The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 135

tion of o. Phronician temple, it always has [i.e., he shall eBtablish, as marg. The name a pillar or pillnre standing within or before expressed the belief that God would presene it" (Stanley), (3) It is extremely doubt- and protect the new fane. It is true that a ful whother these columns, twenty-three Jo.chin is mentioned (1 Ohron. ix. 10; niv. feet in height, were o.dnpted to serve as 17), as head of the 21st course of priests supports to the roof of the porch. The in the reign of David, while a Boaz was one height of the laLter has been varionsly of Solomon's ancestors, but the columns estimated ,tt twenty, thirty, and sixty cubits, could hardly be named after them, or 1m and whichever estimate is preferred, the private persons. Ewald suggests that they columns would appear to be of an unsuitable were named after " some favourites of the altitude. Fergusson so.ye they were " appro- time, perhaps young sons of Solon on." priate to support the roof of the porch," but The idea of Thenius that these names were then he conceives the columns to be in a.ll engraved upon the pillars is not wh liy im- twenty-seven cubits high (see on ver. 19), and probable, though of course it finds no sup- allows the remaining three cubits for the port in the text] and he set up the left slope of the roof). But, as we cannot be pillar [the left as one faced them from certain either of the height of the porch or the hou2e. Th'l right hand is iden ified with of the column, this is an argument of which the south in ver. 39], and called the name very little co.n be made. (4) If the pillars thereof Boaz. [Marg. in it is strength. Prob- wern part of the building, they would almost ably "in Him, i.e., God, is its strength" certainly have been of the same material, (cf. Isa. xiv. 24). The thought of Jachin, i.e., wood or stone. Their meta.Ilic com- "He will establish," is thus continued; and position is certainly an argument for t"heir the two pillars pointed alike to the God of monumental character. It can hardly be Israel as the true support and upholder o1 alleged in favour of this view, however, His sanctuary, The LXX. interpretation that they are mentioned amongst the of these two names, Kar6p9w<nc and 'lax>\: vessels or articles of furniture, for the his- (2 Ohron. iii. 17), success and strength, torian might fittingly describe the pillars though very far from literal, preserves their here, as being the principal of the "works fundamental ideas. in brass " which Hiram wrought, even if Ver. 22.-And upon the top of the pillar~ they did form the supports of the roof of was lily work [a repetition, in the Hebrew the porch. Nor are we justified, consider- manner, of ver. 19. The" lily work," which ing the extreme br~vity and the partial cha- probably involved two things, (1) that the racter of the description of the temple, in capitol had a rude resemblance to a " full 1tffirming that they would he.ve been men- blown lily-cup" (Bii.hr), and (2) that repre- tioned in connexion with the building, ha.d sentations of the leaf of the lily. era pour- they formed part of the edifice. (5) The trayed upon it(asin the cornice ofl ersepolis, remark of Stieglitz (cited by Biihr) that "it an illustration of which will be found Diet. wo.s their separate position alone which Bib. iii. p. 1457), w11s a not unfitting finial to gave those pillars the impressive aspect they the oolumn, as it formed a sort of crown or were designed to wear," lends some lit'tle chaplet upon it. The two pillars would support to this view. So also does (6) The thus resemble two giant plants, the column fa.et that thess columns, a.nd these alone, answering to the stalk, the co.pita.I to •\Je received specie.I names. "No architectural flower. The ideas of architecture, it is we, 1 portion of the building received e. no.me" known, have very frequently been derived (Keil). But this argument, ago.in, ie not to from the vegetable kingdom. be unduly pressed, for to some it may seem Ver. 23.-The writer now passes on to that the names they bore would have a describe the brazen vessels made by Hiram special propriety and an enhanced signi- for the temple use. And he made a [Heb. ficance, if tbo collllllils contributed to the the] molten sea [so ea.lied on account of its strength and stability of the edifice. The unprecedented size and capacity. It was question, therefore, is one of considerable designed, like the !aver of brass in the complexity, the more so, as it is maintained to.bcrno.cle (Exod. xxx. 18-20), to contain that it would be almost impossible to con- the water necessary for the ablutions o1 the struct a roof thirty feet in width without priesta. For its size and shape see below], some such pillars to support the beam (Fer- ten cubits from the one brim to the other gusson); but the balance of evidence appears [Hcb . .fram his lip to his lip] roll.!ld all to favour the view that Jachiu and Boaz about [i.e., ciroulo.r], and h1s height was were monuments erected in the porch, to 11.ve cubits [this was the depth of the vessel, dignify the sanctuary, and to symbolize the exclusive o1 its foot or bo.so J : P.nd a lino of power and eternity of the Being to whom it thirty cubits did compass it round a.bout . was cleclioated] : and he set up the right .[The historian obviously uses rounJ. nwn- pWa.r, and called the name thereof Jach1n bere when he QPeaks of the die.meter I\B teu.  1st THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. [OH. VII, 1-61,