1Ki 7:15-22 | NETfull | STEP | He fashioned two bronze pillars; each pillar was 27 feet high and 18 feet in circumference.

1 Kings 7:15-22

15 He fashioned two bronze pillars; each pillar was 27 feet ^{▼▼ Heb “eighteen cubits.”} high and 18 feet ^{▼▼ Heb “twelve cubits.”} in circumference. 16 He made two bronze tops for the pillars; each was seven-and-a-half feet high. ^{▼▼ Heb “two capitals he made to place on the tops of the pillars, cast in bronze; five cubits was the height of the first capital, and five cubits was the height of the second capital.”} 17 The latticework on the tops of the pillars was adorned with ornamental wreaths and chains; the top of each pillar had seven groupings of ornaments. ^{▼▼ Heb “there were seven for the first capital, and seven for the second capital.”} 18 When he made the pillars, there were two rows of pomegranate-shaped ornaments around the latticework covering the top of each pillar. ^{▼▼ Heb “he made the pillars, and two rows surrounding one latticework to cover the capitals which were on top of the pomegranates, and so he did for the second latticework.” The translation supplies “pomegranates” after “two rows,” and understands “pillars,” rather than “pomegranates,” to be the correct reading after “on top of.” The latter change finds support from many Hebrew mss and the ancient Greek version.} 19 The tops of the two pillars in the porch were shaped like lilies and were six feet high. ^{▼▼ Heb “the capitals which were on the top of the pillars were the work of lilies, in the porch, four cubits.” It is unclear exactly what dimension is being measured.} 20 On the top of each pillar, right above the bulge beside the latticework, there were two hundred pomegranate-shaped ornaments arranged in rows all the way around. ^{▼▼ Heb “and the capitals on the two pillars, also above, close beside the bulge which was beside the latticework, two hundred pomegranates in rows around, on the second capital.” The precise meaning of the word translated “bulge” is uncertain.} 21 He set up the pillars on the porch in front of the main hall. He erected one pillar on the right ^{▼▼ Or “south.”} side and called it Jakin; ^{▼▼ The name Jakin appears to be a verbal form and probably means, “he establishes.”} he erected the other pillar on the left ^{▼▼ Or “north.”} side and called it Boaz. ^{▼▼ The meaning of the name Boaz is uncertain. For various proposals, see BDB 126-27 s.v. בעז. One attractive option is to revocalize the name as בְּעֹז (be’oz, “in strength”) and to understand it as completing the verbal form on the first pillar. Taking the words together and reading from right to left, one can translate the sentence, “he establishes [it] in strength.”} 22 The tops of the pillars were shaped like lilies. So the construction of the pillars was completed.