And every base had four brasen wheels, and plates of brass: and the four corners thereof had undersetters: under the laver were undersetters molten, at the side of every addition.

1 KINGS 7:30KJV
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1 Kings 7:30 (KJV)

What does 1 Kings 7:30 mean?

1 Kings 7:30 describes how each stand, or base, for the temple’s bronze washbasins was made with four bronze wheels and bronze panels, and at each of the four corners there were supports, called “undersetters,” which were cast as part of the base, located beneath the basin and beside each added feature. This verse gives details about the craftsmanship and structure of the temple furnishings made for Solomon’s Temple.

This verse is part of a longer section where the writer describes the elaborate bronze work created by Hiram for King Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. The focus here is on the bases that held large washbasins (lavers), explaining their sturdy construction with wheels for mobility and special supports at the corners to hold the weight and keep the structure stable.

The Hebrew behind 1 Kings 7:30

  • בָּזֶּה (bazzeh, “base”): This word refers to the stand or pedestal for the washbasin, highlighting the importance of the support structure in the temple’s design.
  • גַּלְגַּל (galgal, “wheels”): The use of wheels suggests that these bases were movable, which would make it easier to clean or reposition the heavy basins.
  • פַּעַם (paʿam, “corners”): This word points to the four corners of each base, where the “undersetters” or supports were located, emphasizing the careful attention to stability.
  • כָּתֵף (katef, “undersetters”): This term means “shoulders” or “supports” and refers to the structural elements that helped bear the weight of the basin, showing the practical engineering behind the ornate design.

Why 1 Kings 7:30 matters

  • This verse helps clear up how advanced and practical the temple furnishings were, showing that beauty and function went hand in hand in Solomon’s Temple.
  • The detailed description highlights the skill of the craftsmen and the resources invested in the temple, underlining its importance in Israel’s worship.
  • Understanding the construction of these bases connects to the broader passage, where each part of the temple is described with care, giving a sense of the temple’s grandeur and the seriousness with which it was built.

Where else these words appear

“addition” Hebrew H3914 · used in 3 verses

  • 1 Kings 7:29 And on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubims: and upon the ledges there was a base above: and beneath the lions and oxen were certain additions made of thin work.
  • 1 Kings 7:36 For on the plates of the ledges thereof, and on the borders thereof, he graved cherubims, lions, and palm trees, according to the proportion of every one, and additions round about.

“base” Hebrew H4350 · used in 18 verses

  • 1 Kings 7:27 And he made ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it.
  • 1 Kings 7:37 After this manner he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one size.
  • 2 Kings 25:16 The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD; the brass of all these vessels was without weight.

“plates” Hebrew H5633 · used in 20 verses

  • Joshua 13:3 From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:
  • Judges 16:27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.
  • 1 Samuel 6:16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

“laver” Hebrew H3595 · used in 20 verses

  • Exodus 30:18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
  • Exodus 40:7 And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt put water therein.
  • 1 Kings 7:40 And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and the basons. So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he made king Solomon for the house of the LORD: