2 Chronicles 4 6

2 Chronicles 4:6 kjv

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 4:6 nkjv

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

2 Chronicles 4:6 niv

He then made ten basins for washing and placed five on the south side and five on the north. In them the things to be used for the burnt offerings were rinsed, but the Sea was to be used by the priests for washing.

2 Chronicles 4:6 esv

He also made ten basins in which to wash, and set five on the south side, and five on the north side. In these they were to rinse off what was used for the burnt offering, and the sea was for the priests to wash in.

2 Chronicles 4:6 nlt

He also made ten smaller basins for washing the utensils for the burnt offerings. He set five on the south side and five on the north. But the priests washed themselves in the Sea.

2 Chronicles 4 verses

2 Chronicles 4 6 Meaning

2 Chronicles 4:6 describes specific cultic furnishings in the court of Solomon's Temple, focusing on two types of washing vessels: ten bronze basins and the large bronze Molten Sea. The ten basins were specifically purposed for washing the parts of the animal sacrifices designated for the burnt offering. The large Sea, on the other hand, was exclusively for the priests to wash themselves, ensuring their ritual purity before performing sacred duties. This distinction highlights the meticulous requirements for clean worship and service in God's presence.

2 Chronicles 4 6 Context

2 Chronicles 4 details the extensive bronze furnishings created by Huram-Abi for Solomon's Temple, commissioned by King Solomon himself. This chapter focuses on the outer elements for the court: the bronze altar, the Molten Sea, the ten bronze stands with their basins, pots, shovels, and forks. This specific verse (2 Chr 4:6) is positioned between the description of the large Molten Sea (vv. 2-5) and other bronze utensils (vv. 7-8). The overarching purpose of these objects was to facilitate the meticulous and comprehensive system of worship prescribed by the Mosaic Law, emphasizing purity and preparation before approaching a holy God. Historically, these items dwarfed their Tabernacle predecessors in scale, reflecting the Temple's grandeur and increased capacity for national worship, while also subtly demonstrating the superior provisioning and detailed observance compared to contemporary pagan cults that often lacked such precise ritual purity requirements for worship.

2 Chronicles 4 6 Word analysis

• He also made: Refers to King Solomon, who commissioned the work performed by Huram-Abi (2 Chr 2:13-14). This emphasizes Solomon's initiative and devotion in the Temple construction.
• ten basins: Hebrew kiyyor (כִּיּוֹר). These were large, wheeled bronze vessels, functioning as mobile lavatories. The number ten signifies completeness and ample provision, far exceeding the single laver of the Tabernacle, necessary for the vast number of sacrifices offered at the Temple.
• and put five on the right hand, and five on the left: Indicating a symmetrical and strategically placed arrangement in the Temple court. "Right hand" (yamin - יָמִין) and "left" (semol - שְׂמֹאול). This practical layout allowed for efficient operation around the immense altar of burnt offering, enabling many priests to prepare sacrifices concurrently.
• to wash in them: States the explicit purpose – ritual cleansing. This washing was not for general hygiene but for the specific purification of sacrifice items according to the Law.
• such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them: Specifically the animal sacrifices, or ‘olah (עוֹלָה). The Law required the entrails and legs of the sacrificial animals to be washed (Lev 1:9, 13; Lev 9:14). This washing symbolically cleansed the offering, making it suitable for presentation to the Holy God, though the ultimate cleansing came through the sacrifice itself.
• but the sea was for the priests to wash in: "The Sea" refers to the large bronze Molten Sea, described in 2 Chr 4:2-5, which rested on twelve oxen. This grand vessel served as the primary lavatory for the officiating priests, echoing the purpose of the Tabernacle's bronze laver (Ex 30:18-21). This functional distinction underscored the absolute necessity of ritual purity for those ministering in God's presence, highlighting the solemnity and holiness of priestly duties. The magnitude of the Sea allowed multiple priests to wash simultaneously, emphasizing the importance of corporate purity in worship.

Words-group analysis:

• "ten basins...such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them": This phrase details the provision and application of washing facilities directly linked to the preparation of sacrifices. The abundance of basins reflects the scale of sacrificial worship and the meticulous adherence to purification rituals.
• "but the sea was for the priests to wash in": This distinctly separates the washing facility for the priests from those for the sacrifices, underscoring the specific and higher requirement for the purity of those serving God. It signifies the sanctity of the priestly office and their direct, intimate involvement in Temple ministry, demanding personal ceremonial cleanness.

2 Chronicles 4 6 Bonus section

• The basins, carried on movable stands (1 Kgs 7:27-37), indicate a flexible and efficient system for managing numerous daily sacrifices across a wide Temple court.
• The use of bronze for these vessels symbolized durability and its association with judgment and atonement, as the bronze altar was for sin offerings and the laver/basins for ritual cleansing.
• While these washings were physical, they constantly pointed to the spiritual necessity of inner purification. They served as constant visual reminders of the people's separation from God due to sin and their need for a covering or cleansing before approaching Him.
• The ritual washings under the Old Covenant serve as a powerful metaphor for spiritual cleansing available through the New Covenant, specifically the washing of regeneration and sanctification by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5), and ultimately, through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, who makes believers priests unto God (1 Pet 2:9).

2 Chronicles 4 6 Commentary

2 Chronicles 4:6 succinctly describes the functionality and hierarchy of purification within Solomon's Temple, a cornerstone of Israelite worship. The provision of ten basins for cleansing burnt offerings reflects the detailed requirements of the Mosaic Law for preparing sacrifices, ensuring that even the components of the offering were ritually purified before being presented to God. This was a tangible demonstration of holiness and order in approaching the divine. Complementing these, the massive Molten Sea was reserved specifically for the priests. Their personal washing was paramount for their consecration and the prevention of defilement in their sacred service. This strict segregation of washing facilities underscored the layers of holiness: the cleanliness of the offering, and more profoundly, the unblemished state required of the priests themselves. These physical acts of cleansing prefigured a deeper, spiritual reality—the constant need for purity to fellowship with a holy God, which would ultimately be fulfilled by Christ, who cleanses His people once for all.