Brazen Laver
Encyclopedia
The ten Brazen Lavers were bronze
laver
s utilised in the Temple of Solomon, in addition to the (larger) Molten Sea
, according to the Book of Kings
.
All this passage explains about the lavers themselves is their size, and that they were made from bronze. The mediaeval masoretic text
claims that they were four cubit
s in diameter
, and that they had a cubic capacity of forty baths, but the earlier writer Flavius Josephus claims that four cubits was the size of the radius
, making the capacity even larger. Even with the masoretic text's measurements, these lavers would be so large that if one was to be filled with water, the water alone would weigh 14 long ton
s.
: Mekonoth) for the lavers. In the masoretic text, these are claimed to be four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high, but the older Septuagint, and Josephus, both claim instead give the size as five cubits long, five cubits wide, and six cubits high.
These bases are described as being made from two components; in the Masoretic Text, these are described by the Hebrew terms misgeroth and shelabbim; the Septuagint uses the Greek terms sygkleiston and hexechomena to describe them. The meaning of these words is unfortunately somewhat uncertain, although it is suspected that the shelabbim/hexechomena were the main part, onto which the misgeroth/sygkleiston were affixed (hence some English translations render these words into side panels and uprights, or borders and frames). The bible describes the misgeroth/sygkleiston as being decorated by lions, oxen, and cherubim.
Each base is described as resting on a solid brass wheels, each 1.5 cubits in diameter. The axles for these wheels are described as being held to the base by hands (Hebrew: yadoth), which were extensions of the base itself.
According to a later passage from the books of kings, King Ahaz
dismantled these bases, and removed the misgeroth/sygleiston; it doesn't mention whether he did anything to the lavers themselves, but if they remained they would presubably have been situated significantly lower than they were before. However, an even later passage states that Nebuchadrezzar's army dismantled the bases.
, and their feet.
On the probable mythological significance of the lavers, see the Encyclopaedia Biblica article SEA, BRAZEN.
s were discovered in Cyprus
which had a remarkable similarity to the biblical description of the bases of the lavers. This has provided some clarification of the nature of misgeroth/sygleiston, and shelabbim/hexechomena, as well as explaining the design of the mouths of the lavers themselves (see illustration of the reconstruction, above).
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
laver
Laver
Laver might refer to one of the following:*Laver , an edible algae often considered to be a seaweed*Laver, a basin for ceremonial ablution*Laver, a river in North Yorkshire*High Laver a village in the Epping Forest district of Essex, England...
s utilised in the Temple of Solomon, in addition to the (larger) Molten Sea
Molten Sea
The Molten Sea or Brazen Sea was a large basin in the Temple in Jerusalem made by Solomon for ablution of the priests. It is described in and . It stood in the south-eastern corner of the inner court. According to the Bible it was five cubits high, ten cubits in diameter from brim to brim, and...
, according to the Book of Kings
Books of Kings
The Book of Kings presents a narrative history of ancient Israel and Judah from the death of David to the release of his successor Jehoiachin from imprisonment in Babylon, a period of some 400 years...
.
All this passage explains about the lavers themselves is their size, and that they were made from bronze. The mediaeval masoretic text
Masoretic Text
The Masoretic Text is the authoritative Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible and is regarded as Judaism's official version of the Tanakh. While the Masoretic Text defines the books of the Jewish canon, it also defines the precise letter-text of these biblical books, with their vocalization and...
claims that they were four cubit
Cubit
The cubit is a traditional unit of length, based on the length of the forearm. Cubits of various lengths were employed in many parts of the world in Antiquity, in the Middle Ages and into Early Modern Times....
s in diameter
Diameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
, and that they had a cubic capacity of forty baths, but the earlier writer Flavius Josephus claims that four cubits was the size of the radius
Radius
In classical geometry, a radius of a circle or sphere is any line segment from its center to its perimeter. By extension, the radius of a circle or sphere is the length of any such segment, which is half the diameter. If the object does not have an obvious center, the term may refer to its...
, making the capacity even larger. Even with the masoretic text's measurements, these lavers would be so large that if one was to be filled with water, the water alone would weigh 14 long ton
Long ton
Long ton is the name for the unit called the "ton" in the avoirdupois or Imperial system of measurements, as used in the United Kingdom and several other Commonwealth countries. It has been mostly replaced by the tonne, and in the United States by the short ton...
s.
The 'bases'
Much greater detail is elaborated for the description of the supporting bases (HebrewHebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
: Mekonoth) for the lavers. In the masoretic text, these are claimed to be four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high, but the older Septuagint, and Josephus, both claim instead give the size as five cubits long, five cubits wide, and six cubits high.
These bases are described as being made from two components; in the Masoretic Text, these are described by the Hebrew terms misgeroth and shelabbim; the Septuagint uses the Greek terms sygkleiston and hexechomena to describe them. The meaning of these words is unfortunately somewhat uncertain, although it is suspected that the shelabbim/hexechomena were the main part, onto which the misgeroth/sygkleiston were affixed (hence some English translations render these words into side panels and uprights, or borders and frames). The bible describes the misgeroth/sygkleiston as being decorated by lions, oxen, and cherubim.
Each base is described as resting on a solid brass wheels, each 1.5 cubits in diameter. The axles for these wheels are described as being held to the base by hands (Hebrew: yadoth), which were extensions of the base itself.
According to a later passage from the books of kings, King Ahaz
Ahaz
Ahaz was king of Judah, and the son and successor of Jotham. He is one of the kings mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew....
dismantled these bases, and removed the misgeroth/sygleiston; it doesn't mention whether he did anything to the lavers themselves, but if they remained they would presubably have been situated significantly lower than they were before. However, an even later passage states that Nebuchadrezzar's army dismantled the bases.
State of Text
As with most accounts in the Book of Kings, this description appears to be comprised from two spliced-together parallel sources. One describing the wheels in detail, the other not, for examplePurpose
The ten lavers are described by the bible as being placed around the Temple building itself, five on the north side and the other five on the south. The masoretic text doesn't explain their function, but Josephus, says that these lavers were for cleansing the entrails of the sacrificed animalsKorban
The term offering as found in the Hebrew Bible in relation to the worship of Ancient Israel is mainly represented by the Hebrew noun korban whether for an animal or other offering...
, and their feet.
On the probable mythological significance of the lavers, see the Encyclopaedia Biblica article SEA, BRAZEN.
Parallels in other nearby cultures
In the late 19th century, bronze chariotChariot
The chariot is a type of horse carriage used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples. Ox carts, proto-chariots, were built by the Proto-Indo-Europeans and also built in Mesopotamia as early as 3000 BC. The original horse chariot was a fast, light, open, two wheeled...
s were discovered in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
which had a remarkable similarity to the biblical description of the bases of the lavers. This has provided some clarification of the nature of misgeroth/sygleiston, and shelabbim/hexechomena, as well as explaining the design of the mouths of the lavers themselves (see illustration of the reconstruction, above).