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4 He made a bronze altar ·thirty feet [L twenty cubits] long, ·thirty feet [L twenty cubits] wide, and ·fifteen feet [L ten cubits] tall. 2 Then he made from ·bronze [cast metal] a large round ·bowl [basin], which was called the Sea [C symbol of chaos subdued; 1 Kin. 7:23]. It was ·forty-five feet [L thirty cubits] ·around [in circumference], ·fifteen feet [L ten cubits] ·across [from rim to rim], and ·seven and one-half feet [L five cubits] ·deep [high]. 3 There were ·carvings [figures; images] of ·bulls [oxen] under the rim of the bowl—ten ·bulls [oxen] every ·eighteen inches [L cubit]. They were in two rows and were ·made [cast] in one piece with the bowl.
4 The bowl rested on the backs of twelve bronze ·bulls [oxen] ·that faced outward from the center of the bowl [L all their hindquarters were toward the inside]. Three ·bulls [oxen] faced north, three faced west, three faced south, and three faced east. 5 The sides of the bowl were ·four inches [four fingers; L a handbreadth] thick, and it held ·about seventeen thousand five hundred gallons [L three thousand baths]. The rim of the bowl was like the rim of a cup ·or like [and resembled] a lily blossom.
6 He made ten ·smaller bowls [basins] and put five on the ·south [L right] side and five on the ·north [L left]. They were for ·washing [rinsing] the ·animals [or utensils; L things] for the burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17], but the ·large bowl [L Sea; v. 2] was for the priests to wash in.
7 He ·made [cast] ten lampstands of gold, ·following the plans [according to the specifications]. He put them in the Temple, five on the ·south [L right] side and five on the ·north [L left].
8 He made ten tables and put them in the Temple, five on the ·south [L right] side and five on the ·north [L left]. And he used gold to ·make [mold] a hundred other ·bowls [basins].
9 He also made the priests’ courtyard and the large courtyard. He made the doors that opened to the courtyard and ·covered [overlaid] them with bronze. 10 Then he put the large ·bowl [basin; C the Sea] on the right side toward the southeast corner.
11 Huram also made ·bowls [pots; pails; washbasins], shovels, and ·small [or sprinkling] bowls. So he finished his work for King Solomon on the ·Temple [L house] of God:
12 two pillars;
two ·large bowls for the [bowl-shaped] capitals on top of the pillars;
two ·nets [networks of interwoven chains] to cover the two ·large bowls for the [bowl-shaped] capitals on top of the pillars;
13 four hundred pomegranates for the ·two nets [chains] (there were two rows of pomegranates for each ·net [chain] covering the ·bowls for the [bowl-shaped] capitals on top of the pillars);
14 the ·stands [water carts] with a ·bowl [basin] on each stand;
15 the large ·bowl [basin] with twelve ·bulls [oxen] under it;
16 the ·pots [pails; ash buckets], shovels, ·forks [meat hooks], and all the ·things to go with them [related articles/utensils].
All the things that Huram-Abi made for King Solomon for the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord were made of ·polished [burnished] bronze. 17 The king had these things ·poured [cast] into clay molds that were made in the plain of the Jordan River between Succoth and Zarethan. 18 Solomon had so many things made that the total weight of all the bronze ·was never known [could not be/was not calculated].
19 Solomon also made all the ·things [furnishings] for God’s ·Temple [L house]: the golden altar; tables which held the bread ·that shows God’s people are in his presence [L of Presence; Ex. 25:23–30]; 20 the lampstands and their lamps of ·pure [solid] gold, to burn in front of the ·Most Holy Place [inner sanctuary] as ·planned [prescribed; specified]; 21 the flowers, lamps, and tongs of pure gold; 22 the pure gold ·wick trimmers [lamp snuffers], small bowls, pans, and dishes ·used to carry coals [and incense burners/censers], the gold doors for the ·Temple [L house], and the inside doors of the ·Most Holy Place [T Holy of Holies] and of the ·main room [main hall; nave].
5 Finally all the work Solomon did for the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord was finished. He brought in everything his father David had ·set apart [dedicated] for the ·Temple [L house]—all the silver and gold and other ·articles [utensils]. And he ·put [stored] everything in the treasuries of God’s ·Temple [L house].
The Ark Is Brought into the Temple(A)
2 Solomon ·called for [summoned; assembled; convened] the elders of Israel, the heads of the tribes, and the ·leaders [chiefs] of the ·families [clans] to come to him in Jerusalem. He wanted them to bring the Ark of the ·Agreement [Covenant; Treaty; L Testimony] with the Lord from ·the older part of the city [L the city of David, that is, Zion]. 3 So all the Israelites came together with the king during the festival in the seventh month [C the Festival of Shelters or Tabernacles or Booths held in early autumn].
4 When all the ·elders [men] of Israel arrived, the Levites ·lifted [picked; took] up the Ark. 5 They ·carried [brought up] the ·Ark of the Agreement [L ark; Ex. 25:10], the ·Meeting Tent [Tabernacle], and the ·holy utensils [sacred furnishings] in it; the ·priests and the Levites [Levitical priests] brought them up. 6 King Solomon and all the ·Israelites [L congregation/community of Israel] gathered before the ·Ark of the Agreement [L ark] and sacrificed so many sheep and ·bulls [oxen] no one could count or record them.
7 Then the priests put the Ark of the ·Agreement [covenant; treaty; L Testimony] with the Lord in its place inside the inner sanctuary of the ·Temple [L house], the ·Most Holy Place [T Holy of Holies], under the wings of the ·golden creatures [L cherubim]. 8 The wings of ·these creatures [L cherubim] were spread out over the place for the Ark, ·covering [forming a canopy over] it and its carrying poles. 9 The carrying poles were so long that anyone standing in the ·Holy Place [inner sanctuary] in front of the ·Most Holy Place [T Holy of Holies] could see the ends of the poles. But no one could see them from outside the Holy Place. The poles are still there today. 10 The only things inside the Ark were two stone tablets [C inscribed with the Ten Commandments] that Moses had put in the Ark at ·Mount Sinai [L Horeb]. That was where the Lord made his ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.
11 Then all the priests ·left [came out of; withdrew from] the Holy Place. (All the priests ·from each group [regardless of their divisions/orders; or whether they were serving that day or not] had ·made themselves ready to serve the Lord [consecrated/purified/sanctified themselves].) 12 All the Levite ·musicians [singers]—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun [C all associated with certain psalms; see titles of Ps. 50, 73–83 (Asaph), 88 (Heman), 39, 62, 77 (Jeduthun)], and all their sons and ·relatives [kinsmen; L brothers]—stood on the east side of the altar. They were dressed in ·white [fine] linen and played cymbals, harps, and lyres. ·With [Accompanying] them were one hundred twenty priests who blew trumpets. 13 Those who blew the trumpets and those who sang ·together sounded like one person [performed in unison] as they praised and thanked the Lord. They sang ·as others played their [accompanied by] trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments. They praised the Lord with this song:
“He is good;
his ·love [unfailing love; lovingkindness; loyalty] ·continues [endures] forever [Ps. 136:1].”
Then the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord was filled with a cloud. 14 The priests could not continue their ·work [service] because of the cloud, because the Lord’s ·glory [splendor] filled the ·Temple [L house] of God.
Solomon Speaks to the People
6 Then Solomon said, “The Lord said he would live in the ·dark cloud [thick cloud; thick cloud of darkness]. 2 Lord, I have built a ·wonderful [magnificent; glorious; lofty] ·Temple [L house] for you—a place for you to ·live [dwell] forever.”
3 While all the ·Israelites [L community of Israel] were standing there, King Solomon turned to them and blessed them. 4 Then he said, “·Praise [Bless] the Lord, the God of Israel. He has ·done [L fulfilled with his hand] what he ·promised [spoke] to my father David [2 Sam. 7:1–16]. The Lord said, 5 ‘Since the ·time [L day] I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel where a ·Temple [L house] will be built for ·me [L my name to be there]. I did not choose a man to ·lead [rule] my people Israel. 6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem ·as the place I am to be worshiped [L for my name to be], and I have chosen David to ·lead [rule] my people Israel.’
7 “My father David wanted to build a ·Temple [L house] for ·the [L the name of the] Lord, the God of Israel. 8 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘·It was good that you [You did well to have] wanted to build a ·Temple [L house] for me. 9 But you are not the one to build it. Your son, who ·comes from your own body [will be born to you], is the one who will build ·my Temple [L the house for my name].’
10 “Now the Lord has ·kept his promise [L established the word he spoke]. I am the king now in place of David my father. Now I ·rule [L sit on the throne of] Israel as the Lord promised, and I have built the ·Temple [L house] for ·the [L the name of the] Lord, the God of Israel. 11 There I have put the Ark, in which is the ·Agreement [covenant; treaty] the Lord made with the ·Israelites [people of Israel].”
An Example from Marriage
7 Brothers and sisters, all of you understand the ·law of Moses [L law]. So surely you know that the law ·rules [has authority] over people only while they are alive. 2 For example, a ·woman must stay married [L married woman is bound by law] to her husband as long as he is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from the law of marriage. 3 But if she ·marries [or lives with] another man while her husband is still alive, ·the law says she is guilty of adultery [L she will be called/labeled an adulteress]. But if her husband dies, she is free from the ·law of marriage [L law]. Then if she marries another man, she is not ·guilty of adultery [L an adulteress].
4 In the same way, my brothers and sisters, ·your old selves died, and you became free from the law [L you died to the law] through the body of Christ. This happened so that you might belong to someone else—the One who was raised from the dead—and so that we might ·be used in service to [L bear fruit for] God. 5 [L For] When we were ·ruled by [controlled by; living in; L in] ·our sinful selves [our sinful nature; T the flesh], sinful ·desires [passions] stirred up by the law were at work ·in our bodies [or within us; L in our members/parts], so the things we did ·were bringing us [L produced fruit leading to] death. 6 But now we have been freed from the law, since we have died to that which ·held us like prisoners [controlled us; L held us]. So now we serve God in a new way ·with [by means of; in the power of] the Spirit, and not in the old way ·with written rules [or of the written law; L of the letter].
Our Fight Against Sin
7 ·You might think I am saying that sin and the law are the same thing [L What, then, shall we say? Is the law sin?]. ·That is not true [Absolutely not!; May it never be!; 6:15]. But the law was the only way I could learn what sin meant. I would never have known what it means to ·want to take something belonging to someone else [selfishly desire; covet] if the law had not said, “You must not ·want to take your neighbor’s things [selfishly desire; covet; Ex. 20:17; Deut. 5:21].” 8 And sin ·found a way [seized the occasion/opportunity] to use that command and ·cause me to want all kinds of things I should not want [L produce in me all kinds of desires/coveting]. But without the law, sin ·has no power [L is dead]. 9 I was alive ·before I knew [or before I recognized the demands of; L apart from] the law [C Paul thought he was righteous; see Phil. 3:6]. But when the law’s command ·came to me [or came to my attention; L came], then sin ·began to live [sprang to life], and I died [C the law revealed Paul’s sinfulness and confirmed he was spiritually dead]. 10 The command was meant to bring life, but for me it brought death. 11 Sin ·found a way [seized the occasion/opportunity; v. 8] to ·fool [deceive] me by using the command to make me die.
12 So the law is holy, and the command is holy and ·right [righteous] and good. 13 Does this mean that something that is good ·brought [or became] death to me? No [Absolutely not; May it never be; v. 7]! Sin used something that is good to bring death to me. This happened so that ·I could see what sin is really like [L sin might be shown as sin]; the command was used to show that sin is ·very evil [exceedingly/terribly sinful].
A Prayer for Protection
A prayer of David.
17 Lord, hear ·me begging for fairness [a just cause];
·listen [pay attention] to my cry for help.
·Pay attention [Bend your ear] to my prayer,
because ·I speak the truth [L my lips are not deceitful].
2 ·You will judge that I am right [L My judgment/vindication will come from before you];
your eyes can see what is ·true [virtuous].
3 You have examined my heart;
you have ·tested me all [or visited me at] night.
You ·questioned [tested] me without finding anything wrong;
·I have not sinned with my mouth [L my mouth has not transgressed].
4 ·I have obeyed your commands [L As for the deeds of people, by the word of your lips],
·so I have not done what evil people do [I have kept away from the ways of the violent].
5 ·I have done what you told me [L My steps have held fast to your paths];
·I have not failed [L My feet have not slipped].
6 I call to you,
·and [L for] you answer me, O God.
·Listen [L Extend your ear] to me now,
and hear what I say.
7 Your ·love [loyalty; covenant love] is wonderful.
·By your power [L At your right hand] you save those who ·trust [find their refuge in] you
from ·their enemies [those who rise up against them].
8 Protect me as ·you would protect your own [or the apple/L pupil of your] eye.
Hide me under the shadow of your wings.
9 Keep me from the wicked who ·attack [mistreat] me,
from my enemies who surround me.
10 They ·are selfish [close their callous hearts]
and ·brag about themselves [L their mouths speak proudly].
11 They have ·chased [tracked] me until they have surrounded me.
They ·plan [L set their eyes] to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like lions ready to ·kill [tear up prey];
like lions, they sit in ·hiding [ambush; cover].
13 Lord, rise up, ·face [confront] the enemy, and ·throw them down [subdue them].
·Save [Rescue; T Deliver] me from the wicked with your sword.
14 Lord, save me by your ·power [L hand] from mortals,
from mortals whose ·reward [portion] in the world is in this life.
·They have plenty of food [L Your stores have filled their bellies].
·They have many sons [or Their sons have plenty]
and leave ·much money [L their surplus] to their children.
15 ·Because I have lived right [In righteousness], I will see your face.
When I wake up, I will see your likeness and be satisfied.
22 People ·want [desire] others to be loyal,
so it is better to be poor than to be a liar.
23 Those who ·respect [fear] the Lord will live
and be satisfied, ·unbothered by trouble [sleep well and not experience harm].
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.