Jeremiah 52:22 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 52:22 kjv
And a chapiter of brass was upon it; and the height of one chapiter was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the chapiters round about, all of brass. The second pillar also and the pomegranates were like unto these.
Jeremiah 52:22 nkjv
A capital of bronze was on it; and the height of one capital was five cubits, with a network and pomegranates all around the capital, all of bronze. The second pillar, with pomegranates was the same.
Jeremiah 52:22 niv
The bronze capital on top of one pillar was five cubits high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its pomegranates, was similar.
Jeremiah 52:22 esv
On it was a capital of bronze. The height of the one capital was five cubits. A network and pomegranates, all of bronze, were around the capital. And the second pillar had the same, with pomegranates.
Jeremiah 52:22 nlt
The bronze capital on top of each pillar was 7 1?2 feet high and was decorated with a network of bronze pomegranates all the way around.
Jeremiah 52 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 7:15-16 | ...two bronze pillars, eighteen cubits high...and a capital...three cubits. | Describes the pillars and their capitals. |
| 1 Kgs 7:17-18 | ...filigree work...nets of checker work...on the capitals... | Details the 'networks' and decorative elements. |
| 1 Kgs 7:20 | ...two hundred pomegranates in rows around the capital on both pillars. | Parallel passage on pomegranate count and arrangement (differs from Jer 52:22 but complements). |
| 1 Kgs 7:41-42 | ...two pillars...the two capitals...the four hundred pomegranates... | Mentions 400 pomegranates, likely referring to a larger count for the whole temple. |
| 2 Kgs 25:17 | The height of one pillar was eighteen cubits...there were ninety-six... | Parallel verse in 2 Kings, differing count due to observation angle or text variation. |
| 2 Chr 3:15-16 | He made two pillars for the front of the temple...and one hundred pomegranates. | Parallel passage in Chronicles, similar details, different count. |
| Exod 28:33-34 | ...pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet...bells... | Pomegranates on High Priest's robe, symbolizing fertility, abundance, blessing. |
| Song 4:13 | Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with all choicest fruits. | Pomegranates symbolizing beauty, fruitfulness, prosperity. |
| Num 13:23 | ...and from there they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes... | Pomegranates among the produce from Canaan, signifying richness. |
| Deut 8:8 | A land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates. | Pomegranates as a symbol of the land's bounty. |
| Ps 48:1-2 | Great is the LORD...in the city of our God, His holy mountain... | Speaks of the Temple and Zion as a beautiful, exalted place. |
| Isa 6:1 | I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up...His train filled. | Description of God's presence, associated with Temple glory. |
| Jer 39:8 | And the Chaldeans burned the king's house and the houses of the people... | Broader context of Jerusalem's destruction by the Babylonians. |
| Jer 52:13 | He burned the house of the LORD and the king's house. | The destruction of the Temple, leading to the description of its items. |
| Jer 52:17 | ...the bronze pillars...the movable stands and the bronze sea that was... | Broader passage in Jeremiah 52 detailing the plundered temple items. |
| Lam 2:7 | The Lord has spurned His altar; He has disowned His sanctuary. | Lament over the desecration and destruction of the Temple. |
| Ezek 10:18 | Then the glory of the LORD departed from over the threshold of the house. | God's glory leaving the Temple before its destruction. |
| Ezek 40-42 | Descriptions of the new Temple. | Detailed plans for a future, ideal Temple, a contrast to the destroyed one. |
| Hag 2:7-9 | The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former. | Prophecy of a future glorious temple, a symbol of hope. |
| Mal 3:1 | ...the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple... | Messianic expectation linked to the Temple. |
| Jn 2:19-21 | Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up...speaking of His. | Jesus identifies Himself as the true Temple. |
| 1 Cor 3:16 | Do you not know that you are God's temple...? | The Church as the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. |
| Rev 21:22 | And I saw no temple in the city, for its Temple is the Lord God Almighty. | In the New Jerusalem, God and the Lamb are the Temple. |
Jeremiah 52 verses
Jeremiah 52 22 meaning
Jeremiah 52:22 provides a precise description of the elaborate ornamentation on the two bronze pillars, Jachin and Boaz, located at the entrance of Solomon's Temple. It details that each pillar's capital (the decorative crowning element) was adorned with an intricate latticework, upon which were arranged two distinct rows of pomegranates, summing to a total of four hundred pomegranates covering the two capitals. This verse, therefore, recounts a specific aspect of the Temple's original grandeur before its destruction and plunder by the Babylonians, highlighting the meticulous detail and lavish design of God's sanctuary.
Jeremiah 52 22 Context
Jeremiah 52 serves as an appendix to the Book of Jeremiah, offering a detailed historical account of the fall of Jerusalem, the capture of King Zedekiah, the Babylonian plundering of the Temple, and the subsequent exiles. This chapter largely mirrors the account found in 2 Kings 25. Verse 22 specifically contributes to a section (verses 17-23) meticulously cataloging the valuable bronze articles taken from the Temple, including the great bronze pillars Jachin and Boaz. By recounting the intricate details of the pillars' decorations, the verse emphasizes the profound loss experienced by the Jewish people, vividly reminding them of the former splendor of God's dwelling place that was now despoiled. This precise description stands in stark contrast to the destruction, underscoring the completeness of the calamity.
Jeremiah 52 22 Word analysis
- There were four hundred pomegranates:
וְאֶת אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת הָרִמּוֹנִים(Ve'et arba me'ot ha'rimmonim). This is a precise enumeration. Pomegranates (רִמּוֹנִים- rimmonim) in ancient Israel and the Near East were symbolic of fertility, abundance, prosperity, and divine blessing. They were also featured on the High Priest's vestments, highlighting their sacred connotation. - on the two networks,
עַל שְׂבָכִים(al sevakhim). The termשְׂבָכִים(sevakhim) refers to ornamental latticework or chainwork. This structure provided the intricate foundation upon which the pomegranates were affixed, showcasing advanced craftsmanship. - two rows of pomegranates on each network, This phrase specifies the exact arrangement. It clarifies that the total of 400 pomegranates was distributed symmetrically in two distinct rows on each of the four networks (two networks per capital). This level of detail illustrates the careful design and precision of the Temple's decor.
- to cover the two capitals
לְכַסּוֹת אֶת כֹּתֶרֶת(lekassot et koteret - to cover the capital). Theכֹּתֶרֶת(koteret) refers to the ornate, bulbous, or bowl-shaped crowning elements atop the pillars. The pomegranates provided a dense and beautiful covering, adding to the grandeur and richness of the pillar's uppermost part. - which were on top of the pillars;
אֲשֶׁר עַל רֹאשׁ הָעַמֻּדִים(asher al rosh ha'ammudim - which were on the head of the pillars). The pillars (עַמּוּדִים- ammudim), specifically Jachin and Boaz, were massive bronze columns that stood at the entrance to the Temple. This clarifies the precise location of the detailed ornamentation. - and so did he for the other capital: This confirms the architectural symmetry and consistency. The meticulous design was duplicated precisely on both of the grand pillars, underscoring the perfection and harmony intended for God's sanctuary.
- Words-Group analysis: "There were four hundred pomegranates on the two networks, two rows... on each network, to cover the two capitals." This detailed group of words reveals the astonishing intricacy and sheer number of decorative elements. The Temple was not just structurally grand but also meticulously adorned, symbolizing God's glory in its fine details and materials.
Jeremiah 52 22 Bonus section
The seemingly inconsistent counts of pomegranates across parallel passages (1 Kings 7:20 mentions 200 per capital, 2 Kings 25:17 notes 96 on a side) has been a point of scholarly discussion. Jeremiah 52:22 provides a critical clarification by specifying "four hundred pomegranates on the two networks, two rows of pomegranates on each network." This might indicate Jeremiah's account offers the total count visible when viewing both capitals together, or clarifies that the '200' per capital was specifically above the belly, and the '96' a particular segment of a row, while '400' is the total distributed between the two. The meticulousness of Jeremiah's account serves to paint the fullest possible picture of these significant Temple features. The pillars themselves, named Jachin ("He shall establish") and Boaz ("In Him is strength"), held prophetic significance, declaring God's promise to establish His people and His house with His strength. The elaborate, fruitful decorations further amplified this message of divine power and blessing, which the verse carefully records even amidst the lament of loss.
Jeremiah 52 22 Commentary
Jeremiah 52:22 offers a snapshot of the Solomonic Temple's magnificent beauty and meticulous detail. By recounting the exact count and arrangement of the pomegranates on the pillar capitals, the verse preserves a vivid image of lost splendor. It emphasizes the extent of what was once consecrated to God and what was now plundered. The pomegranates, rich in biblical symbolism for fertility, blessing, and life, were not merely decorative but deeply meaningful, signifying the divine abundance intended for God's dwelling place. The passage's precise details stand in poignant contrast to the destruction recounted in the surrounding verses, silently highlighting the former glory and the crushing reality of its ruin. This detail reassures the audience that God's Word meticulously remembers, even when earthly glory is utterly demolished.