1 Kings 7:43 — Word Study
WLCוְאֶת־ הַמְּכֹנ֖וֹת עָ֑שֶׂר וְאֶת־ הַכִּיֹּרֹ֥ת עֲשָׂרָ֖ה עַל־ הַמְּכֹנֽוֹת׃
BSAthe tenʻeser [bases or pedestals] standsmᵉkôwnâh the tenʻeser [washing-vessels or lavers] basinskîyôwr [round containers or pans] onʻal the standsmᵉkôwnâh [foundational]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| הַמְּכֹנ֖וֹת | the stands | Particle, noun common feminine plural absolute |
| עָ֑שֶׂר | ten | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| הַכִּיֹּרֹ֥ת | the lavers | Particle, noun common feminine plural absolute |
| עֲשָׂרָ֖ה | ten | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| עַל־ | on | Preposition |
| הַמְּכֹנֽוֹת׃ | the stands | Particle, noun common feminine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | the ten stands; the ten basins on the stands; |
| KJV | And the ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases; |
| ASV | and the ten bases, and the ten lavers on the bases; |
| YLT | and the ten bases, and the ten lavers on the bases; |
| WEB | the ten bases; the ten basins on the bases; |
| BBE | And the ten bases, with the ten washing-vessels on them; |
Where they part company is מְכוֹנָה and כִּיֹּור — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of a main clause followed by two noun phrases, with a prepositional phrase indicating the relationship between the basins and the stands.
4 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — 1 Kings 7:43
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Furnishings of Solomon's Templegenerated
1 Kings 7:43 describes the details of the stands and basins used in the temple, highlighting their importance in the overall structure. These items were crafted for the service of the temple and reflect the grandeur of Solomon's construction efforts. The surrounding verses provide context about other temple furnishings, emphasizing the meticulous design and craftsmanship involved in the temple's construction.
Cross References
The Key Word — מְכוֹנָה, ha.me.kho.Notgenerated
The Hebrew word מְכוֹנָה (mekhonah) is a feminine noun meaning 'base' or 'pedestal.' It indicates a foundational support for objects, essential for stability. This term is derived from the root מָכַן (makhan), which conveys the idea of establishing or placing something firmly.
In this verse, מְכוֹנָה refers specifically to the stands that support the basins, underscoring their role in the temple's structure. The presence of multiple stands emphasizes the scale and importance of the temple's furnishings.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb is implied in the structure as the sentence lists items. The main elements are two noun phrases: הַמְּכֹנ֖וֹת (the stands) and הַכִּיֹּרֹ֥ת (the basins), which are both described by the number עָ֑שֶׂר (ten).
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the items being listed, with the conjunction וְ (and) linking them, indicating the cumulative nature of the description.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates מְכוֹנָה as μεξωνωθ, which suggests a similar concept of a base or support, maintaining the foundational aspect of the stands.
For כִּיֹּור, the Septuagint uses ξυτροκαύλους, indicating a specific type of basin or vessel, which aligns with the functional aspect of the lavers in the temple.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Kings 7:43 describes the ten stands and the ten basins that are placed on these stands in Solomon's temple. This verse highlights the importance of these items in the temple's design, showing how they contribute to the overall structure and function of the temple.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The stands and basins were essential for the rituals performed in the temple, providing a place for washing and purification.
The number ten often symbolizes completeness in biblical literature, indicating a full provision for the temple's needs.
The basins were used for washing, while the stands provided the necessary support, ensuring that the temple's operations could be carried out effectively.
The presence of multiple stands and basins reflects the grandeur and meticulous planning involved in Solomon's temple, emphasizing its significance as a place of worship.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does the design of the temple reveal about the importance of worship in ancient Israel?
- How can we understand the significance of the number ten in the context of biblical symbolism?
- In what ways do the stands and basins reflect God's provision for His people?
- How might the details of the temple's construction inspire us in our own lives?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Kings 7:43 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe two pillars, and the two bowls of the chapiters that were on the top of the two pillars; and the two networks, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars; No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Kings 7 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments1 Kings 7:43 And the ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases; Ver. 43. See Trapp on "1 Kings 7:41".
Read John Trapp on 1 Kings 7 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(13-50) The exceedingly graphic and elaborate description of the work of Hiram on the vessels and furniture of the Temple, and on the great pillars, bears on the very face of it the most evident marks of historical accuracy and of the use of contemporary documents, and it has, moreover, great antiquarian interest. Looked at in itself, it shows that the Temple (like many other buildings in the comparative infancy of architecture) depended for its effect, not so much on size or proportion, as on rich material, elaborate decoration, and costly furniture, on which all the resources both of treasure and art were lavished. But besides this, the sense of the especial sacredness attached to all the…
Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Kings 7 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges43. and ten lavers] The Hebrew has, ‘and the ten lavers,’ and this definiteness is natural in such an enumeration. So in the next verse we should have ‘the one sea and the twelve oxen.’
Read Cambridge on 1 Kings 7 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
the ten stands; the ten basins on the stands;
the ten bases; the ten basins on the bases;
the ten stands; the ten basins on the stands;
the ten movable stands with their ten basins,
Tyndale line
And the ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases;
and the ten bases, and the ten lavers on the bases;
and the ten bases, and the ten lavers on the bases;
And the ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases;
And the ten bases, and ten caldrons vpon the bases,
Strictly literal
and the ten bases, and the ten lavers on the bases;
and the ten bases, and the ten lavers on the bases;
and the ten bases, and the ten lavers on the bases;
And the ten bases, and the ten lavers upon the bases;
the ten stands, and the ten basins on the stands.
From the Latin
And the ten bases, and the ten lavers on the bases.
Simplified
the ten carts; the ten basins on the carts;
And the ten bases, with the ten washing-vessels on them;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text reads, "וְאֶת־ הַמְּכֹנ֖וֹת עָ֑שֶׂר וְאֶת־ הַכִּיֹּרֹ֥ת עֲשָׂרָ֖ה עַל־ הַמְּכֹנֽוֹת׃" which translates to "the ten stands; the ten basins on the stands." The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in terms of the content, as all eight words match in a word-by-word correspondence, although the order and articles may differ. No significant variations are noted in the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, indicating a strong consistency across these ancient witnesses.
וְאֶת־ הַמְּכֹנ֖וֹת עָ֑שֶׂר וְאֶת־ הַכִּיֹּרֹ֥ת עֲשָׂרָ֖ה עַל־ הַמְּכֹנֽוֹת׃
8 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in 1 Kings 7:43
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HC/To — Conjunction · particleHC/To
The Hebrew word מְכוֹנָה (*mkownah*) is a feminine noun meaning 'base' or 'pedestal.' It is derived from the root of another word, מָכַן (*makhan*), and refers to a fixed resting place. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to a foundational support.
מְכוֹנָה, מְכֹנָה 25 n.f. fixed resting-place, base
base
H4350 מְכוֹנָה, מְכֹנָה, מְכֻנָה
4350 mkownah mek-o-naw'
or mkonah {mek-o-naw'}; feminine of 4349; a pedestal, also a
spot:--base.
see HEBREW for 04349
מְכוֹנָה (me.kho.nah) — base.
fixed resting place, base, pedestal
Also means: me.khu.nah (מְכֻנָה "base" H4369)
Art | N-fp — Particle · noun common feminine plural absoluteHTd/Ncfpa
עֶשֶׂר (eser) means 'ten' in Hebrew. It is a masculine noun derived from the root related to counting, specifically indicating the number ten and its use in combination with other numbers. The Aramaic equivalent is עֲשַׂר (asar), also meaning 'ten.'
עֶשֶׂר, עֲשָׂרָה 176 n.m. and f. ten
base
H6235 עֶשֶׂר, עֲשָׂרָה ten
6235 `eser eh'ser
masculine of term aasarah {as-aw-raw'}; from 6237; ten (as an
accumulation to the extent of the digits):--ten, (fif-,
seven-)teen.
see HEBREW for 06237
עֶשֶׂר (e.ser) — ten.
1) ten
1a) ten
1b) with other numbers
Aramaic equivalent: a.sar (עֲשַׂר "ten" H6236)
Adj — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HC/To — Conjunction · particleHC/To
כִּיֹּר (kiyowr) refers to a round object, often associated with cooking or washing, such as a pot, basin, or caldron. It can also denote a platform or stage, particularly in the context of Solomon's temple. The entries highlight its various uses, including as a fire-pot and a bronze laver, with a specific reference to 1 Kings 7:38.
כִּיֹּר, כִּיּוֹר n.m. 1 K 7:38 pot, basin
pot for cooking
fire-pot
basin of bronze for washing, laver; set on a bronze support
platform or stage of bronze (prob. round, bowl-like in shape) on which, acc. to Chr, Solomon stood and kneeled
base
H3595 כִּיֹּר, כִּיּוֹר
3595 kiyowr kee-yore'
or kiyor {kee-yore'}; from the same as 3564; properly,
something round (as excavated or bored), i.e. a chafing-dish
for coals or a caldron for cooking; hence (from similarity of
form) a washbowl; also (for the same reason) a pulpit or
platform:--hearth, laver, pan, scaffold.
see HEBREW for 03564
כִּיֹּר (kiy.yor) — basin.
1) pot, basin, laver, pan
1a) pot, caldron
1b) fire-pot, brazier
1c) basin, laver
1d) platform, stage
Art | N-mp — Particle · noun common feminine plural absoluteHTd/Ncfpa
עֶשֶׂר (eser) means 'ten' in Hebrew. It is a masculine noun derived from the root related to counting, specifically indicating the number ten and its use in combination with other numbers. The Aramaic equivalent is עֲשַׂר (asar), also meaning 'ten.'
עֶשֶׂר, עֲשָׂרָה 176 n.m. and f. ten
base
H6235 עֶשֶׂר, עֲשָׂרָה ten
6235 `eser eh'ser
masculine of term aasarah {as-aw-raw'}; from 6237; ten (as an
accumulation to the extent of the digits):--ten, (fif-,
seven-)teen.
see HEBREW for 06237
עֶשֶׂר (e.ser) — ten.
1) ten
1a) ten
1b) with other numbers
Aramaic equivalent: a.sar (עֲשַׂר "ten" H6236)
Adj — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep — PrepositionHR
On
Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…
(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…
See HELIOPOLIS.
pain; force; iniquity
The Hebrew word מְכוֹנָה (*mkownah*) is a feminine noun meaning 'base' or 'pedestal.' It is derived from the root of another word, מָכַן (*makhan*), and refers to a fixed resting place. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to a foundational support.
מְכוֹנָה, מְכֹנָה 25 n.f. fixed resting-place, base
base
H4350 מְכוֹנָה, מְכֹנָה, מְכֻנָה
4350 mkownah mek-o-naw'
or mkonah {mek-o-naw'}; feminine of 4349; a pedestal, also a
spot:--base.
see HEBREW for 04349
מְכוֹנָה (me.kho.nah) — base.
fixed resting place, base, pedestal
Also means: me.khu.nah (מְכֻנָה "base" H4369)
Art | N-fp — Particle · noun common feminine plural absoluteHTd/Ncfpa