And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths.
Parallel translations
- WEB It was a hand width thick. Its brim was worked like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It held two thousand baths.
- BSB It was a handbreadth thick, and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It could hold two thousand baths.
- NKJV It was a handbreadth thick; and its brim was shaped like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It contained two thousand baths.
- NASB And it was a hand width thick, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom; it could hold two thousand baths.
- NLT The walls of the Sea were about three inches thick, and its rim flared out like a cup and resembled a water lily blossom. It could hold about 11,000 gallons of water.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The sea was a handbreadth thick, its rim shaped like a lily blossom, and it held two thousand baths. It was both sturdy and beautiful, with great capacity.
Overview
The basin's thickness gave it durability, while the lily-shaped rim continued the temple's floral beauty. Its enormous capacity, several thousand gallons, supplied ample water for priestly washing. This abundant provision for cleansing pictures the fullness of purification God grants His people, ultimately and completely through the blood of Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 2 Chr 4:5And the thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held three thousand baths.
- 1 Kgs 6:32The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees.
- 1 Kgs 6:18And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.
- Jer 52:21And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a fillet of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow.
- 1 Kgs 7:38Then made he 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.
- Ezek 45:14Concerning the ordinance of oil, the bath of oil, ye shall offer the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, which is an homer of ten baths; for ten baths are an homer:
- 1 Kgs 7:19And the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars were of lily work in the porch, four cubits.
- 1 Kgs 6:35And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.
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Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 7:26 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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