Jeremiah 52:20 kjv
The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brasen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made in the house of the LORD: the brass of all these vessels was without weight.
Jeremiah 52:20 nkjv
The two pillars, one Sea, the twelve bronze bulls which were under it, and the carts, which King Solomon had made for the house of the LORD? the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure.
Jeremiah 52:20 niv
The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the twelve bronze bulls under it, and the movable stands, which King Solomon had made for the temple of the LORD, was more than could be weighed.
Jeremiah 52:20 esv
As for the two pillars, the one sea, the twelve bronze bulls that were under the sea, and the stands, which Solomon the king had made for the house of the LORD, the bronze of all these things was beyond weight.
Jeremiah 52:20 nlt
The weight of the bronze from the two pillars, the Sea with the twelve bronze oxen beneath it, and the water carts was too great to be measured. These things had been made for the LORD's Temple in the days of King Solomon.
Jeremiah 52 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Kings 25:17 | Details the pillars' fate, being broken and carried to Babylon. | Strong connection (Destruction) |
| 1 Kings 7:15 | Describes the original casting and setting of the bronze pillars. | Strong connection (Original state) |
| 1 Kings 7:18 | Mentions the pomegranates and the net-work decorating the pillars. | Strong connection (Description detail) |
| 2 Chron 3:15 | Another account of the pillars at the Temple's entrance. | Strong connection (Temple structure) |
| Jer 27:19 | Pharaohs discussing items taken from the Temple to Babylon. | Contextual connection (Plunder) |
| Isa 39:6 | Hezekiah told that all in his house would be taken to Babylon. | Thematic connection (Exile prophecy) |
| Jer 50:3 | Prophecy of Israel being driven out and captured by their enemies. | Thematic connection (Exile) |
| Jer 52:21 | Specifies the measurement of the pillar's thickness. | Direct continuation (Measurement detail) |
| Jer 52:22 | Details the capitals' measurements and ornamentation. | Direct continuation (Ornamentation) |
| Ezek 40:10 | Describes pillars in Ezekiel's vision of a future Temple. | Typological connection (Future Temple) |
| Ps 145:3 | Praises God's greatness, echoing the magnificence of His dwelling place. | Thematic connection (God's glory) |
| Ex 27:18 | Describes the courts of the Tabernacle and their hangings. | Parallel (Temple furniture) |
| 1 Kings 6:36 | Describes the inner court's construction with hewn stones. | Contextual (Temple construction) |
| Jer 20:4 | Jeremiah prophesies the plunder of Jerusalem and its inhabitants. | Thematic (Consequences of sin) |
| Jer 21:3 | Judah's actions provoking God's judgment. | Contextual (Cause of judgment) |
| Nah 2:11 | Prophecy against Nineveh, speaking of their pride and downfall. | Thematic (Consequences of pride) |
| Acts 17:24 | God not being confined to temples made with hands. | Theological contrast (Temple vs. God) |
| 1 Cor 3:16 | Believers as the temple of God. | Theological fulfillment (New Temple) |
| Rev 21:22 | No temple in the new Jerusalem as God is its temple. | Eschatological fulfillment (Ultimate Temple) |
| Eph 2:21 | The church built together into a holy temple. | Spiritual connection (Believers as Temple) |
Jeremiah 52 verses
Jeremiah 52 20 Meaning
Jeremiah 52:20 describes the bronze pillars from the Temple of Solomon, specifying their height, the number of pomegranates on their capitals, and the network pattern covering them. This verse focuses on the material wealth and ornate craftsmanship of the Temple, which, along with its contents, was ultimately carried away to Babylon.
Jeremiah 52 20 Context
Jeremiah 52 records the final fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians. Verse 20, specifically, lists items from the Temple's plundered furnishings, focusing on the two large bronze pillars that stood at the entrance. These pillars, named Jachin and Boaz, were significant symbolic and architectural features of Solomon's Temple, representing strength and establishment. Their description in this context highlights the material grandeur of the sanctuary and underscores the completeness of its desecration and removal. The historical backdrop is the Babylonian siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC, a devastating event for the Judahite people, marking the end of their kingdom and the exile.
Jeremiah 52 20 Word Analysis
- לְשְׁתַּיִם (lĕshtayim): "to two." This establishes the quantity of the pillars.
- עַמּוּדֵי (ʿammūḏê): "pillars of." From ʿammūḏ (עַמּוּד), meaning pillar, column, or post. It emphasizes their structural role.
- הַנְּחֹשֶׁת (han-neḥoššet): "the bronze." Denotes the material, neḥoššet (נְחֹשֶׁת), a highly valued metal in antiquity, signifying strength and durability.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾăšer): "which." A relative pronoun introducing descriptive clauses.
- מָאתַיִם (māʾtayim): "two hundred." Reinforces the two hundred cubits, suggesting a great height for the pillars.
- אֹפֶה (ʾōpeh): "length of." Likely refers to the height, an archaic or specific measurement for these structures.
- אֲרֻכֹּת (ʾărukkōt): "cubits." Standard unit of length. The total height is indicated to be 24 cubits, based on māʾtayim ʾōpeh ʾărukkōt often translated as "two hundred cubits of length". However, other sources mention 18 cubits, causing scholarly debate; the phrasing here might relate to a combined measure or a specific aspect.
- עֶשְׂרִים (ʿeśrîm): "twenty." Part of the total height.
- וּלְתִשְׁעָה (ūlĕtišʿā): "and nine."
Word Groups:
- "two hundred cubits of length": This phrase is subject to interpretation regarding precise measurement. It may refer to the circumference, thickness combined with diameter, or the combined height if there were multiple sections. The standard accounts in Kings point to a height of 18 cubits.
- "the network, and the pomegranate balls": This describes the intricate decorative elements.
- רִשָׁתָּה (riššâṯâ): "network." From rēšet (רֶשֶׁת), meaning net, network, or mesh. This signifies a detailed pattern.
- וְרִמֹּנֵי (wĕrimmōnê): "and pomegranates of." Rimmon (רִמּוֹן) meaning pomegranate, a symbol of fertility and abundance in ancient cultures.
- "the balls thereof": Refers to the pomegranates themselves, suggesting they were crafted as spheres or spherical clusters.
Jeremiah 52 20 Bonus Section
The pomegranates described on the pillars, as detailed in 1 Kings 7:18-20 and subtly referenced here, were a prominent feature. These were not literal fruit but bronze castings intended to represent them, adorning the seventy-two hundred ornate chains and networks around the capitals. The pomegranate, often associated with fertility and abundant life in the ancient Near East, may have served as a symbolic representation of the fruitfulness and blessing God intended for His people and Temple. The contrast between this intricate beauty and the subsequent destruction reinforces the prophetic message of judgment. The pillars themselves, standing tall at the Temple's threshold, were significant markers of God's presence and establishment in Israel, and their removal signified a departure from that presence.
Jeremiah 52 20 Commentary
Jeremiah 52:20 continues the devastating inventory of treasures looted from Jerusalem by the Babylonians. It details the specific characteristics of the two grand bronze pillars, Jachin and Boaz, that graced the Temple's entrance. The mention of "two hundred cubits of length" is particularly noteworthy. If taken as height, this would be extraordinary, suggesting a measure possibly related to circumference, combined thickness of the shaft and capital, or an accounting that differs from the 18 cubits height recorded in 1 Kings 7:15. The "network" and "pomegranate balls" highlight the skilled craftsmanship and symbolic richness of these pillars, meant to convey God's power (Jachin - He will establish) and His strength (Boaz - in Him is strength). The fact that these beautiful and symbolic objects were removed underscores the total desolation of God's dwelling place, a tangible consequence of the people's covenant unfaithfulness. The inclusion of these specific details emphasizes the completeness of the judgment and the material loss experienced by the nation.