וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ בָּנָה שְׁלֹמֹה שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וַיְכַל אֶת־כָּל־בֵּיתוֹ

And his house, his royal palace, Solomon built for thirteen years, and he completed his entire house. Although his grand palace was smaller than the Temple, its construction took longer. Solomon was eager to accelerate the construction of the House of God, whereas he built his own house at a more leisured pace.

וַיִּבֶן אֶת־בֵּית יַעַר הַלְּבָנוֹן מֵאָה אַמָּה אָרְכּוֹ וַחֲמִשִּׁים אַמָּה רָחְבּוֹ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אַמָּה קוֹמָתוֹ עַל אַרְבָּעָה טוּרֵי עַמּוּדֵי אֲרָזִים וּכְרֻתוֹת אֲרָזִים עַל־הָעַמּוּדִים

The chapter provides a detailed description of the house of Solomon: He built the House of the Forest of the Lebanon:One hundred cubits was its length, fifty cubits its width, and thirty cubits its height. The house was built on the foundation of four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar planks cut to precise length over the pillars. The beams served as a kind of external wall that was attached to the pillars from the side. Alternatively, these beams were placed on top of the pillars to provide additional structural support for the ceiling.

וְסָפֻן באֶרֶז מִמַּעַל עַל־הַצְּלָעֹת אֲשֶׁר עַל־הָעַמּוּדִים אַרְבָּעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר הַטּוּר

It, the house, was roofed with cedar boards above, on the forty-five beams that were on the pillars, fifteen per row. In other words, the boards of cedarwood covered the precisely cut cedar beams, which were placed on top of the pillars. There were forty-five boards in total, fifteen per row. The four rows of pillars divided the house into three parts, each of which was covered by fifteen boards.

וּשְׁקֻפִים שְׁלֹשָׁה טוּרִים וּמֶחֱזָה אֶל־מֶחֱזָה שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים

There were windows in three rows. These windows allowed sunlight to enter, and were also positioned as three ascending rows on both sides of the house, aperture opposite aperture, each window opposite another, three times, in each of the three rows.

וְכָל־הַפְּתָחִים וְהַמְּזוּזֹת רְבֻעִים שָׁקֶף וּמוּל מֶחֱזָה אֶל־מֶחֱזָה שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים

All the openings of the house and doorposts at their sides were four-sided frames, rather than dome-shaped, with a window. Alternatively, the verse means that the windows on top of the doors were square. Aperture was opposite aperture three times, in the three sections between the rows of the pillars.

וְאֵת אוּלָם הָעַמּוּדִים עָשָׂה חֲמִשִּׁים אַמָּה אָרְכּוֹ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אַמָּה רָחְבּוֹ וְאוּלָם עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם וְעַמֻּדִים וְעָב עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם

He made the entrance hall of colonnade: Fifty cubits was its length and thirty cubits its width; and a hall was before them, before the aforementioned pillars, and there were pillars for this hall as well, and thick beams were placed upon them.

וְאוּלָם הַכִּסֵּא אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁפָּט־שָׁם אֻלָם הַמִּשְׁפָּט עָשָׂה וְסָפוּן בָּאֶרֶז מֵהַקַּרְקַע עַד־הַקַּרְקָע

In addition to the entrance hall, he made the hall of the throne where he, as king, would judge the people, which was the hall of judgment; it was entirely covered with cedar from one side of the floor to the other side of the floor.

וּבֵיתוֹ אֲשֶׁר־יֵשֶׁב שָׁם חָצֵר הָאַחֶרֶת מִבֵּית לָאוּלָם כַּמַּעֲשֶׂה הַזֶּה הָיָה וּבַיִת יַעֲשֶׂה לְבַת־פַּרְעֹה אֲשֶׁר לָקַח שְׁלֹמֹה כָּאוּלָם הַזֶּה

His private house where he would live was built in another courtyard, within the hall, farther inward, and it was of the same construction as the rest of the palace. He would also make a special house within the palace solely for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom Solomon had married, and the house was like this hall. Although she was not his first wife, Solomon’s marriage to Pharaoh’s daughter was politically significant. Therefore, he designated a separate, glorious structure especially for her.

כָּל־אֵלֶּה אֲבָנִים יְקָרֹת כְּמִדּוֹת גָּזִית מְגֹרָרוֹת בַּמְּגֵרָה מִבַּיִת וּמִחוּץ וּמִמַּסַּד עַד־הַטְּפָחוֹת ומִחוּץ עַד־הֶחָצֵר הַגְּדוֹלָה

All these were built of heavy stones, like the customary measures of hewn stones, sawed precisely with saws from within and from without, and from the foundation to the ceiling, and from without, from outside the houses, until the great courtyard.

וּמְיֻסָּד אֲבָנִים יְקָרוֹת אֲבָנִים גְּדֹלוֹת אַבְנֵי עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת וְאַבְנֵי שְׁמֹנֶה אַמּוֹת

The foundation was of heavy stones, large stones. The lower stones at the foundation were large and heavy, stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits, each 4–5 m long.

וּמִלְמַעְלָה אֲבָנִים יְקָרוֹת כְּמִדּוֹת גָּזִית ואָרֶז

Above were placed heavy stones, like the measure of hewn stones, and also cedarwood.

וְחָצֵר הַגְּדוֹלָה סָבִיב שְׁלֹשָׁה טוּרִים גָּזִית וְטוּר כְּרֻתֹת אֲרָזִים וְלַחֲצַר בֵּית־ה' הַפְּנִימִית וּלְאֻלָם הַבָּיִת

The great courtyard around was of three rows of hewn stone and a row of cedar planks; it was built like the inner courtyard of the House of the Lord and the Hall of the House. Despite certain differences in the details, the architecture of the inner courtyard of the Temple, the Hall of the House, and the courtyard of Solomon’s palace was overall the same: Solomon’s house also contained an inner personal space, beyond which was a room of judgment, and then an entry room for guests.

וַיִּשְׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה וַיִּקַּח אֶת־חִירָם מִצֹּר

King Solomon sent and took Hiram from Tyre. This was not King Hiram of Tyre (see chap. 5), but an artisan of the same name.

בֶּן־אִשָּׁה אַלְמָנָה הוּא מִמַּטֵּה נַפְתָּלִי וְאָבִיו אִישׁ־צֹרִי חֹרֵשׁ נְחֹשֶׁת וַיִּמָּלֵא אֶת־הַחָכְמָה וְאֶת־הַתְּבוּנָה וְאֶת־הַדַּעַת לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּל־מְלָאכָה בַּנְּחֹשֶׁת וַיָּבוֹא אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת־כָּל־מְלַאכְתּוֹ

He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a Tyrian, who lived in the city of Tyre and who was a bronzesmith; he, Hiram, was filled with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, to perform all craftsmanship, especially with bronze. He came to King Solomon and he performed all his craftsmanship. Hiram was Solomon’s head artisan and the architect who fashioned the most complex forms.

וַיָּצַר אֶת־שְׁנֵי הָעַמּוּדִים נְחֹשֶׁת שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה קוֹמַת הָעַמּוּד הָאֶחָד וְחוּט שְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה יָסֹב אֶת־הָעַמּוּד הַשֵּׁנִי

He, Hiram, fashioned the two bronze pillars, designed solely for ornamental purposes; eighteen cubits was the height of the one pillar, and a twelve-cubit string would circle the second pillar. The circumference of each pillar was 12 cubits, which means its diameter was roughly 4 cubits, approximately 2 m.

וּשְׁתֵּי כֹתָרֹת עָשָׂה לָתֵת עַל־רָאשֵׁי הָעַמּוּדִים מֻצַק נְחֹשֶׁת חָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת קוֹמַת הַכֹּתֶרֶת הָאֶחָת וְחָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת קוֹמַת הַכֹּתֶרֶת הַשֵּׁנִית

He made two capitals of cast bronze to place on the tops of the pillars; five cubits was the height of the one capital and five cubits the height of the second capital.

שְׂבָכִים מַעֲשֵׂה שְׂבָכָה גְּדִלִים מַעֲשֵׂה שַׁרְשְׁרוֹת לַכֹּתָרֹת אֲשֶׁר עַל־רֹאשׁ הָעַמּוּדִים שִׁבְעָה לַכֹּתֶרֶת הָאֶחָת וְשִׁבְעָה לַכֹּתֶרֶת הַשֵּׁנִית

He also made screens of meshwork and carved threads of chainwork for the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars, seven for the one capital and seven for the second capital. These chainwork nets and wreaths decorated the capitals of the pillars.

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת־הָעַמּוּדִים וּשְׁנֵי טוּרִים סָבִיב עַל־הַשְּׂבָכָה הָאֶחָת לְכַסּוֹת אֶת־הַכֹּתָרֹת אֲשֶׁר עַל־רֹאשׁ הָרִמֹּנִים וְכֵן עָשָׂה לַכֹּתֶרֶת הַשֵּׁנִית

He made with the pillars two rows of pomegranates all around on each screen, which served to cover the capitals that were at the top of the pillars. Thus, the capitals were adorned with two rows of bronze pomegranates above the screens, and so he did for the other capital.

וְכֹתָרֹת אֲשֶׁר עַל־רֹאשׁ הָעַמּוּדִים מַעֲשֵׂה שׁוּשַׁן בָּאוּלָם אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת

The capitals that were atop the pillars and pointed to the ceiling of the hall were made of lily work,which was four cubits long. The lily work may have been called shushan because it was shaped in the form of the six-petaled white lily [shushan tzaḥor], which served as the symbol of the Israelite monarchy during certain periods.

וְכֹתָרֹת עַל־שְׁנֵי הָעַמּוּדִים גַּם־מִמַּעַל מִלְּעֻמַּת הַבֶּטֶן אֲשֶׁר לְעֵבֶר הַשְּׂבָכָה וְהָרִמּוֹנִים מָאתַיִם טֻרִים סָבִיב עַל הַכֹּתֶרֶת הַשֵּׁנִית

The concealed capitals on the two pillars were also covered from the top, from opposite the protrusion, facing the center, that was at the edge of the screen, and two hundred pomegranates were arranged in two rows around the second capital.

וַיָּקֶם אֶת־הָעַמֻּדִים לְאֻלָם הַהֵיכָל וַיָּקֶם אֶת־הָעַמּוּד הַיְמָנִי וַיִּקְרָא אֶת־שְׁמוֹ יָכִין וַיָּקֶם אֶת־הָעַמּוּד הַשְּׂמָאלִי וַיִּקְרָא אֶת־שְׁמוֹ בֹּעַז

He erected the pillars for the entrance to the Hall of the Sanctuary; he erected the right pillar, and he called its name Yakhin, meaning sturdy, and he erected the left pillar, and he called its name Boaz, derived from the phrase “strength is in it [bo oz].” Alternatively, it was named after Solomon’s great-great-grandfather, Boaz. The towering pillars were so magnificent and impressive that they were each given a name.

וְעַל רֹאשׁ הָעַמּוּדִים מַעֲשֵׂה שׁוֹשָׁן וַתִּתֹּם מְלֶאכֶת הָעַמּוּדִים

Atop the pillars was lily work; and the labor of the pillars was completed. The construction of these pillars was not part of the work of the Temple itself. Rather, Solomon added the pillars of his own accord, in order to enhance the beauty of the Temple. Each of them was a masterful work of art.

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת־הַיָּם מוּצָק עֶשֶׂר בָּאַמָּה מִשְּׂפָתוֹ עַד־שְׂפָתוֹ עָגֹל סָבִיב וְחָמֵשׁ בָּאַמָּה קוֹמָתוֹ וְקָו שְׁלֹשִׁים בָּאַמָּה יָסֹב אֹתוֹ סָבִיב

He made the sea, a large water container, which was cast. Its diameter was ten cubits from brim to brim, circular around, and its height was five cubits; a thirty-cubit measuring line would wrap around it.

וּפְקָעִים מִתַּחַת לִשְׂפָתוֹ סָבִיב סֹבְבִים אֹתוֹ עֶשֶׂר בָּאַמָּה מַקִּפִים אֶת־הַיָּם סָבִיב שְׁנֵי טוּרִים הַפְּקָעִים יְצֻקִים בִּיצֻקָתוֹ

There were decorative bulbs under its brim, ten to a cubit circling around it, surrounding the sea all around; the bulbs were in two rows, cast with its casting. Two rows of rounded knobs were molded together with the sea and lined its brim.

עֹמֵד עַל־שְׁנֵי עָשָׂר בָּקָר שְׁלֹשָׁה פֹנִים צָפוֹנָה וּשְׁלֹשָׁה פֹנִים יָמָּה וּשְׁלֹשָׁה פֹּנִים נֶגְבָּה וּשְׁלֹשָׁה פֹּנִים מִזְרָחָה וְהַיָּם עֲלֵיהֶם מִלְמָעְלָה וְכָל־אֲחֹרֵיהֶם בָּיְתָה

It, the sea, stood upon twelve cast oxen, which were also made of copper, like the sea (see verse 44): three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; the sea was upon them from above, and all their hind parts were inward. These oxen faced outward, with their hind parts concealed on the inner side.

וְעָבְיוֹ טֶפַח וּשְׂפָתוֹ כְּמַעֲשֵׂה שְׂפַת־כּוֹס פֶּרַח שׁוֹשָׁן אַלְפַּיִם בַּת יָכִיל

Its, the sea’s, thickness was a handbreadth, and its brim was flattened thin and was like the form of the brim of a lily blossom cup. Although the verse initially states that the wall was one handbreadth thick, perhaps it narrowed at the top. It would hold two thousand bat, a measurement of volume for liquids, 22–24 L, equivalent to an ephah, which is a measure for solids. The molding of such a large vessel from one piece of copper is a difficult and complex activity, which had to be performed by the greatest expert.

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת־הַמְּכֹנוֹת עֶשֶׂר נְחֹשֶׁת אַרְבַּע בָּאַמָּה אֹרֶךְ הַמְּכוֹנָה הָאֶחָת וְאַרְבַּע בָּאַמָּה רָחְבָּהּ וְשָׁלֹשׁ בָּאַמָּה קוֹמָתָהּ

He made the trolleys used to transport the lavers, ten, of bronze; four cubits was the length of each trolley, and four cubits its width, and three cubits its height.

וְזֶה מַעֲשֵׂה הַמְּכוֹנָה מִסְגְּרֹת לָהֶם ומִסְגְּרֹת בֵּין הַשְׁלַבִּים

This was the form of the trolley: They had panels around the edges of each one; there were panels placed between the crossbars, like the rungs of a ladder, which composed the skeleton of the base.

וְעַל־הַמִּסְגְּרוֹת אֲשֶׁר בֵּין הַשְׁלַבִּים אֲרָיוֹת בָּקָר וּכְרוּבִים וְעַל־הַשְׁלַבִּים כֵּן מִמָּעַל וּמִתַּחַת לַאֲרָיוֹת וְלַבָּקָר לֹיוֹת מַעֲשֵׂה מוֹרָד

On the panels that were between the crossbars were ornate images of lions, cattle, and winged cherubs. Upon the crossbars from above there was a stand, which was to serve as a base for the laver. And beneath the lions and the cattle were decorations, or, alternatively, pairs of shapes, of hammered metal, flattened into a thin layer.

וְאַרְבָּעָה אוֹפַנֵּי נְחֹשֶׁת לַמְּכוֹנָה הָאַחַת וְסַרְנֵי נְחֹשֶׁת וְאַרְבָּעָה פַעֲמֹתָיו כְּתֵפֹת לָהֶם מִתַּחַת לַכִּיֹּר הַכְּתֵפֹת יְצֻקוֹת מֵעֵבֶר אִישׁ לֹיוֹת

There were four bronze wheels for each trolley and bronze axles, or bronze boards. These trolleys could be transported from one location to another. Its four corners, the corners of the stand, had supports; the supports were cast in their shape beneath the laver, with ornamental decorations alongside each. Alternatively, the supports protruded beneath the laver that was on the stand.

וּפִיהוּ מִבֵּית לַכֹּתֶרֶת וָמַעְלָה בָּאַמָּה וּפִיהָ עָגֹל מַעֲשֵׂה־כֵן אַמָּה וַחֲצִי הָאַמָּה וְגַם־עַל־פִּיהָ מִקְלָעוֹת וּמִסְגְּרֹתֵיהֶם מְרֻבָּעוֹת לֹא עֲגֻלּוֹת

The laver’s opening was one cubit above the rim, the crown of the base, the opening of which was round like the shape of the stand, like a foundation, into which the laver was placed, one and one-half cubits in width; and also on its opening there were decorative braids. Its panels, the panels of each base, were square, not round.

וְאַרְבַּעַת הָאוֹפַנִּים לְמִתַּחַת לַמִּסְגְּרוֹת וִידוֹת הָאוֹפַנִּים בַּמְּכוֹנָה וְקוֹמַת הָאוֹפַן הָאֶחָד אַמָּה וַחֲצִי הָאַמָּה

The four wheels were beneath the panels, and the axles of the wheels were fixed in the trolley, and the height of each wheel was one and one-half cubits.

וּמַעֲשֵׂה הָאוֹפַנִּים כְּמַעֲשֵׂה אוֹפַן הַמֶּרְכָּבָה יְדוֹתָם וְגַבֵּיהֶם וְחִשֻּׁקֵיהֶם וְחִשֻּׁרֵיהֶם הַכֹּל מוּצָק

The form of the wheels was like the form of a chariot wheel; their axles, their hubs, the wheel frame upon which the spoke sat, their rims, the outer portion of the wheel, and their spokes, the rods that connected the spokes to the center of the wheel, all were cast as one form and were not fashioned as separate parts.

וְאַרְבַּע כְּתֵפוֹת אֶל אַרְבַּע פִּנּוֹת הַמְּכֹנָה הָאֶחָת מִן־הַמְּכֹנָה כְּתֵפֶיהָ

There were four supports protruding at the four corners of each trolley; its supports were fashioned from the trolley itself.

וּבְרֹאשׁ הַמְּכוֹנָה חֲצִי הָאַמָּה קוֹמָה עָגֹל סָבִיב וְעַל רֹאשׁ הַמְּכֹנָה יְדֹתֶיהָ וּמִסְגְּרֹתֶיהָ מִמֶּנָּה

On the top of the trolley there was a covering; it was round with a height of a half cubit around; and on the top of the trolley were its handles, which were for transporting the trolley, and its panels were from itself, of a single piece.

וַיְפַתַּח עַל־הַלֻּחֹת יְדֹתֶיהָ וְעַל מִסְגְּרֹתֶיהָ כְּרוּבִים אֲרָיוֹת וְתִמֹרֹת כְּמַעַר־אִישׁ וְלֹיוֹת סָבִיב

He engraved cherubs, lions, and palm trees on the tablets, its rods, and on its panels, like a man embracing his companion, around. The Sages homiletically explain that this last phrase means that he sculpted a round image that looked like a man and a woman locked in an embrace.

כָּזֹאת עָשָׂה אֵת עֶשֶׂר הַמְּכֹנוֹת מוּצָק אֶחָד מִדָּה אַחַת קֶצֶב אֶחָד לְכֻלָּהְנָה

In this manner, he made the ten trolleys, one casting, one measure, and one form for all of them. They were all identical.

וַיַּעַשׂ עֲשָׂרָה כִיֹּרוֹת נְחֹשֶׁת אַרְבָּעִים בַּת יָכִיל הַכִּיּוֹר הָאֶחָד אַרְבַּע בָּאַמָּה הַכִּיּוֹר הָאֶחָד כִּיּוֹר אֶחָד עַל־הַמְּכוֹנָה הָאַחַת לְעֶשֶׂר הַמְּכֹנוֹת

He made ten bronze lavers to rinse the sacrifices slaughtered in the Temple. Water was drawn from the sea into the lavers that stood upon the bases, each laver with a capacity of forty bat. Each laver was four cubits wide; one laver was placed on each trolley for the ten trolleys.

וַיִּתֵּן אֶת־הַמְּכֹנוֹת חָמֵשׁ עַל־כֶּתֶף הַבַּיִת מִיָּמִין וְחָמֵשׁ עַל־כֶּתֶף הַבַּיִת מִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ וְאֶת־הַיָּם נָתַן מִכֶּתֶף הַבַּיִת הַיְמָנִית קֵדְמָה מִמּוּל נֶגֶב

He put the trolleys, five on the right side of the House and five on the left side of the House, and he put the sea on the right side of the House, on the east, toward the south.

וַיַּעַשׂ חִירוֹם אֶת־הַכִּיֹּרוֹת וְאֶת־הַיָּעִים וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקוֹת וַיְכַל חִירָם לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־כָּל־הַמְּלָאכָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה בֵּית ה'

Hiram made the containers for the ashes removed from the altar, the shovels, and the bowls, which were for sprinkling the blood of the Temple offerings onto the wall of the altar. And Hiram completed all the labor that he performed for King Solomon in the House of the Lord.

עַמֻּדִים שְׁנַיִם וְגֻלֹּת הַכֹּתָרֹת אֲשֶׁר־עַל־רֹאשׁ הָעַמּוּדִים שְׁתָּיִם וְהַשְּׂבָכוֹת שְׁתַּיִם לְכַסּוֹת אֶת־שְׁתֵּי גֻּלּוֹת הַכֹּתָרֹת אֲשֶׁר עַל־רֹאשׁ הָעַמּוּדִים

The verses detail the completed items: two pillars; the two orbs of the capitals that were atop the pillars; the two screens that served to cover the two orbs of the capitals that were atop the pillars;

וְאֶת־הָרִמֹּנִים אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת לִשְׁתֵּי הַשְּׂבָכוֹת שְׁנֵי־טוּרִים רִמֹּנִים לַשְּׂבָכָה הָאֶחָת לְכַסּוֹת אֶת־שְׁתֵּי גֻּלּוֹת הַכֹּתָרֹת אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי הָעַמּוּדִים

the pomegranates, four hundred for the two screens, two rows of pomegranates for each screen, to cover the two orbs of the capitals that were atop the pillars;

וְאֶת־הַמְּכֹנוֹת עָשֶׂר וְאֶת־הַכִּיֹּרֹת עֲשָׂרָה עַל־הַמְּכֹנוֹת

the ten trolleys, and the ten lavers on the trolleys;

וְאֶת־הַיָּם הָאֶחָד וְאֶת־הַבָּקָר שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂר תַּחַת הַיָּם

the one sea and the twelve oxen that were placed beneath the sea;

וְאֶת־הַסִּירוֹת וְאֶת־הַיָּעִים וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקוֹת וְאֵת כָּל־הַכֵּלִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה חִירָם לַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה בֵּית ה' נְחֹשֶׁת מְמֹרָט

the pots, the shovels, and the bowls; and all these vessels that Hiram made for King Solomon in the House of the Lord were of burnished bronze. The majority of the Temple vessels were fashioned in the manner described in the book of Exodus, for which there was no need for an expert architect. However, the pillars, the sea, and other structures whose construction was complex did not exist in the Tabernacle. Therefore, Hiram’s special expertise and planning skills were required for the manufacture of these items.

בְּכִכַּר הַיַּרְדֵּן יְצָקָם הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּמַעֲבֵה הָאֲדָמָה בֵּין סֻכּוֹת וּבֵין צָרְתָן

The chapter inserts a technical note with regard to the location of the work: The king cast them on the Jordan plain, in an excavation in the ground between Sukot and Tzaretan. The casting of relatively small amounts of bronze could be performed in large factories, but the casting of larger amounts, as was the case here, required special conditions. To this day, metal is cast in molds that are placed in moist earth. Therefore, Solomon prepared his castings in clay ground and chose to do so in the plain of the Jordan, as only there was the ground sufficiently moist for casting such complex molds.

וַיַּנַּח שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת־כָּל־הַכֵּלִים מֵרֹב מְאֹד מְאֹד לֹא נֶחְקַר מִשְׁקַל הַנְּחֹשֶׁת

Solomon left all the vessels, due to the exceedingly great abundance of their weight, and so the weight of the bronze was not investigated. So much bronze was used for all of the vessels that they did not even try to measure its weight.

וַיַּעַשׂ שְׁלֹמֹה אֵת כָּל־הַכֵּלִים אֲשֶׁר בֵּית ה'אֵת מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב וְאֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָן אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים זָהָב

Solomon made all the vessels that were in the House of the Lord: the golden altar; the gold table upon which was the showbread, as written in the Torah;

וְאֶת־הַמְּנֹרוֹת חָמֵשׁ מִיָּמִין וְחָמֵשׁ מִשְּׂמֹאל לִפְנֵי הַדְּבִיר זָהָב סָגוּר וְהַפֶּרַח וְהַנֵּרֹת וְהַמֶּלְקָחַיִם זָהָב

the candelabra, which he placed five on the right side and five on the left, before the Sanctum, all made of solid and very expensive gold; the flowers of the candelabrum, the lamps, and the tongs were also made of gold. In addition to the original candelabrum fashioned by Moses, which was in the center, Solomon placed ten additional candelabra on both sides;

וְהַסִּפּוֹת וְהַמְזַמְּרוֹת וְהַמִּזְרָקוֹת וְהַכַּפּוֹת וְהַמַּחְתּוֹת זָהָב סָגוּר וְהַפֹּתוֹת לְדַלְתוֹת הַבַּיִת הַפְּנִימִי לְקֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים לְדַלְתֵי הַבַּיִת לַהֵיכָל זָהָב

and the jugs, the musical instruments, the bowls, the ladles, and the pans, all were made of solid gold; and the hinge sockets, or indentations in the ground into which the bolts of the door were inserted, both for the doors of the inner house, the Holy of Holies, and for the doors of the House, the Sanctuary, were of gold.

וַתִּשְׁלַם כָּל־הַמְּלָאכָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה בֵית ה' וַיָּבֵא שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת־קָדְשֵׁי דָּוִד אָבִיו אֶת־הַכֶּסֶף וְאֶת־הַזָּהָב וְאֶת־הַכֵּלִים נָתַן בְּאֹצְרוֹת בֵּית ה'

All the labor that King Solomon performed in the House of the Lord was completed. Solomon brought all the sacred items of David his father, the silver, the gold, and the vessels that he did not use, and he placed them in the treasuries of the House of the Lord. The Temple treasury contained all the excess silver and gold that David had prepared for the construction of the Temple. These materials were consecrated, but they were also part of the national treasury. Therefore, from time to time, in their hour of need, the kings of Judah would use these treasures.