He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them: such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.

2 CHRONICLES 4:6KJV
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2 Chronicles 4:6 (KJV)

What does 2 Chronicles 4:6 mean?

2 Chronicles 4:6 describes how Solomon made ten bronze basins (called "lavers") for the temple, placing five on each side. These were used to wash the items used in burnt offerings, while a larger basin called "the sea" was reserved for the priests to wash themselves.

This verse is part of the account where Solomon is building and furnishing the temple in Jerusalem. The writer is explaining the practical arrangements for ritual washing: the smaller lavers were for cleaning the sacrifices and their utensils, but the much larger "sea" was only for the priests' own purification. This detail shows how carefully the temple's rituals and spaces were organized.

The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 4:6

  • לָבָרִים (lavers, H3595): This word refers to large basins or bowls used for washing. Their presence highlights the importance of ritual cleanliness in temple worship.
  • יָם (sea, H3220): Here, "sea" refers to a massive basin, much larger than the lavers. Its special use for the priests sets it apart from the other washing vessels.
  • כֹּהֲנִים (priests, H3548): This word clarifies that only the priests used the "sea," emphasizing their distinct role and need for ritual purity.

Why 2 Chronicles 4:6 matters

  • This verse clarifies that not all washing in the temple was the same; there were separate places and purposes for washing sacrifices and for the priests' personal purification.
  • The arrangement of the lavers—five on each side—shows the order and symmetry valued in the temple's design, reflecting the care taken in worship practices.
  • By describing these specific furnishings, the verse connects to the larger theme of holiness and preparation in the temple, showing how every detail was meant to support proper worship.

Where else these words appear

“washed” Hebrew H1740 · used in 4 verses

  • Isaiah 4:4 When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.
  • Jeremiah 51:34 Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out.
  • Ezekiel 40:38 And the chambers and the entries thereof were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering.

“lavers” 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 7:38 Then 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.

“left” Hebrew H8040 · used in 53 verses

  • Genesis 13:9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
  • Judges 3:21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
  • 2 Chronicles 34:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.

“wash” Hebrew H7364 · used in 71 verses

  • Genesis 18:4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
  • Leviticus 15:5 And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
  • Deuteronomy 23:11 But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.