1 Kings 7:23 Meaning and Explanation
“And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Hiram casts a great round basin called the molten sea, fifteen feet across and seven and a half feet high.
What Does 1 Kings 7:23 Mean?
Next Hiram casts an enormous round basin of bronze, called "the sea," about fifteen feet from rim to rim and seven and a half feet high. It would hold the water used by the priests for washing in their temple service.
Such a vast vessel of water stood ready for cleansing, a reminder that none may approach the holy God unwashed. The priests dipped here before their service, and the sea spoke of the constant need to be made clean. It points forward to the cleansing of which water is only a sign, the washing of the heart that only God can give.
1 Kings 7:23 in the Original Language
yam (יָם), 'sea' -- the same word for the ocean, here naming the great basin for its size and abundance of water.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Kings 7:23
What does 1 Kings 7:23 mean?
Hiram casts a great round basin called the molten sea, fifteen feet across and seven and a half feet high.