After this manner he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one size.

1 KINGS 7:37KJV
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1 Kings 7:37 (KJV)

What does 1 Kings 7:37 mean?

1 Kings 7:37 says that all ten bases made for the temple furnishings were crafted in exactly the same way, using the same mold, with matching measurements and proportions. This verse highlights the uniformity and careful workmanship that went into these temple items.

In this part of 1 Kings, the writer is describing the construction of Solomon’s temple, specifically the bronze bases that held the lavers (water basins). The craftsman, Hiram, made ten bases, and the verse emphasizes that each one was identical in design and size. This detail shows the order and precision valued in the temple’s construction.

The Hebrew behind 1 Kings 7:37

  • "made" (עָשָׂה, ʿasah): This word means to make or do, and here it points to the skilled, intentional work involved in crafting the bases.
  • "casting" (מַסָּכָה, massākāh): This refers to something poured or cast in a mold, highlighting that each base was formed using the same casting process, ensuring uniformity.
  • "measure" (מִדָּה, middāh): This word means measurement or dimension, stressing that each base matched the others exactly in size.
  • "size" (קֵצֶה, qetseh): This can mean extremity, edge, or limit, and in this context, it refers to the overall size or boundary of each base, again underlining their identical nature.

Why 1 Kings 7:37 matters

  • This verse clears up any idea that the temple furnishings were varied or improvised; instead, it shows careful planning and consistency in their creation.
  • The emphasis on identical measurements and casting connects to the broader biblical theme of order and holiness in worship spaces.
  • Understanding the uniformity of these bases helps readers appreciate the craftsmanship and attention to detail that went into building Solomon’s temple, reflecting its importance in Israel’s worship life.

Where else these words appear

“casting” Hebrew H4165 · used in 2 verses

  • Job 38:38 When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?

“size” Hebrew H7095 · used in 3 verses

  • 1 Kings 6:25 And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size.
  • Jonah 2:6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.

“bases” 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 7:35 And in the top of the base was there a round compass of half a cubit high: and on the top of the base the ledges thereof and the borders thereof were of the same.
  • 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.

“measure” Hebrew H4060 · used in 53 verses

  • Exodus 26:2 The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure.
  • Nehemiah 3:21 After him repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah the son of Koz another piece, from the door of the house of Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib.
  • Ezekiel 40:28 And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures;