2 Chronicles 4:19 kjv
And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the shewbread was set;
2 Chronicles 4:19 nkjv
Thus Solomon had all the furnishings made for the house of God: the altar of gold and the tables on which was the showbread;
2 Chronicles 4:19 niv
Solomon also made all the furnishings that were in God's temple: the golden altar; the tables on which was the bread of the Presence;
2 Chronicles 4:19 esv
So Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of God: the golden altar, the tables for the bread of the Presence,
2 Chronicles 4:19 nlt
Solomon also made all the furnishings for the Temple of God: the gold altar;
the tables for the Bread of the Presence;
2 Chronicles 4 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 25:23-30 | "You shall also make a table of acacia wood... and make on it the showbread continually before Me." | God's command for the showbread table. |
| Exod 30:1-10 | "You shall make an altar to burn incense on... before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony." | God's command for the altar of incense. |
| Lev 24:5-9 | "You shall take fine flour and bake twelve cakes... set them in two rows... on the pure gold table." | Specifics of the showbread and its placement. |
| Num 4:7-8 | "On the table of showbread they shall spread a blue cloth... with the showbread on it." | Instructions for transport of the showbread table. |
| 1 Kgs 6:20-22 | "The inner sanctuary he overlaid with pure gold... the altar which was of cedar, he overlaid with gold." | Confirmation of the gold altar in Solomon's Temple. |
| 1 Kgs 7:48 | "Solomon made all the articles... the golden altar, and the table on which was the showbread." | Parallel account of Temple furnishings. |
| 2 Chr 4:1 | "He made a bronze altar... 20 cubits long, 20 cubits wide and 10 cubits high." | Distinguishes the bronze outer altar from the golden inner altar. |
| 2 Chr 4:7-8 | "He also made ten golden lampstands... and ten tables... and put them in the temple." | Solomon's multiplication of certain items. |
| Heb 9:2 | "For a tabernacle was prepared... in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread." | New Testament affirmation of Tabernacle/Temple items. |
| Heb 9:4 | "...behind the second veil, the tabernacle... which had the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant..." | Specific mention of the golden altar of incense. |
| Rev 8:3 | "Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar... upon the golden altar which was before the throne." | Echo of the golden altar's function (prayer) in heaven. |
| Exod 26:30 | "You shall erect the tabernacle according to its pattern which you were shown on the mountain." | Emphasizes adherence to God's divine pattern. |
| 1 Chr 28:11-19 | David gave Solomon the plans for all the parts of the Temple by the Spirit. | Divine blueprints given for the Temple. |
| Ps 141:2 | "Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." | Connection between incense and prayer. |
| Matt 12:4 | "how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him..." | Jesus references the showbread and its sacredness. |
| John 6:35 | "And Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger.'" | Jesus as the spiritual fulfillment of the showbread. |
| Col 2:16-17 | "...which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is Christ." | Temple provisions as shadows pointing to Christ. |
| Heb 10:19-20 | "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus... by a new and living way." | Christ opens access to God's presence, which Temple veil/furnishings symbolized. |
| 1 Pet 2:5 | "you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices." | New Testament parallel to physical Temple items: spiritual worship in the Church. |
| Rev 21:22 | "But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple." | Ultimate fulfillment where physical Temple items are superseded by God's direct presence. |
2 Chronicles 4 verses
2 Chronicles 4 19 Meaning
This verse details the completion of the most sacred furnishings within the Holy Place of Solomon's Temple, specifically those made of pure gold: the altar of incense and the tables designated for the showbread. These items signify integral aspects of worship and God's relationship with His people.
2 Chronicles 4 19 Context
2 Chronicles chapter 4 meticulously details the grand furniture and implements Solomon constructed for the Temple in Jerusalem. This follows the completion of the main structure (chapter 3). Verse 19 specifically transitions from the large bronze elements found in the outer court, such as the bronze altar and the Molten Sea, to the sacred, golden furnishings placed within the Holy Place—the inner chamber of the Temple accessible only to priests. This verse emphasizes the richness and specific holy purpose of these inner sanctuary items, crucial for the prescribed Levitical worship system. The historical context is the zenith of the united monarchy under Solomon, fulfilling David's vision to build a permanent dwelling for the Lord in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 4 19 Word analysis
- And [Solomon made]: The Hebrew text begins with a conjunction "And" (וְ -
wĕ), linking it to previous descriptions of the Temple's construction. The subject "Solomon made" is implicitly carried over from earlier verses in the chapter (e.g., 2 Chr 4:11), a common literary device in Hebrew narrative to avoid repetition when the agent remains clear. It highlights the king's fulfillment of his duty. - all the vessels: The phrase "all the vessels" (כָּל־הַכֵּלִים -
kāl-hak-kēlîm) useskal, meaning "all" or "every," indicating completeness and thoroughness in adhering to the divine plan for the Temple's contents.Kelîm(vessels/implements) is a broad term encompassing utensils, furniture, or equipment, denoting every item required for sacred service. - that were for the house of God: (אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְבֵית־הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים -
’ăšer ləḇêt-hā’ĕlōhîm) - This phrase explicitly defines the purpose and consecrated nature of these items: they were solely designated for worship within "the house of God" (Bet Elohim), the consecrated dwelling place of Yahweh. It underscores the sanctity and separation of these items from common use. - the golden altar also: (מִזְבַּ֣ח הַזָּהָ֔ב -
mizbaḥ hazzāhāḇ) - This refers to the "altar of incense," so named because it was covered with pure gold and used exclusively for burning incense (Exod 30:1-10). It stood directly before the veil to the Holy of Holies. It represents the prayers and worship of God's people ascending to Him (Ps 141:2; Rev 8:3). The use of "golden" signifies its immense sacredness and value in God's presence. - and the tables: (וְהַשֻּׁלְחָנ֖וֹת -
wəhaššulḥānōwt) - The Hebrew word is plural, "tables." While the Tabernacle had only one table for the showbread (Exod 25:23), 2 Chronicles 4:8 explicitly states that Solomon made ten tables. This multiplication signifies the abundance and grandeur of Solomon's Temple compared to the earlier wilderness tabernacle, yet it maintained the types of items and their symbolic functions. - whereon the showbread was set: (לֶ֣חֶם הַפָּנִ֑ים -
leḥem happānîm) - Literally "bread of the face" or "bread of the presence." This sacred bread, prepared and renewed weekly by the priests, was perpetually placed before the face of God on the tables (Lev 24:5-9). It symbolized God's faithful provision for His people, the twelve tribes, and their continuous communion with Him. It prefigured Christ, the "Bread of Life" (John 6:35), who truly sustains His people.
2 Chronicles 4 19 Bonus section
- Divine Blueprint: The details provided in Chronicles, often repeating those from Exodus or 1 Kings, stress that all Temple furnishings, especially these gold items, were constructed according to precise divine instructions, not human ingenuity. This echoes the concept of obedience to God's will in worship and service.
- Symbolic Contrast: The contrast between the bronze items (altar of burnt offering, laver) and the gold items (incense altar, showbread table, lampstands) highlights the movement from sacrifice and purification in the courtyard to prayer, communion, and divine illumination within the Holy Place.
- Presence and Provision: The altar of incense (prayer/worship) and the table of showbread (provision/communion) together encapsulate fundamental aspects of a living relationship with God – active adoration and receptive reliance upon Him.
- Perpetual Ministry: Both the incense and the showbread were to be offered perpetually, symbolizing an unceasing engagement between God and Israel, mediated by the priesthood. This foreshadows Christ's continuous intercessory ministry and His unending provision as the Bread of Life.
- Theology of Gold: In biblical symbolism, gold often represents divinity, royalty, purity, and enduring value. Its extensive use in these most sacred objects affirms the holiness and exalted nature of God and the worship offered to Him.
2 Chronicles 4 19 Commentary
2 Chronicles 4:19 highlights the crucial transition from the outer court's bronze furnishings to the inner sanctuary's golden items, emphasizing the escalating holiness as one approached God's immediate presence. The meticulous construction of these objects, particularly the golden altar and the showbread tables, attests to Solomon's adherence to the divinely revealed patterns, passed down from Moses and through David. These objects were not merely decorative; they were functional elements for the elaborate Levitical system of worship: the golden altar for the ascending prayers of Israel through incense, and the tables for the perpetual presentation of showbread, signifying God's constant presence and provision for His covenant people. Their costly gold composition underscored their immense spiritual value and the glory appropriate for God's dwelling place. The multiplication of these items by Solomon, as implied by the plural "tables" and stated elsewhere, speaks to a magnificent scale, yet one that faithfully perpetuated the symbolic truth of the original singular items in the Tabernacle, showing abundance in God's worship.