it stood upon the aforementioned crossbeams and upon the upper steps. And I think that the base of the laver had beneath it one plank, from which they made it a complete vessel with a receptacle.
Explanation of the words: “frames for them, and frames between the steps.” This means that they had frames above them, into which to place the base of the laver, and there were other frames between those steps, which are like the rungs of a ladder, protruding from the boards joined together in a square.
Metzudat David
Frames for them. At the bottom of each base, near its edges, there was a low partition, surrounding and closing the base on all four sides.
And frames between the rungs. For the height of the base stood like ladder-rungs made of bronze; and at their heads they were bent one opposite the other, to be a roof upon the base, made like a hat-dome; and below in the matter it is called 'a capital.' Across the width of those rungs they made like cornices, closing and surrounding the four sides all around, to join the rungs one to another.
Metzudat Zion
Hashlavim. Like stakes; likewise (Exodus 26:17) 'two tenons for each board, interlocking' (shtei yadot la-karash ha-echad mishlavot):
Malbim
This is the matter of the base, regarding the depiction of the bases and their workmanship; the commentators went astray and did not find their way clear in it, all men of understanding. Therefore, I adopted for myself another approach, which is consistent with the language of the verses. Behold, in verse 38 it states: "One laver shall hold forty baths; the one laver was four cubits." It is impossible to say that it was four cubits in length and width, for if so, its height would not hold even one cubit, according to the calculation that the measure of a mikveh is one cubit by one cubit with a height of three cubits. And the laver held forty baths, which equals three mikvaot; and this is impossible. Therefore, this measure refers to the height, meaning the stature of the laver was four cubits. According to this, if it were entirely round, its hollow interior would hold one and three-quarter cubits by one and three-quarter cubits, as if it were square; for in a square, three cubits would suffice, and the fourth cubit would serve to complete the difference between the square and the circle, namely a quarter. And according to what I will explain, that the lower one and a half cubits of the laver were square, it must be said that it was one and three-quarter cubits by one and three-quarter cubits on the outside, and it needed to make up for what was lacking due to the thickness of the walls. In any case, the length and width of the laver were no more than one and three-quarter cubits, whereas the base was four cubits in length and width, and it extended beyond the laver. The base had two divisions: a) the outer part of the base, which was four by four; b) the inner part of the base, the place where the laver rested. There was a socket and a pedestal there, and there was also a frame surrounding the laver, which was one and three-quarter cubits by one and three-quarter cubits. It informed us that there were two types of frames (like the frame of a handbreadth all around, which are boards and battens closing around): a) the frames that were inside, at the place where the laver rested. And this is what is meant by "frames for them," namely for the bases themselves in their interior, where the frames were for the sake of the lavers; b) and "frames between the steps." The exterior of the base was surrounded by steps, which are woven rods interlaced with one another like a lattice, and between the rods and also around them were frames of thick boards to which the steps were attached.
and on the borders that were between the stays were lions, oxen, and cherubim; and upon the stays it was in like manner above; and beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging work.
verse value 6666
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 80 letters. The shortest word is "so" (כֵּ֣ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·upon·the·borders" (וְעַֽל־הַמִּסְגְּר֞וֹת, 10 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·upon·the·borders" (וְעַֽל־הַמִּסְגְּר֞וֹת), "and·cherubim" (וּכְרוּבִ֔ים), "and·upon·the·stays" (וְעַל־הַשְׁלַבִּ֖ים). The root עול appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "between" (root בין, 107x in I Kings); "underneath" (root תחת, 41x in I Kings). First appearance of the root ארי ("lions") in I Kings. First appearance of the root ליה ("wreaths") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·above', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Rashi
And upon the frames that were between the rungs: there were depicted figures of lions, figures of oxen, and cherubim.
"And upon the rungs, a stand" — a base, to set the laver upon it, above the frame that was on top of them.
"And beneath the lions and the cattle" – those embroidered on the frames between the steps.
"Loyot [spirals], a work of morad [hammering]." Loyot means like a kind of male and female [form] joined to one another.
A work of "morad" [hammering]. They are flattened, like a kind of flattening of a thin plate, and they do not protrude in their thickness, nor are they engraved by sinking in. And Targum Yonatan rendered "loyot ma'aseh morad" as: "medabak avid kavush" [joined, a work of pressing/hammering]. In the vernacular, this is called "shuldor."
Radak
Lions. The forms of lions, the form of cattle, and the form of cherubim, which are the form of man, except that they have wings:
"And upon the rungs a stand [ken] above." 'Ken' means a seat [base], like the "mekhonah," which was the base of the laver; and this "ken" was smaller than the "mekhonah." And the Targum renders "mekhonah" as "basisa," and renders "ken" as "kenata." And this [passage] does not state what they placed in it, and it is possible that they placed a "kithon" [pitcher] in it.
"L'yot ma'aseh morad." The word "loyot" is derived from [the same root as] "yilaveh ishi elai" (my husband will be joined to me) [Gen. 29:34], and the yod is in place of a vav that is the middle radical (ayin ha-po'al) of the root, and the meaning is "attached." As in the Targum of Jonathan, "madbaq" (attached). And the meaning is that beneath those forms were small copper rods, attached one to another. And "ma'aseh morad" means that it was made by hammering, not that it was cast in a mold; "morad" is explained like "roka" (hammered out) — the Targum translates "va-yerak'u" (and they hammered out) as "ve-radidu."
Ralbag
And upon the frames which were between the steps. This means that upon the frames which were between the steps, that is to say, between some of them and others, there were figures of lions, figures of oxen, and figures of cherubim.
And so with the steps from above. That is to say, that the basin rested upon the steps from above; the phrase "the upper steps" is implied. And beneath the lions and the oxen were like panels within those frames; their resting place was upon them, and they were of hammered work, projecting from the frames. But the cherubim appeared as though they were placed upon the very edge of the frames themselves. According to this explanation, when it is stated thereafter, "cherubim, lions, and palms, as arranged for each, and wreaths round about," it refers to the lions and the palms, not to the cherubim. Or perhaps the language is abbreviated, and by this he meant the cherubim, the lions, and the oxen. And the meaning of the word "loyot" (wreaths) is "joined," from the sense of "a graceful wreath" [Proverbs 1:9] and "my husband will now be joined to me" [Genesis 29:34]. And the meaning of the phrase "ma'aseh morad" is "hammered work."
Metzudat David
Lions. Engraved were lions, etc.
And on the rungs, the base above. For on the roof of the base made from the rungs, they placed in its midst a round hole in the width of a cubit and a half; and they surrounded that hole with a partition rising upward in the height of half a cubit, called in the matter 'the mouth of the capital.' And in that partition they inserted the upper stand; and it is found sitting above the rungs, that rise and are bent until that partition.
And beneath the lions. Beneath the carvings of the lions and the oxen made in the frame.
Layot [joined/attached plates], a work of hammering. It was made by a work of flattening, by striking with the hammer, not by casting.
Metzudat Zion
Khen. Base:
Loyot. A matter of joining; like (Genesis 29:34) 'my husband will be joined [to me]' (yillaveh ishi):
Mored. From the language of flattening and spreading:
Malbim
And regarding the "frames," these are the inner frames surrounding the laver, which were not decorated with ornamental carvings because they were on the inside. But on the frames that were between the steps—namely, the outer frames—figures of lions, figures of oxen, and figures of cherubim were carved for ornament and splendor. And so it was on the steps themselves, from above; these figures were carved on the steps themselves, which were the woven rods, like a grille, and the figures were attached to them from above. The text explains how the figures were attached to the rods: it states that beneath the lions and the oxen (and similarly the cherubim) the clasps were attached plates, to which the figures were joined. This was hammered work, meaning not cast/molten but flattened with a hammer. And the plates, together with the figures upon them, were fastened with nails to the steps. (And "loyot" [clasps] is from the root of joining, as in "this time my husband will be joined [yilaveh] to me" [Genesis 29:34].)
And 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.
verse value 8397
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 83 letters. The shortest word is "to·them" (לָהֶ֑ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·four" (וְאַרְבָּעָה֩, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 758: copper, copper. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "wheels·of" (אוֹפַנֵּ֨י), "for·the·fixed·resting·place" (לַמְּכוֹנָ֤ה), "and·axles·of" (וְסַרְנֵ֣י). The root ארבע appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "man" (root איש, 79x in I Kings); "the·one" (root אחד, 61x in I Kings); "from·under" (root תחת, 41x in I Kings). First appearance of the root אופן ("wheels·of") in I Kings. First appearance of the root כתף ("shoulder-pieces") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 7 words.
Rashi
And four wheels: two in front of it and two behind it, like the large carts.
"And bronze axletrees." Targum Yonatan rendered [it]: "ve-nesarin de-nechash" [and boards of bronze]. They are the upper boards, opposite the frames:
"Sarni [axletrees]." Like "nesarim" (planks):
"And its four feet" – of the base that rests upon them.
The corner-pieces were cast for them. They projected upward from the boards at the corners of the base, and beneath the laver that rested on the base, the corner-pieces were cast. (Other manuscripts read: “to teach that the corner-pieces emerged from within the base, cast in a single molding, and the corner-pieces supported the laver so that it would not fall downward into the interior of the base”):
"From side to side, spirals" [layot]. On each side of the brackets, there were spirals of a male and a female [form] depicted from side to side, like "each to his brother" stated regarding the cherubim (Exodus 25:20):
Radak
"And the axletrees of bronze." The explanation is: as if the letters are transposed, and according to the Targum of Jonathan, "and tablets of bronze" [u-nisrin de-nechash], and its meaning is like tablets/boards.
"The shoulder pieces were cast." Since the spirals were made of hammered work, he states that the shoulder pieces were not so, but rather they were cast.
"On the side of each spiral." On the side of each and every one of the spirals were the shoulder-pieces. And this word "each" (ish) is interpreted like the phrase "each facing his brother," and similarly, regarding the curtains, "[one] to another" [lit. "woman to her sister"].
Ralbag
"And four bronze wheels." This means that there were four wheels beneath the framework, as if to bear the framework, and upon them were bronze axletrees, which were like planks and boards of bronze. At the four corners connected to these boards, there were shoulders rising up to beneath the basin. The shoulders were not attached to those boards by craftwork, but they were cast together with them. And from the end of each of the boards, they were joined as one piece with them.
Metzudat David
And four wheels. Two in front, two in back, as though carrying it.
And plates of bronze. The edges of the base were made of plates and boards of bronze.
And its four feet. He speaks of the stand, that was attached to the base and inserted in it; and in it were the shoulder pieces to hold the washbasin inserted in it, so that it would not fall into its space more than intended. But the base itself did not need shoulder pieces, so that the stand would not fall into the space of the base more than intended; for the stand was round at its bottom, to be inserted in the round partition called 'the mouth of the capital,' protruding from the base; and the top of the stand was square, and so it could not fall into the space of the base more than intended, for the corners of the square held it in place. But the washbasin could fall into the space of the stand more than intended, for it had nothing to hold it in place; for this reason they made in the four corners of the stand like shoulder pieces, descending until beneath the washbasin, to hold it so it would not fall downward.
The shoulder pieces were cast. They were cast-work, not hammered with the hammer.
On the side of each, spirals. From each side of the shoulder pieces, in the place visible across from its joiner, there was engraved a male and female joined together.
Metzudat Zion
Usarnai. Planks; it is the reverse of nasri, like keves-kasev:
Pamotav. Its corners; like (Exodus 25:12) 'upon its four corners' (al arba' pamotav):
Ketefot. They are so called because they bear the laver, as the shoulder bears a burden:
L'chiyor. Shaped like a large vat:
Malbim
And four bronze wheels for one stand; for each stand there were four wheels, two on each side. And bronze axletrees there were also for the stand, boards of bronze at its base that were like a floor for the stand, and the board was four cubits by four cubits. And its four corners had brackets: at the four corners of the boards they had brackets projecting upward. And behold, there were two kinds of brackets: A. The brackets that rose from the boards at the ends of the outer division of the stand, which surrounded the stand from the outside and were four by four; B. The brackets that rose from the boards around the inner division of the stand, upon which was the place for the seat of the laver, and their length and width were according to the measure of the space prepared for the seat of the laver beneath it. And there was a difference between them: the inner brackets were cast, and this is what is said, "Under the laver were the brackets cast," meaning that they were cast together with the boards at the time of their casting. But "each man's side," meaning the outer brackets—the outer side of each, meaning of each stand—were "joined," attached to the boards by a subsequent connection and not cast together with them, for these brackets were made to be closed and opened when it was necessary to enter within the stand up to the place of the laver to place the laver there, as will be explained, and therefore it was necessary that they be attached by means of a connection.
And the mouth of it within the crown and above was a cubit high; 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 borders were foursquare, not round.
verse value 5620
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 83 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·their·borders" (וּמִסְגְּרֹתֵיהֶ֥ם, 9 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·his·mouth" (וּ֠פִ֠יהוּ), "and·upward" (וָמַ֙עְלָה֙), "and·her·mouth" (וּפִ֙יהָ֙). The root אמה appears 3 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "within" (root בית, 191x in I Kings); "not" (root לא, 90x in I Kings); "by·the·cubit" (root אמה, 47x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·cubit', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 6 words.
Rashi
And its mouth from within the crown, and it rises upward a cubit. The mouth of the base emerges from within the mouth of the crown, and ascends upward a cubit in height. The crown is the roof of the stand, made like a kind of hat sloped on all its sides. In its center is fixed a round hole, a cubit and a half in width, in a circle. Surrounding that hole is a sort of partition wall, half a cubit in height all around. This is explained explicitly below (verse 35) regarding this matter, as it is stated: "And upon the top of the stand, half a cubit high, round about." This is called "the mouth of the crown." The base rests upon that surrounding wall, and the edges of the base are inserted within the mouth of that wall. Above it, it protrudes a cubit. This is what is stated here: "And its mouth from within the crown, and it rises upward a cubit."
"And its mouth is round, the fashion of a stand." The mouth of the crown is round, like the round base.
A cubit and a half—the cubit. Broad in a circle:
"And also upon its mouth were carvings." The form of flowers:
Radak
And "u-fihu" [and its mouth]. Its meaning is: each one of the spirals. And "u-fiha" [and its mouth] means: each one of the capitals.
The work of a stand. We have already explained what a "stand" (ken) is.
"Not circular." From all their sides, there was no roundness in them; rather, they were square. He was required to state this because the Sea was square below and circular above.
Ralbag
And its rim extended from the frame upward by a cubit. That is to say, the lip of the laver rose a cubit in height from the front of the upper frame, which is called the "header," and was connected between the laver and above; and above that cubit, its rim was round. Thus, the laver was round, and it rose in a circular fashion until it reached a total of a cubit and a half: one cubit in the manner described, and the remaining half-cubit was round, as mentioned subsequently. And also upon the Sea were carvings. That is to say, on its rim there were engravings, namely, on the rim of the headers, which is the upper frame. And their frames were square, not round. That is to say, the frames of the stands were all square, even though, as we have stated, the laver was round at the top.
Metzudat David
And its mouth. The mouth of the stand rose a cubit above the housing of the capital -- it is the round partition protruding from the hole of the capital; for the height of that partition was half a cubit, and the height of the stand was a cubit and a half. And at its bottom it was round, half a cubit; and it was inserted in the partition of the hole of the capital. And the upper cubit was square, and it rose above the housing of the capital.
And its mouth. It is the housing of the capital, which is the round partition rising from the hole of the capital.
Round. It was round like the work of the bottom of the stand, to make it easy to insert the stand in it.
A cubit and a half, the cubit. From the brim of the partition on this side to the brim opposite it, it was a cubit and a half -- the cubit; and like the measure of the hole of the capital.
And also on its mouth. Upon the partition of the hole of the capital, they made carvings.
And their frames. The frames of the bases that were between the uprights were square in all their length; and no round places were found in them.
Malbim
And its mouth: Now he will begin to recount the internal division, where the laver's seat was, and in what manner it was. Behold, the height of the laver was four cubits (as stated above, verse 28), and the height of the stand was three cubits (as stated above). And it will be explained further (in verse 35) that there was also atop the stand a circular elevation all around, at the place of the laver's seat, whose height was half a cubit; and this is called here a "capital." And he says here that its mouth, namely the mouth of the laver, emerged from within the capital, upward, by a cubit. That is to say, when they inserted the laver into its stand, a cubit of the laver's height emerged above the capital. Since the capital's height was half a cubit, there remained of the laver within the stand itself two and a half cubits. And after it is established that the height of the stand itself, excluding the capital, was three cubits, it is clear that the height of the brackets that emerged from the axletrees beneath the laver, upon which the laver stood, as stated above in the previous verse, was half a cubit. And its mouth was round, the work thereof, a cubit and a half: Its mouth, namely the mouth of the stand, the place that was open from above to receive the laver, was round, a cubit and a half, to receive the laver, which had two and a half cubits of it round, and a cubit and a half was square. And since one cubit of the round part emerged outside the stand, there remained in the stand a cubit and a half of the round laver. And it was necessary that the mouth of the stand, since it was made thus and prepared for the laver, be round, a cubit and a half—namely, the half cubit of the capital that rose above the stand, and one cubit within the stand. And also upon its mouth were braided decorations upon the mouth of the stand that emerged outside, half a cubit, like a capital; braided designs were made for beauty and ornament. And its frames were square, not round: After the aforementioned round part of a cubit and a half, where the laver began to become square, a cubit and a half, the stand that surrounded it, enclosing it, had square frames and not round ones, because it was designed according to the measure of the laver. (And it is clear that on the inner side of the stand, between the round and the square parts, there was a kind of opening that could be opened and closed to insert the laver there and remove it when necessary.)
And the four wheels were underneath the borders; and the axletrees of the wheels were in the base; and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit.
verse value 4152
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 68 letters. Notable word values: "the·one" (הָאֶחָ֔ד) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "cubits" (אַמָּ֖ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·wheels" (הָאוֹפַנִּ֗ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 192: the·wheels, the·wheels. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·four" (וְאַרְבַּ֣עַת), "underneath" (לְמִתַּ֙חַת֙), "to·the·borders" (לַֽמִּסְגְּר֔וֹת). The root אופן appears 3 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·one" (root אחד, 61x in I Kings); "cubits" (root אמה, 47x in I Kings); "underneath" (root תחת, 41x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·base', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְאַרְבַּ֣עַת [and·four] (679) + הָאוֹפַנִּ֗ים [the·wheels] (192) + לְמִתַּ֙חַת֙ [underneath] (878) + לַֽמִּסְגְּר֔וֹת [to·the·borders] (739) + וִיד֥וֹת [and·hands·of] (426) + הָאוֹפַנִּ֖ים [the·wheels] (192) + בַּמְּכוֹנָ֑ה [in·the·base] (123) + וְקוֹמַת֙ [and·height·of] (552) + הָאוֹפַ֣ן [wheel] (142) + הָאֶחָ֔ד [the·one] (18) + אַמָּ֖ה [cubits] (46) + וַחֲצִ֥י [and·half·of] (114) + הָאַמָּֽה [the·cubit] (51) = 4152.
Rashi
"And the four wheels were beneath the frames." For the frames [ran] from wheel to wheel, as I have explained:
"and the shafts of the wheels" – this is the wooden pole inserted into the wheels, which they call "axle."
"In the stand." They are bound together, pressed tight into the stand, in a single casting:
Radak
"And the axletrees of the wheels." Its Targum [translation] is: "ve-ashdat galgalaya" [and the sockets of the wheels].
Ralbag
"And the four wheels were beneath the frames." This means that the four wheels were beneath all the frames.
And the handles of the wheels were in the stand. Behold, the handles of the wheels were like the axle-tree inserted into the wheel of the cart, around which the wheel revolves, and they were attached to the stand from which they protruded.
And the height of one of the wheels is one and a half cubits. I suppose that the height of the wheel is the height of its handle, for thus they raise the stand from the ground.
Metzudat David
And the four wheels. Meaning: the holes of the four wheels of the base -- they are the places into which the axles are inserted. Those holes were opposite beneath the frames -- it is the low partition at the bottom of the base near its edges; for there the axles were fixed; and opposite them were the holes of the wheels; and in the manner of the wheels of a chariot.
And the axles of the wheels. The axles inserted in the holes of the wheels and rolling upon them, they were fixed in the base.
Metzudat Zion
U-yadot. They are the axles inserted into the holes of the wheels, by which they roll:
Malbim
And the four wheels were beneath the frames. The wheels were not fixed on the outer side of the stand, but rather they were fixed on the inner side of the outer walls of the stand, for between the outer partition and the inner partition of the stand there was more than a cubit of free space on each side, and there the wheels stood. They were aligned opposite the underside of the frames of the inner partition, for the frames were above the wheels. This will be explained in detail subsequently. The axles of the wheels—whether made of wood or iron, which are inserted into the hollow hub of the wheel upon which the wheel revolves—are called the axle of the wheel. This axle of the wheel was cast into the stand. At the bottom of the inner wall of the stand, there protruded a long iron piece cast from the stand itself, upon which they mounted the wheel. The height of each wheel was one and a half cubits. After they mounted the wheel onto the iron protruding from the bottom of the stand, the stand was elevated from the ground by approximately the measure of half the wheel. The stand stood upon the wheels, like the cart and the chariot that are borne upon the wheels and suspended from them. It has already been explained in verse 31 that the frames of the inner stand, which surrounded the laver, began half a cubit above the floor of the stand, for the brackets upon which the laver stood were half a cubit high. It is therefore clear that the four wheels were beneath the frames.
And 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.
verse value 3312
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 59 letters. Verse gematria: 3312 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "all" (הַכֹּ֥ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·wheels" (הָא֣וֹפַנִּ֔ים, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·work·of" (וּמַֽעֲשֵׂה֙), "wheel" (אוֹפַ֣ן), "chariot" (הַמֶּרְכָּבָ֑ה). The root מעשה appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "all" (root כל, 86x in I Kings); "their·hands" (root יד, 37x in I Kings). First appearance of the root חשק ("and·their·spokes") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'chariot', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: וּמַֽעֲשֵׂה֙ [and·work·of] (421) + הָא֣וֹפַנִּ֔ים [the·wheels] (192) + כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה [as·work·of] (435) + אוֹפַ֣ן [wheel] (137) + הַמֶּרְכָּבָ֑ה [chariot] (272) + יְדוֹתָ֣ם [their·hands] (460) + וְגַבֵּיהֶ֗ם [and·their·felloes] (66) + וְחִשֻּׁקֵיהֶ֛ם [and·their·spokes] (469) + וְחִשֻּׁרֵיהֶ֖ם [and·their·naves] (569) + הַכֹּ֥ל [all] (55) + מוּצָֽק [molten] (236) = 3312.
Rashi
Like the work of a chariot wheel. Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated: “Like the work of the wheels of a chariot,” [referring to] a wheel within a wheel, interlaced, as it is stated in Ezekiel (1:16) regarding the lofty chariot:
"Their handles." Axle.
"And their hubs." In the vernacular it is called "boiles"; these are the holes.
"And their rims." They are round all around, which is their binding.
"And their spokes." The arms of the wheels, which were inserted from their hubs into their rims, which they call "Riesch" in the vernacular.
Radak
The wheel of the chariot. The holy chariot that was seen in the vision of prophecy by Ezekiel. And as the Targum of Jonathan [renders it]: "the chariot of glory." And Solomon, in his wisdom, saw what Ezekiel saw in his prophecy.
"And their clasps and their bindings are all of solid metal." "Their clasps" refers to the matter of being fastened and tightly secured, and "their bindings" refers to the matter of tying; and the Targum [renders it]: "and their coverings and their fastenings are all of solid metal."
Ralbag
Their handles, and their rims, and their bands, and their bindings. Behold, their handles are the handles into which the wheels were inserted, as we have explained. And their rims are the large rounds surrounding the wheels, for they are upon their backs. And their bands are the small rounds surrounding the handles of the wheels, for they are joined and bound to them. And their bindings are like pillars and arms, extending from the small round to the large round. And all of this was solid, joined by casting, not by craftsmanship.
"The stand—its shoulders." This means that the shoulders were not attached to the bronze plates, and they were the bronze axletrees—a manufactured joining—but they themselves emerged from the stand.
Metzudat David
Like the work of a wheel of a chariot. In the form of wheels made in a chariot.
All cast. They were made by casting, not by hammering with the hammer.
Metzudat Zion
Ugaveihem. They are the centers of the wheels, in which the holes are; it is called 'back' (gav) because when the wheel lies on the ground, this place is the highest part of the wheel:
Uchashukeihem. They are the large rings surrounding the wheels, encircling the arms of the wheel; like (Exodus 27:11) 'and their rings shall be silver' (uchashukeihem kasef); it denotes a band:
Uchashureihem. They are the arms of the wheel, binding the large ring to the center of the wheel where the hole is; like (II Samuel 22:12) 'a massing of waters' (chashrat mayim); it denotes binding:
Malbim
And regarding the workmanship of the wheels, now he will explain the form of the wheels, which were similar to the workmanship of the wheel of a chariot. In the wheel of a chariot, four things are found: 1. Their axles, which is the wood or iron fixed in the small central hollow of the wheel, upon which the wheel revolves; 2. Their hubs, which is the small wheel itself that revolves on top of the axle; 3. Their rims, which is the large outer wheel that rolls upon the ground; 4. Their spokes, which are the rods that connect the small inner wheel with the outer wheel. He said that all of these were solid, cast together: the axles were cast integrally with the wall of the stand, and the other three were cast together and were one piece.
And there were four undersetters at the four corners of each base; the undersetters thereof were of one piece with the base itself.
verse value 3284
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 41 letters. The shortest word is "to" (אֶ֚ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "from·the·base" (מִן־הַמְּכֹנָ֖ה, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "shoulder-pieces" (כְּתֵפ֔וֹת), "corners·of" (פִּנּ֔וֹת), "from·the·base" (מִן־הַמְּכֹנָ֖ה). The root ארבע appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to" (root אל, 102x in I Kings); "the·one" (root אחד, 61x in I Kings); "four" (root ארבע, 31x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·one', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 2 words. Full calculation: וְאַרְבַּ֣ע [four] (279) + כְּתֵפ֔וֹת [shoulder-pieces] (906) + אֶ֚ל [to] (31) + אַרְבַּ֣ע [four] (273) + פִּנּ֔וֹת [corners·of] (536) + הַמְּכֹנָ֖ה [fixed resting place] (120) + הָאֶחָ֑ת [the·one] (414) + מִן־הַמְּכֹנָ֖ה [from·the·base] (210) + כְּתֵפֶֽיהָ [her·shoulder-pieces] (515) = 3284.
Rashi
"And four brackets." As I explained above, "and its four feet had brackets," and it is stated again here only to say: "and the brackets were of a piece with the stand."
Metzudat David
And four shoulder pieces. Meaning: the four shoulder pieces mentioned above, that were in the four corners of the stand upon the base -- behold, those shoulder pieces came out of it; for in one casting he cast them; and he did not cast them by themselves and join each one to the stand.
Metzudat Zion
Panot. Corners:
Malbim
"And four brackets": it was already stated above (verse 30) that the axles had brackets at their four feet, which were not integral with them but rather attached by means of joining. Here, however, it informs us that nevertheless, at the four corners of the stand—on the corner-horns—they had brackets that were integral parts of the stand itself, not attached by means of joining. For the reason that the brackets at their four feet were not integral was so that they could be closed and opened when it was necessary to enter within the stand; and this does not apply to the corners.
And in the top of the base was there a round compass of half a cubit high; and on the top of the base the stays thereof and the borders thereof were of one piece therewith.
verse value 3137
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 57 letters. The shortest word is "half" (חֲצִ֧י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·its·borders" (וּמִסְגְּרֹתֶ֖יהָ, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "height" (קוֹמָ֖ה), "from·it" (מִמֶּֽנָּה). The root ראש appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·upon" (root על, 127x in I Kings); "the·cubit" (root אמה, 47x in I Kings); "her·hands" (root יד, 37x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'around', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: וּבְרֹ֣אשׁ [and·in·head·of] (509) + הַמְּכוֹנָ֗ה [fixed resting place] (126) + חֲצִ֧י [half] (108) + הָאַמָּ֛ה [the·cubit] (51) + קוֹמָ֖ה [height] (151) + עָגֹ֣ל [calf] (103) + סָבִ֑יב [around] (74) + וְעַ֨ל [and·upon] (106) + רֹ֤אשׁ [head] (501) + הַמְּכֹנָה֙ [fixed resting place] (120) + יְדֹתֶ֔יהָ [her·hands] (429) + וּמִסְגְּרֹתֶ֖יהָ [and·its·borders] (724) + מִמֶּֽנָּה [from·it] (135) = 3137.
Rashi
Half a cubit in height, circular in shape. It is a partition, as I explained above, that it surrounds the opening, and the cubit is square:
"And on the top of the stand were its handles." These are the bronze axles mentioned above.
"And its insets were of it." The lower insets were cast together with it; it is not that they were joined to it afterward.
Ralbag
And at the top of the base was half a cubit in height, round about. This means that the part that was at the top of the base, which was half a cubit, was round about, as previously stated. This was on top of the base, for below it everything was square, as previously stated. And its supports, which are the rungs, and its frames that were around the steps—all of this was from it. This means from the base itself, and it was not joined by way of craftsmanship.
Metzudat David
And on the top of the base. He comes to say that the round partition that was on the top of the base around the hole, its height was half a cubit; and it was round all around in all its height.
And on the top of the base, its handles. The handles lay and stuck to the top of the base; and from there they extended and descended on the sides of the base downward, until they came beneath the frames -- it is the low partition. And from there they extended beyond the base here and there; and they were inserted in the holes of the wheels.
And its frames from it. The frames of the base were from it; meaning: cast with it; not that they were made alone and joined in work.
Malbim
"And at the top of the stand": the stand was covered above, and in the middle of the stand, in the place that was open to receive the laver (as was explained in verse 31), there was a rim around the opening, which is the mouth of the stand, and its height was half a cubit, and it was circular all around. And at the top of the stand, which was roofed and covered with frames, there were handles, and they were all cast, integral with the stand.
And on the plates of the stays thereof, and on the borders thereof, he graved cherubim, lions, and palm-trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths round about.
verse value 6132
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 66 letters. The shortest word is "and·upon" (וְעַל֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "border" ((ומסגרתיה), 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·ungirded" (וַיְפַתַּ֤ח), "on·the·plates" (עַל־הַלֻּחֹת֙), "its·borders" (מִסְגְּרֹתֶ֔יהָ). The root מסגרת appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·upon" (root על, 127x in I Kings); "her·hands" (root יד, 37x in I Kings); "cherubim" (root כרוב, 20x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'palm·tree·figure', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיְפַתַּ֤ח [and·ungirded] (504) + עַל־הַלֻּחֹת֙ [on·the·plates] (543) + יְדֹתֶ֔יהָ [her·hands] (429) + וְעַל֙ [and·upon] (106) + (ומסגרתיה) [border] (724) + מִסְגְּרֹתֶ֔יהָ [its·borders] (718) + כְּרוּבִ֖ים [cherubim] (278) + אֲרָי֣וֹת [lions] (617) + וְתִמֹרֹ֑ת [palm·tree·figure] (1046) + כְּמַעַר־אִ֥ישׁ [as·space·of·man] (641) + וְלֹי֖וֹת [and·wreaths] (452) + סָבִֽיב [around] (74) = 6132.
Rashi
"And He carved upon the tablets its handles and its frames." The lower ones [were made] for both [tablets]; He engraved and carved cherubim, lions. (And the word "and palms" is not found in other texts.)
Like a man embracing his companion. The opening [of the cherubim's wings] surrounded [the Ark] like a male and female embracing each other with their arms, as our Sages explained (Yoma 54a):
"kema'ar" – a term denoting grasping and cleaving, like the male united with the female; its meaning is: a man and his companion(s). And according to its sense, "loiyot" (companions) is a term of "cleaving," Schauldora in the vernacular, as if to say, "there were companions there," made like the cleaving of a man — "me'arah" meaning cleaving, as we have explained.
Radak
"And he engraved upon the tablets." These are the bronze axletrees mentioned [earlier], and he is saying that in engraving [Hiram made] the ten supports of the stand upon the tablets.
And "timorot" [palms]. The form of palm trees (Aramaic: diklin).
"Ke-ma'ar ish ve-loyot saviv" [as each is attached, with spirals round about]. In attachment: each and every one of the spirals mentioned above [was attached to the next]. And "ma'ar" is a term of attachment (davuk), as in "Kir bared the shield" [Isaiah 22:6], and likewise in the words of our Sages, of blessed memory: "attached to the diaphragm" (me'orah be-tarpishin). And the vav in "ve-loyot" is like the vav in "ve-nirdam" (and he slept), "ve-rechev" (and chariot), "ve-sus" (and horse), and others. And in the words of our Sages, of blessed memory: "What is [meant by] ke-ma'ar ish ve-loyot?" [Answer:] Like a man attached to his own companion (levayah). And the Targum [renders]: "kevash chad u-medabek sechor sechor" [a single overlay, attached all around].
Ralbag
"And he engraved upon the tablets." This means that he had already engraved and hammered out around the tablets, just as he had done with the stand itself.
Yadoteyha. And they are the steps:
And its frames. Likewise, the entire thing was from it, meaning from the stand itself. And I think that the wheels were not revolving, for they were joined by casting with the stand, but the whole was one solid piece. And behold, he mentioned that so too were the cherubim, the lions, and the palm trees that were on the frames, on the side of each of them, and they were joined around; the whole was solid from the substance of the stand. And behold, the palm trees were in the form of knops, as we have mentioned earlier. And he likened them to being in the form of oxen on one side of them, as previously stated regarding the form of the oxen that was in the knops on the Sea. And behold, the intention in the statement "like a man, and windings around" is that on the side of each of the frames, they were joined around. And the intention in his saying "like a man" is in the sense of saying "from each side," and the meaning therein is as the completion of each of them, and at their edges they are there joined around from their own substance; and similarly [the word appears] in "Ma'areh-geva" [Judges 20:33].
Metzudat David
And he engraved upon the tablets. He made engravings and drawings upon the boards laid at the edges of the base; he also made engravings upon the handles, in the place that lay and stuck to the base; and even upon its frames -- it is the low partition. Upon all of them he made engraved [figures of] cherubim, lions, and palm trees; and like the joining of a man and his companion, meaning: his mate (Yoma 54a). So he drew each one all around.
Metzudat Zion
Vayifatach. And he carved:
K'ma'ar. A matter of joining and adhering; like (Psalms 37:35) 'and entwining himself like a leafy native tree' (u'mit'areh k'ezrach ra'anan):
Malbim
"And he engraved": upon the panels of the handles (or its meaning is: upon its panels and upon its handles), and likewise upon its frames of the whole stand, above and on the sides, he engraved figures of cherubim, lions, and palm-trees, in the manner of "the space of each, and clasps [loyot]," which were similar to as if each of them was rooted and implanted there (from the phrase "and spreading himself like a luxuriant native tree" [Psalms 37:35]), and nevertheless they were only attached by means of joining.
After this manner he made the ten bases; all of them had one casting, one measure, and one form.
verse value 3347
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 43 letters. Notable word values: "one" (אֶחָ֜ד) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "did" (עָשָׂ֔ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·bases" (הַמְּכֹנ֑וֹת, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 13: one, one. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "like·this" (כָּזֹ֣את), "cut" (קֶ֥צֶב), "to·their·them" (לְכֻלָּֽהְנָֽה). The root אחד appears 3 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "did" (root עשה, 143x in I Kings); "to·their·them" (root כל, 86x in I Kings); "one" (root אחד, 61x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·bases', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 7 words.
Rashi
One solid piece. Just as He poured out the first one, so did He pour out all of them.
Explanation from the author of *Tzurat ha-Bayit*: And this is the construction of the stand. He made four copper wheels, as it is stated (verse 30): "And four copper wheels for the stand." The appearance of the stand was like that of a large wagon, and the height of one wheel was one and a half cubits. The construction of the wheels was like the construction of a chariot wheel, a wheel within a wheel, so that they could be moved to wherever the spirit and desire would direct them to move them, and there they would move them without needing to turn them here and there. The distance from wheel to wheel, from east to west, was four cubits, and likewise from north to south, for it was square, not long like our wagons. This is what it said (verse 27): "Four cubits was the length of the one stand, and four cubits its breadth." A thick and long pole was inserted into the two northern wheels from east to west, and likewise into the two southern wheels. And likewise, as with those wheels within these, there was a pole placed and inserted into the two eastern wheels from north to south, and likewise into the two western wheels. And these poles the Scripture called "handles," this is what it said, "and their handles." And the meaning of "and their hubs" is the centers of the wheels, around which these poles revolve, and they are called "back" (gav), because it is the highest part of the wheel when it lies on the ground, and likewise every center of a circle is the height from which it [originates], because all the sides extend from it. And the meaning of "and their rims" is the outer circles, which connect their spokes, which are thin pieces of wood, like arms inserted and placed from the hub to the rim, and it is from the language of "and their rims were silver" (Exodus 27:10), and it is the wheel that rolls on the ground, and they are accustomed to make around it a round iron band, and it is called in the language of the Mishnah in Chapter 11 of Kelim (Mishnah 3): "the band of the wheel." And here it did not need a band, because it was entirely of copper. "And their frames," meaning: like plaques made for them on the handles to the four directions in a square, and this is what it said (verse 31): "And their frames were square, not round." And they enclose the wagon from its four directions, therefore they were called frames. And on these frames were copper boards; Scripture called them "copper axles" (sarnei nechoshet), which is a transposed word [read as boards]; and on them, meaning: from the outside and not on top of them, was made something like the rungs of a ladder, and between rung and rung were frames, and on them the form of oxen, etc. And the boards rose from above the frames up to opposite the height of the wheels, and they were sloping and going like a hat and like a covering that is on covered wagons, until they came opposite the height of the wheel, and there they extended one to another until they covered it, except in its upper middle they did not cover, but there was in them a round hole, the width of its circle one and a half cubits, and this covering is called "a crown," and the hole in it "the mouth of the crown," and this is what it said (there): "and its mouth was round, made like a base, a cubit and a half cubits." And around this hole, a partition rises to a height of half a cubit, and this is what it said (verse 35): "And at the top of the stand was half a cubit high all around." And within this partition, the socket enters and is inserted, which is a receiving vessel that receives the laver when the laver is inserted in the socket, and the socket is within this partition that is on the wagon, and the socket at its bottom is round with half a cubit, according to the measure of the height of the partition that is on the round hole in the stand above, and the socket rises upon this partition one cubit, and this is what it said (verse 31): "And its mouth, within the crown and upward, one cubit." And now we have three cubits for the height of the stand, for the wheel is one and a half cubits, and the round partition is half a cubit, and one cubit the height of the socket protrudes above it, and this cubit is square, and it has four shoulders at its four corners, and this is what it said (verse 34): "And four shoulders to... the one stand, its shoulders were of the stand itself." Because the laver is below in its slope, sloping so that it enters into the socket, and in order that it not fall into it more than the desired measure, therefore these shoulders were made, that they would lift and bear it. Thus ends the words of *Tzurat ha-Bayit*.
Radak
One solid piece: In a single casting:
"One form for all of them." For all ten stands there was one form (ketzev), and "ketzev" is like "midah" [measure] — a term for something cut/fashioned according to a fixed measure.
Ralbag
He made the ten bases as one solid piece. This means that each of them, together with all the components attached to them, were all cast in a single molding, and in this manner they were joined—not through any form of craftsmanship—and they were all of one measure and one pattern, with no variation whatsoever in their dimensions or design.
Metzudat David
Like this. In this form.
One cast. Meaning: like the casting of this one, so the casting of that one.
One form. Meaning: equal, as though cut together.
Metzudat Zion
Lechulahenah. Like 'lechulahen' (to all of them):
Malbim
A single casting, in which the stand together with its handles and frames were cast as one, their length, width, and height being of one uniform measure, according to the work mentioned above.
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.
verse value 5999
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 84 letters. Notable word values: "the·one" (הָאֶחָ֗ד) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "bath" (בַּ֜ת, 2 letters) and the longest is "on·the·fixed resting place" (עַל־הַמְּכוֹנָ֣ה, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 241: pot, pot. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "lavers·of" (כִיֹּר֖וֹת), "basin" (כִּיּ֤וֹר), "on·the·fixed resting place" (עַל־הַמְּכוֹנָ֣ה). The root כיור appears 4 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·did" (root עשה, 143x in I Kings); "on·the·fixed resting place" (root על, 127x in I Kings); "the·one" (root אחד, 61x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'copper', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 15 words.
Rashi
And he made ten lavers. It is written (in II Chronicles 4:6): "In them they washed the burnt-offering."
Ralbag
"And he made ten lavers of bronze." Now, the laver served for the priest to sanctify his hands and feet, as mentioned in the Torah, and it also served for rinsing the flesh of the burnt offering as well, as mentioned in the Book of Chronicles. And it is mentioned that the diameter of the laver was four cubits, and we know that it was circular at its rim, and its height was measured such that each laver would hold forty baths, which are one hundred and twenty seahs. Therefore, it is clear that the measure of the interior space of the laver was only nine [cubic cubits]: a cubit by a cubit, in a height of a cubit.
Metzudat David
The one washbasin. Its height, of the washbasin.
On the base. On the stand that was on the base.
Malbim
Forty baths, which are one hundred and twenty se'ah, which is the measure of three mikva'ot. And what is stated, "four cubits," refers to the height; but the length and width were one and a half and a quarter cubits, as has been explained above in verse 28.
And he set the bases, five on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house; and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.
verse value 7445
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 82 letters. The shortest word is "five" (חָמֵ֞שׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·bases" (אֶת־הַמְּכֹנ֔וֹת, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 600: on·shoulder·of, on·shoulder·of. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "from·his·left" (מִשְּׂמֹאל֑וֹ), "from·shoulder·of" (מִכֶּ֨תֶף), "from·opposite" (מִמּ֥וּל). The root כתף appears 3 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·house" (root בית, 191x in I Kings); "and·gave" (root נתן, 113x in I Kings); "five" (root חמש, 29x in I Kings). First appearance of the root שמאל ("from·his·left") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·his·left', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 8 words.
Rashi
"Upon the shoulder of the house." Opposite the right shoulder of the house:
"From the right shoulder of the house." [This location is] drawn from the south side toward the north side; this is [called] 'eastward facing the south' (kedmah mul negev) — the northeastern corner, opposite the space between the northern wall of the house and the wall of the Temple courtyard. And the northern side is called 'away from the south' (mimul negev) — drawn and distant from the south. And 'mul' (facing) and 'mimul' (away from) are not identical in meaning.
Radak
“On the right shoulder of the house.” Explanation: The “house” refers to the Court of the Priests, where the lavers were placed.
“On the right side of the house.” The explanation is: on the right side of the house, and similarly on its left side, on the left side of the house. Or perhaps the explanation of “on the right” refers to the right of the laver that Moses made, and “on its left” refers to the left of that laver. The lavers were used for the priests to wash their hands and feet from them, and to rinse in them the parts of the burnt-offering, as it states in Chronicles.
"And the Sea." The Sea was also located in the Azarah (the Court), and so it is written in Chronicles: "And he made the Court of the Priests and the Great Azarah, etc." And it is further stated: "And he placed the Sea on the right side, toward the east, etc." The explanation is that the Sea was placed in the Azarah on the southern side, extended toward the east.
Ralbag
"And he placed the stands, five on the right side of the house." The intention is that "the house" refers to the Sanctuary; and in the area between the southern wall and the wall of the Azarah (Court) there were five lavers, and the remaining five were in the area between the northern wall of the Temple and the wall of the Azarah. And it is possible—and this is more accurate—that the "house" mentioned in this place refers to the Court of the Priests, in which was the outer altar mentioned there in the Book of Chronicles, whose measure was twenty cubits in length, twenty in width, and twenty in depth. And there it is mentioned that he made the Court of the Priests and placed the Sea on the right shoulder, toward the east, opposite the south. This indicates that the right shoulder of the house mentioned in this place refers to the Court of the Priests. According to this second explanation, we do not need to say that the figures were between the walls of the Temple and the walls of the Azarah, but rather that they were on the eastern side of the Temple. And the Sea was on the southeastern side of the Court of the Priests. And behold, it was in the place where there was the least space there, as we explained in the Parashah of Vayikra, and therefore the place for the ashes was on the eastern side of the Court of the Priests.
Metzudat David
On the shoulder of the house. It is the court of the priests.
To the front opposite the south. Meaning: drawn toward the southeast corner of the court of the priests.
And Hiram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he wrought for king Solomon in the house of Hashem:
verse value 6890
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 79 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 6890 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֥ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·basins" (וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָק֑וֹת, 10 letters). Words sharing gematria 375: did, Solomon. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "the·pots" (אֶ֨ת־הַכִּיֹּר֔וֹת), "all·the·work" (אֶת־כׇּל־הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה). The root עשה appears 3 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "to·the·king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 254x in I Kings). First appearance of the root מזרק ("and·the·basins") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·the·basins', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 10 words.
Rashi
"And Huram made..." etc. And Rabbi said: The "kiyorot" (lavers) are the same as "sirot" (pots), as it is stated: "like a fire-pot among the wood" (Zechariah 12:6); and likewise: "and he struck it into the pot" (1 Samuel 2:14).
The lavers: of copper, to remove the ashes from the altar.
The "ye'im" are copper rakes, called "Wiedel" in Ashkenaz, used for raking out the ash from within the pots.
Ralbag
"And Hiram made the lavers." The intent here is [to mean] the pots, and similarly it states later, "and the pots and the scrapers." And likewise it is written in Chronicles in these two places. And behold, the matter of these lavers is related to the statement, "and he shall strike with the laver or with the cauldron." And behold, these pots were used for placing therein the ashes of the altar.
Metzudat David
The house of the Lord. For the need of the house of the Lord.
Metzudat Zion
Hakhirot. The basins; like (I Samuel 2:14) 'and strike the basin' (v'hika bachiyyor):
Hay'im. The brooms, for raking out the ashes; likewise (Isaiah 28:17) 'and the hail shall sweep away' (v'ya'ah barad):
Hamizrakot. The bowls that receive the blood for sprinkling:
Malbim
"And Huram made the basins [kiyorot]": In Chronicles it is written "the pots [sirot]," and therefore the commentators explained that what is stated here as "kiyorot" means the same as "sirot" — that is, they were made to remove the ashes, like a hearth, from the expression "like a fire-basin among wood"; and this itself was the function of the pots, as it is stated, "and you shall make its pots to remove its ashes." And therefore he juxtaposed to it, "and the scrapers." And I have already proven in Chapter 14 that there were two Hurams, and the Huram who made the pots and the scrapers was the father of this Huram, as is written explicitly in Chronicles: "and the pots, etc., Huram his father made for King Solomon." And therefore he mentioned here the name Huram, meaning that the first Huram made the basins, and what is stated, "and Huram finished," refers to Huram his son, who completed the rest of the work, according to the general rule that I explained in my book Torah ve-Mitzvah: that in a place where the name is duplicated without necessity, it indicates that the repeated name is not the same as the first name.
Cross-references: Genesis 2:1; Exodus 40:33; II Chronicles 4:11
the two pillars, and the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars; and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars;
verse value 9912
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 82 letters. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֖ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "that·on·head·of" (אֲשֶׁר־עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 1025: the·capitals, the·capitals. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·bowls·of" (וְגֻלֹּ֧ת), "that·on·head·of" (אֲשֶׁר־עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ), "and·the·networks" (וְהַשְּׂבָכ֣וֹת). The root שנים appears 4 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·on·head·of" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "two" (root שנים, 45x in I Kings); "pillars" (root עמוד, 22x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'two', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 9 words.
Metzudat Zion
Ugolah. So called the lower portion of the crown, for its shape resembles a bowl; like (Zechariah 4:2) 'and its bowl upon its top' (ugulah al rosha):
Malbim
"Two pillars": This refers back to "and Hiram finished," meaning that the pillars, the bases, and the Sea were all completed by Hiram the Second, son of Hiram the First, who had made the pots and the scrapers. And "globes" — on each pillar there was a globe divided into two parts: the upper part is called "the globe" atop the pillars, and it was covered with a network; and the lower part is called "the capital" on the face of the pillars, and it was covered with pomegranates. And therefore it says:
and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars;
verse value 8688
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 83 letters. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֖ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·pomegranates" (וְאֶת־הָרִמֹּנִ֛ים, 9 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·the·pomegranates" (וְאֶת־הָרִמֹּנִ֛ים), "for·two·of" (לִשְׁתֵּ֣י), "the·networks" (הַשְּׂבָכ֑וֹת). The root רמון appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "upon·top·of" (root פנים, 95x in I Kings); "two·rows" (root שנה, 72x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·networks', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 11 words.
Rashi
Two rows of pomegranates. A hundred pomegranates in each row, strung together in chains:
Metzudat David
For the two networks. Made to hang in the bottom of the networks.
Two rows. In each row a hundred pomegranates.
To cover the two, etc. He speaks of the pomegranates, that they covered the upper part of the globe; for they were hanging in the bottom of the network, and they descended upon the upper part of the globe.
Metzudat Zion
Al panim. I mean: in height; because the face is at the height of the person:
Malbim
"And the pomegranates" (400): In each network there were two rows of pomegranates; each row held one hundred pomegranates. They hung at the end of the network and covered the lower chapiter that was on the columns. I have already explained this above in verse 20.
and the ten bases, and the ten lavers on the bases;
verse value 3736
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "ten" (עָ֑שֶׂר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·bases" (וְאֶת־הַמְּכֹנ֖וֹת, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·the·bases" (וְאֶת־הַמְּכֹנ֖וֹת), "and·the·lavers" (וְאֶת־הַכִּיֹּרֹ֥ת), "on·the·bases" (עַל־הַמְּכֹנֽוֹת). The root עשר appears 2 times in this verse. 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "on·the·bases" (root על, 127x in I Kings); "ten" (root עשר, 39x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'ten', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְאֶת־הַמְּכֹנ֖וֹת [and·the·bases] (928) + עָ֑שֶׂר [ten] (570) + וְאֶת־הַכִּיֹּרֹ֥ת [and·the·lavers] (1042) + עֲשָׂרָ֖ה [ten] (575) + עַל־הַמְּכֹנֽוֹת [on·the·bases] (621) = 3736.
and the one sea, and the twelve oxen under the sea;
verse value 3027
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. Notable word values: "the·one" (הָאֶחָ֑ד) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "under" (תַּ֥חַת, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·oxen" (וְאֶת־הַבָּקָ֥ר, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·the·oxen" (וְאֶת־הַבָּקָ֥ר). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "year·ten" (root שנה, 72x in I Kings); "the·one" (root אחד, 61x in I Kings); "under" (root תחת, 41x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·one', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְאֶת־הַיָּ֖ם [and·the·sea] (462) + הָאֶחָ֑ד [the·one] (18) + וְאֶת־הַבָּקָ֥ר [and·the·oxen] (714) + שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֖ר [year·ten] (970) + תַּ֥חַת [under] (808) + הַיָּֽם [sea] (55) = 3027.
and the pots, and the shovels, and the basins; even all these vessels, which Hiram made for king Solomon, in the house of Hashem, were of burnished brass.
verse value 6553
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 78 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "and" (וְאֵת֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·basins" (וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָק֗וֹת, 10 letters). Words sharing gematria 375: did, Solomon. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·the·pots" (וְאֶת־הַסִּיר֨וֹת), "tent" ((האהל)), "bared" (מְמֹרָֽט). The root אלה appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "which" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "to·the·king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 254x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 2 words.
Radak
"And all the vessels of the tent." Thus is it written and read: the written text says "ha'ohel" (the tent), while the vocalized reading says "ha'eleh" (these). The reading is clear, and the written text implies: just like those vessels that were in the Tabernacle, so did Hiram make for King Solomon in the Temple. And so did Jonathan translate: "All these vessels, like the work of the vessels of the Tabernacle that Moses made, so did Hiram make for King Solomon in the Temple of the Lord."
Memorat (polished). Pure and clean from all rust and from all dross.
Ralbag
"And the scrapers": They are copper shovels used to clear away the ashes from the altar.
"And the sprinkling bowls." These are vessels that receive the blood in them for sprinkling upon the altar.
"And all these vessels." The Keri (reading) is "these," but the Ketiv (written form) is "the Tent." And behold, Targum Jonathan translated according to the written text, that these vessels were made in the form that Moses made them in the Tent. And from this they said: "and all the vessels, the Tent," as if it said, "all the vessels, the vessels of the Tent." And there are many similar [constructions] in our language.
"Copper, burnished." This means: refined and pure, free from all dross.
Metzudat David
The house of the Lord. To the need of the house of the Lord.
Burnished bronze. They were of refined and purified bronze.
Metzudat Zion
Hassirot. They are the basins mentioned; likewise (ibid. Zechariah 14:20) 'and the basins shall be in the house of the LORD' (vehayu hassirot beveit Hashem):
Mumurat. Polished and bright; like (Ezekiel 21:14) 'sharpened and also polished' (huchada ugam murata):
Malbim
And the "pots" that are the "basins" mentioned above in verse 40, "which Huram made" — this refers to Huram the First, the father of this Huram; and in Chronicles it is stated explicitly: "which Huram his father made." And these were of burnished copper, which was very precious. This craft was known only to Huram the First, as it is stated in II Chronicles (2:13) that he knew how to work in gold and silver, etc. But the second [Huram] knew only plain copper work, not how to burnish it into burnished copper. And in Chronicles it is written: "burnished copper."
In the plain of the Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan.
verse value 2376
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 42 letters. Verse gematria: 2376 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "between" (בֵּ֥ין, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·Jordan" (הַיַּרְדֵּן֙, 5 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "in·plain·of" (בְּכִכַּ֤ר), "he·cast·them" (יְצָקָ֣ם), "in·thickness·of" (בְּמַעֲבֵ֖ה). The root בין appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "between" (root בין, 107x in I Kings). First appearance of the root ככר ("in·plain·of") in I Kings. First appearance of the root אדמה ("ground") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'ground', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: בְּכִכַּ֤ר [in·plain·of] (242) + הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ [the·Jordan] (269) + יְצָקָ֣ם [he·cast·them] (240) + הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ [king] (95) + בְּמַעֲבֵ֖ה [in·thickness·of] (119) + הָאֲדָמָ֑ה [ground] (55) + בֵּ֥ין [between] (62) + סֻכּ֖וֹת [Succoth] (486) + וּבֵ֥ין [and·between] (68) + צָרְתָֽן [Zarethan] (740) = 2376.
Rashi
He poured them out. He melted them down and cast them into their mold:
"in the thickness of the ground." (Targum:) "in the thickness of the girgashta [clay-ground]."
Radak
“In the plain of the Jordan.” As its Targum renders it: “In the plains of the Jordan.”
“With the thickness of the earth.” Its Targum is: “With the thickness of the girgashta,” and the girgashta is the good soil from which the molds are made for pouring [molten metal] into them; and in the plain of the Jordan there was a place for pouring into them.
“Between Succoth and Zarethan.” In Chronicles it is written “Tzeredathah,” and it had two names. That earth was good for smelting, and in the thickness of that soil he engraved the molds of the vessels and cast them there, for it is not feasible to make crucibles for such large vessels except by melting them in the thickness of the earth.
Ralbag
“On the plain of the Jordan.” This means: on the level plain of the Jordan.
"From the thickness of the earth." This means that he dug into the thickness of the earth in the shape of molds, in order to cast all these vessels, for due to their great size it was not feasible to fashion them by making molds into which they would be cast, other than by this method.
Metzudat David
In the thickness of the earth. In the thickness of the earth, he dug the forms of those vessels; and he poured into them the bronze after smelting.
Metzudat Zion
Bekekhar. On the plain:
Malbim
"By the Jordan Valley": Because of the great cost of the polished bronze, the King was concerned with the business and supervised their casting, and he chose a place for this in the Jordan Valley, where the earth was thick and suitable for this work. This is unlike the Sea and the bases, which were made of plain bronze; their work was done in Jerusalem itself (for reason dictates that they did not transport the Sea such a great distance, as that would be an immense burden).
Cross-references: Deuteronomy 34:3; II Chronicles 4:17
And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceeding many; the weight of the brass could not be found out.
verse value 2959
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 41 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·the·vessels" (אֶת־כׇּל־הַכֵּלִ֔ים, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 45: very, very. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "all·the·vessels" (אֶת־כׇּל־הַכֵּלִ֔ים), "was·searched·out" (נֶחְקַ֖ר). The root מאד appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Solomon" (root שלמה, 162x in I Kings); "not" (root לא, 90x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'very', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיַּנַּ֤ח [and·he·deposited] (74) + שְׁלֹמֹה֙ [Solomon] (375) + אֶת־כׇּל־הַכֵּלִ֔ים [all·the·vessels] (556) + מֵרֹ֖ב [because·of·abundance] (242) + מְאֹ֣ד [very] (45) + מְאֹ֑ד [very] (45) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + נֶחְקַ֖ר [was·searched·out] (358) + מִשְׁקַ֥ל [heaviness] (470) + הַנְּחֹֽשֶׁת [copper] (763) = 2959.
Rashi
"And Solomon rested." From the weighing of the weight of these vessels, which was exceedingly great, he ceased to count their weight.
Radak
“And Solomon left them.” He ceased from weighing them; since they were exceedingly numerous, their weight was not investigated, and he left them as they had been made, and their weight was not known. And the Targum translated it as “Solomon concealed them,” meaning that he brought them from the place where they were cast and placed them in the Temple in their designated spots, and because there were so many vessels, their weight was not investigated.
Ralbag
"And Solomon left all the vessels." This means that due to their great weight, Solomon ceased from investigating their weight, how much it was.
Metzudat David
And Solomon left , etc. He left weighing them, because they were very, very many; and it was not investigated to know the weight of the bronze. And a repetition of the matter in different words for additional explanation.
Malbim
And he laid them up [va-yanach]. In Chronicles [it says] "and Solomon made," meaning that he made them far more than was necessary, merely so that they would be stored in the Temple treasury, ready for use when needed in the future.
And Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of Hashem: the golden altar, and the table whereupon the showbread was, of gold;
verse value 4427
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 63 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֖ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·table" (וְאֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָ֗ן, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 501: that, that. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·the·table" (וְאֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָ֗ן), "face" (הַפָּנִ֖ים). The root אשר appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 254x in I Kings); "house·of" (root בית, 191x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 9 words.
Radak
"And the table." This is a general term, similar to the expression "I had an ox and a donkey," for Solomon made ten tables, as it is written in Chronicles: "And he made ten tables," and it says: "And the tables, and upon them the showbread."
Ralbag
"And Solomon made all the vessels for the House of the Lord." This means: those that were in the House of the Lord.
“The golden altar” – this is the altar of incense that was in the Holy Place.
“And the table that was upon it the showbread, of gold.” It has already been explained in the Book of Chronicles that Solomon made ten tables and placed them in the Temple, five on the right and five on the left, so that some of the tables were toward the north side and some toward the south side. For it has already been explained from the words of the Torah that the place of the table was in the north, and the menorah was in the south. But the intention here is that toward the north side, the tables were placed in two rows, one row to the right of the other. And likewise, it is fitting that we understand this regarding the bases. And he did not mention the making of the tables and the menorahs, because they had already been made in the manner mentioned in the Torah.
Metzudat David
That were the house of the Lord. Meaning: that were for the house of the Lord.
And the table. Meaning: the group of tables; for he made ten tables, as is said in Chronicles (II 4:8).
Gold. Referring to the table.
Malbim
"Which [is] in the House of the Lord": the vessels required for the House itself, not for the use of Temple service. And regarding the table, it is explained in Chronicles that there were ten tables, and since the main one was the single table that was obligatory by the commandment, the singular form was used. And our Sages of blessed memory (in Menachot, page 96) disputed whether the showbread [lechem hapanim] was placed on all the tables.
Cross-references: Ezekiel 41:22; II Chronicles 4:19
and the candlesticks, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the Sanctuary, of pure gold; and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold;
verse value 4264
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 64 letters. Verse gematria: 4264 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "five" (חָמֵ֨שׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·candlesticks" (וְאֶת־הַ֠מְּנֹר֠וֹת, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 14: gold, gold. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·the·candlesticks" (וְאֶת־הַ֠מְּנֹר֠וֹת), "from·the·left" (מִשְּׂמֹ֛אול), "and·the·flower" (וְהַפֶּ֧רַח). The root חמש appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·face·of" (root פנים, 95x in I Kings); "gold" (root זהב, 44x in I Kings); "five" (root חמש, 29x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'pure', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְאֶת־הַ֠מְּנֹר֠וֹת [and·the·candlesticks] (1108) + חָמֵ֨שׁ [five] (348) + מִיָּמִ֜ין [from·right] (150) + וְחָמֵ֧שׁ [and·five] (354) + מִשְּׂמֹ֛אול [from·the·left] (417) + לִפְנֵ֥י [to·face·of] (170) + הַדְּבִ֖יר [the·Sanctuary] (221) + זָהָ֣ב [gold] (14) + סָג֑וּר [pure] (269) + וְהַפֶּ֧רַח [and·the·flower] (299) + וְהַנֵּרֹ֛ת [and·the·lamps] (661) + וְהַמֶּלְקַחַ֖יִם [and·the·tongs] (239) + זָהָֽב [gold] (14) = 4264.
Rashi
Five on the right and five on the left. It is impossible to say that five are on the right of the entrance and five on the left of the entrance, for then we would have the menorah in the north, whereas the Torah stated (Numbers 3:29): “On the south side of the Tabernacle.” Rather, Moses’ lamp was in the center, five to its right, and five to its left.
And the flower. Of the menorah:
"And the lamps." In the vessels into which they put the oil and the wick.
"And the tongs." [These are the implements] with which they lift the wick out of the oil.
Radak
“Five on the right and five on the left.” Explanation: On the right of Moses’ menorah he placed five menorahs, and on the left of Moses’ menorah [he placed five]. However, all the menorahs were also in the south, and likewise all the tables were in the north. And it is stated in Chronicles regarding the tables that he placed five on the right and five on the left, and its meaning is as with the menorah: five on the right of Moses’ table and five on his left. And they would kindle all the menorahs, and they would arrange [the showbread] on all the tables. And even though there is a dispute concerning this matter in the words of our Sages of blessed memory, what is evident from the verses is thus.
And the flower. The flowers of the menorah, as it is written regarding the Menorah of Moses: "a knob and a flower." Likewise, the seven lamps in each menorah, as in the Menorah of Moses. And likewise, the tongs.
Ralbag
"Before the inner sanctuary, of fine gold." Now, since the tables were also before the inner sanctuary, and this [detail] is mentioned only regarding the menorahs, we know that the menorahs were closer to the Holy of Holies than the tables, and they were opposite the Ark, for they were "before the Lord," as has been elucidated from the words of the Torah. And what is meant by "and the flower, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold" is not that the rest were not also gold, but rather that the intention is that from its flower, which was at the end of its stem, up to the lamps, which were at the other end of the menorah, all of this was gold. Likewise, the tongs were gold, as delimited in the Torah. And so it states in the Torah: "From its stem to its flower, of pure gold."
"Gold, sealed." This means pure and refined, and it is likened to the process of refining it by sealing it within the crucible in the fire along with other substances, which draw out its dross through the smoke; therefore, it is called "sealed."
Metzudat David
Five to the right. Meaning: to the right of Moses' lampstand. But he placed them all in the south; for the Torah said of it (Exodus 26:35): 'On the side of the tabernacle to the south.'
Before the inner sanctuary. For they stood in the Great Hall.
Metzudat Zion
Uhaparach. The cluster of the lampstand's blossoms:
Uhanerot. Made like cups, in which the oil and wicks are placed:
Uhamalkachim. Tongs by which the wicks are taken to draw them out and place them where they belong:
Malbim
And regarding the menorahs, the menorah of Moses was in the middle, and five menorahs of Solomon were to its right and five to its left. And it can be explained that what is said, "five to the right," also refers to the table, meaning that both the table and the menorahs had five to the right and five to the left — that is, to the right and left of the table and menorah of Moses. Nevertheless, the tables were in the north and the menorahs in the south. As for the flower of the menorah: since the law is that if the menorah is not made of gold it does not require cups, knobs, and flowers, as stated in Menachot (page 28), and since it was made of gold, there was a flower there. However, regarding what is stated about the lamps, there is a dispute in Menachot (page 88), and according to the opinion that the lamps were included in the talent [of gold], I do not know why he mentioned the lamps [separately]. And regarding the tongs, there is a novel point, even though they were not included in the talent according to all opinions.
and the cups, and the snuffers, and the basins, and the pans, and the fire-pans, of pure gold; and the hinges, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, that is, of the temple, of gold.
verse value 7962
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 91 letters. The shortest word is "gold" (זָהָ֣ב, 3 letters) and the longest is "snuffers" (וְהַֽמְזַמְּר֧וֹת, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 417: the·house, the·house. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·the·cups" (וְ֠הַסִּפּ֠וֹת), "snuffers" (וְהַֽמְזַמְּר֧וֹת), "and·the·basins" (וְהַמִּזְרָק֛וֹת). The root זהב appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·house" (root בית, 191x in I Kings); "gold" (root זהב, 44x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'pure', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 10 words.
Rashi
"And the basins." It is a vessel of the pruning/trimming kind, and so too the snuffers.
And the sprinkling bowls: to receive the blood.
"And the ladles." [They are] for the bowls of frankincense.
And the censers. To scoop up with them the heave-offering of the ashes and coals, to carry them from the outer altar to the inner altar, to burn the incense.
"And the hinge sockets." [They mean] keys, for I have heard that they unlock the lock with them.
"To the doors of the house." This refers to the Holy of Holies.
"To the doors of the house." This refers to the Great Hall (Heichal); all their hinges were of gold.
Radak
"And the basins." They are utensils made in the manner of the badim, and it is possible that they are those referred to in the words of our Sages of blessed memory as kiton, kitonot. The Targum of Jonathan [renders them] as qoliya, and Onkelos translates "and her jug (kadah) was on her shoulder" [Genesis 24:15] as "ve-qulata."
"And the snuffers." [These are] instruments with which one trims [the wicks].
"And the hinges for the doors of the house." The Targum of Jonathan [renders it] "u-moglasaya," that is, the hinges of the doors. And he says that the hinges of the doors of the inner house, which is the Holy of Holies, and the hinges of the doors of the Sanctuary were made of gold. But the doors themselves were of wood overlaid with gold, as it is written above. And the Sanctuary that is mentioned here refers to the house that was previously mentioned, for it says "for the doors of the house." The meaning of "for the doors" is that they belonged to the Sanctuary, for it is called "the house" in a general sense among those chambers. For it is not written "and for the Sanctuary" with a vav, but rather "for the Sanctuary" without a vav. And the manuscripts that contain a vav are in error.
Ralbag
And the casks. They are like wine jars, made for putting wine in them:
"And the musical instruments." These are musical instruments made of gold, and it is possible that the basins were also other kinds of musical instruments.
And the basins. They were to receive the blood, and I hold that they were used for the blood of the sacred offerings which was brought into the Holy Place.
And the ladles. They are for placing in them a full handful of frankincense, to burn as incense.
And the censers: They were used to carry coals from the outer altar to the golden altar.
"And the sockets for the doors of the house." This means that the part into which the hinge of the door enters, which is attached to the door, this was made of gold in the Holy of Holies and in the Holy Place.
Metzudat David
The inner house. And for additional explanation, he repeated and said 'to the holy of holies.' And so for the doors of the house, he repeated for additional explanation and said 'to the Great Hall.'
Gold. Referring to the hinge sockets; for they were of gold.
Metzudat Zion
Uhasapot. Vessels like jars; for Jonathan translates: kolin; likewise (Genesis 24:15) 'and her jar was upon her shoulder' (u'kdeha al shicha); Onkelos translates: v'kolata:
Uhamezamrot. A tool for snuffing/trimming [the wicks]:
Uhakapot. The cups in which the frankincense is [placed]:
Uhamachatot. Vessels for scooping the fire with them onto the incense:
Uhapotot. They are those made to hold the door hinges, to turn them this way and that; and in the Mishnah (Kelim, ch. 11, m. 2): 'the socket (hapota) beneath the hinge':
Malbim
And regarding "ha-sifot" [the basins], see Rashi. And "ha-potot," some interpret as the hinges of the doors, as is so in the language of the Mishnah.
Thus all the work that king Solomon wrought in the house of Hashem was finished. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated, the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, and put them in the treasuries of the house of Hashem.
verse value 7094
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 92 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֥ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·the·occupation" (כׇּל־הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 412: house·of, house·of. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·it·was·finished" (וַתִּשְׁלַם֙), "all·the·occupation" (כׇּל־הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה), "and·the·gold" (וְאֶת־הַזָּהָב֙). The root שלמה appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 254x in I Kings). First appearance of the root כסף ("the·silver") in I Kings. First appearance of the root אוצר ("in·the·treasuries·of") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 12 words.
Rashi
"His father David's holy things." This refers to what remained of the silver and gold that his father had consecrated. And [there is] a Midrash Aggadah (Yalkut Shimoni, Remez 186): that Solomon did not wish to use that consecrated property for the building of the Temple. And I heard from the sages of Israel who used to say: because he knew that its end was to be destroyed, so that the idol-worshippers would not say, "Severe is their dread [of God]!" — [meaning] that they took their vengeance from the House, which was built from the robbery and plunder that David had taken from them. And some say: thus Solomon said, "There was a famine in the days of my father for three years, one year after another, and he should have spent these consecrated funds, to sustain the poor of Israel with them."
Radak
"And Solomon came." What his father had consecrated, he gave from it for the building of the Temple, in honor of his father, for he did not need that consecrated property, since he had much silver, gold, and bronze. But in honor of David his father, he gave from it for the work of the Temple, and the remainder he placed in the treasuries of the House of the Lord. And its interpretation is: "and all the vessels, the vessels of gold, the vessels of silver, and the vessels of bronze" that David took from Hadadezer and the other nations, as it is written above. And in the midrashic interpretation that Solomon did not give any of his father David's consecrated items for the work of the Temple, some say that because Solomon knew that its end was to be destroyed, he did not want the nations of the world to say that because the building of the Temple was from plunder and robbery that David had robbed, therefore it was destroyed. And some say that Solomon said: There was famine in the days of my father for three years, one year after another, and it was necessary to spend these consecrated items to sustain the poor of Israel; let them be kept for a time of need.
Ralbag
“And all the work that King Solomon had done in the House of the Lord was completed.” From this passage we learn that Solomon built this great house from his own resources. However, his father David had consecrated [funds] to the House of the Lord, placing them in the treasuries of the House of the Lord. It appears that for this reason Solomon did not begin the construction immediately upon his accession to the throne, but rather began the building in the fourth year, as stated. This was so that he might build it from his own means, and not from the funds that his father David had consecrated to the Lord. This seems to have been divinely ordained, just as God did not wish for David to build it because he had shed much blood; so too, God did not approve of it being built from the spoils that David had gathered from the nations in warfare. Rather, Solomon, who was a man of peace, and whose wealth had been gathered during a time of peace, was chosen by God, blessed be He, to build the Temple with the funds he had accumulated during a period of peace.
Metzudat David
The holy things. What his father David dedicated, etc. For all the building and its vessels Solomon made from his own, from what he gathered himself [except for the bronze vessels, which he made from what his father took from the cities of Hadadezer, as is said in Chronicles I 18].
Gave. Like 'and gave.' Meaning: that he brought his father's holy things, and gave them into the treasuries made in the house of the Lord.
Malbim
And it was completed. And on this basis, "And he brought the holy things of David his father," for he did not need them.
Rashi
Radak
Metzudat David
Malbim