1 Kings 7:47

And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceeding many: neither was the weight of the brass found out.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(47) Solomon left all the vessels unweighed.—The brass for these vessels had (1Chronicles 18:8) been taken by David from Tibhath and Chun, cities of the territory of Zobah, and laid up with other stores for the purpose of the Temple. How these cities were so rich in brass we are not told; but there are very ancient copper-mines, once worked by the Egyptians, in the Sinaitic peninsula; and the allusions to mining of various kinds in Job 28:1-11 (perhaps belonging to the time of Solomon) are very striking.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

7:13-47 The two brazen pillars in the porch of the temple, some think, were to teach those that came to worship, to depend upon God only, for strength and establishment in all their religious exercises. Jachin, God will fix this roving mind. It is good that the heart be established with grace. Boaz, In him is our strength, who works in us both to will and to do. Spiritual strength and stability are found at the door of God's temple, where we must wait for the gifts of grace, in use of the means of grace. Spiritual priests and spiritual sacrifices must be washed in the laver of Christ's blood, and of regeneration. We must wash often, for we daily contract pollution. There are full means provided for our cleansing; so that if we have our lot for ever among the unclean it will be our own fault. Let us bless God for the fountain opened by the sacrifice of Christ for sin and for uncleanness.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The brass of which the two pillars, Jachin and Boaz, the brass sea, and the various vessels were made had been taken by David from two cities belonging to Hadadezer, king of Zobah 1 Chronicles 18:8.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

46. In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them—Zarthan, or Zaretan (Jos 3:16), or Zartanah (1Ki 4:12), or Zeredathah (2Ch 4:17), was on the bank of the Jordan in the territories of western Manasseh. Succoth was situated on the eastern side of Jordan, at the ford of the river near the mouth of the Jabbok. One reason assigned by commentators for the castings being made there is, that at such a distance from Jerusalem that city would not be annoyed by the smoke and noxious vapors necessarily occasioned by the process. [Note in Bagster's Bible.] But the true reason is to be found in the nature of the soil; Margin, "the thickness of the ground." That part of the Jordan valley abounds with marl. Clay and sand are the moulding material still used for bronze. Such large quantities of metal as one of these castings would contain could not be fused in one furnace, but would require a series of furnaces, especially for such a casting as the brazen sea—the whole series of furnaces being filled with metal, and fused at one time, and all tapped together, and the metal let run into the mould. Thus a national foundry was erected in the plain of Jordan [Napier].

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because the weighing of them was very troublesome, and to no purpose.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceeding many,.... The vessels of brass before mentioned, being so large, at least some of them, and so numerous; the Targum is, he laid them up, or placed them; he brought them from whence they were cast, and put them in the sanctuary without weighing them:

neither was the weight of the brass found out; or "searched" (i); it never was inquired into; or, as the Targum, there was no end of it, it was so much.

(i) "nec invesigari potuerit", Tigurine version: "non pervestigatum est", Junius, Tremellius, Piscator.

Geneva Study Bible

And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceeding many: neither was the weight of the brass found out.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

47. neither was the weight of the brass found out] The R.V. gives ‘could not be found out.’ The verb, which signifies literally ‘to investigate,’ ‘to search out,’ seems employed to indicate that no attempt was made to discover it.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 47. - And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed [the interpretation of the A.V. italics is justified by the next clauses] because they were exceeding many: neither was the weight of the brass found out. [Marg. searched. So Gesen. al. This does not mean that the "brass for each vessel was not weighed out" (Bahr), but that the total weight of the metal was not, perhaps could not, be ascertained.] The sacred record now proceeds to enumerate the vessels, etc., used inside the temple - those hitherto described having been for external use. These latter, as became the furniture of a house which blazed in gold, were all of gold, while the former were of brass. It would seem to be a fair inference, from the omission of Hiram's name, that he was not employed on the manufacture of these latter vessels. 1 Kings 7:47

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Solomon left all these vessels of excessive number unweighed. ויּנּח does not mean he laid them down ( equals set them up: Movers), but he let them lie, i.e., unweighed, as the additional clause, "the weight of the brass was not ascertained," clearly shows. This large quantity of brass, according to 1 Chronicles 18:8, David had taken from the cities of Hadadezer, adding also the brass presented to him by Toi.