Hiram’s Work in the Temple
13 Now King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. 14 He was a widow’s son from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill for doing any work in bronze. So he came to King Solomon and performed all his work.
15 He fashioned the two pillars of bronze; eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits [b]measured the circumference of both. 16 He also made two capitals of molten bronze to set on the tops of the pillars; the height of the one capital was five [c]cubits and the height of the other capital was five cubits. 17 There were nets of network and twisted threads of chainwork for the capitals which were on the top of the pillars; seven for the one capital and seven for the other capital. 18 So he made the pillars, and two rows around on the one network to cover the capitals which were on the top of the pomegranates; and so he did for the other capital. 19 The capitals which were on the top of the pillars in the porch were of lily design, four cubits. 20 There were capitals on the two pillars, even above and close to the [d]rounded projection which was beside the network; and the pomegranates numbered two hundred in rows around [e]both capitals. 21 Thus he set up the pillars at the porch of the nave; and he set up the right pillar and named it [f]Jachin, and he set up the left pillar and named it [g]Boaz. 22 On the top of the pillars was lily design. So the work of the pillars was finished.
23 Now he made the sea of cast metal ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and its height was five cubits, and [h]thirty cubits in circumference. 24 Under its brim gourds went around encircling it ten to a cubit, completely surrounding the sea; the gourds were in two rows, cast [i]with the rest. 25 It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; and the sea was set on top of them, and all their rear parts turned inward. 26 It was a handbreadth thick, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, as a lily blossom; it could hold two thousand baths.
27 Then he made the ten stands of bronze; the length of each stand was four cubits and its width four cubits and its height three cubits. 28 This was the design of the stands: they had borders, even borders between the [j]frames, 29 and on the borders which were between the [k]frames were lions, oxen and cherubim; and on the [l]frames there was a pedestal above, and beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging work. 30 Now each stand had four bronze wheels with bronze axles, and its four feet had supports; beneath the basin were cast supports with wreaths at each side. 31 Its opening inside the crown at the top was a cubit, and its opening was round like the design of a pedestal, a cubit and a half; and also on its opening there were engravings, and their borders were square, not round. 32 The four wheels were underneath the borders, and the axles of the wheels were on the stand. And the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half. 33 The workmanship of the wheels was like the workmanship of a chariot wheel. Their axles, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all cast. 34 Now there were four supports at the four corners of each stand; its supports were part of the stand itself. 35 On the top of the stand there was a circular form half a [m]cubit high, and on the top of the stand its [n]stays and its borders were part of it. 36 He engraved on the plates of its stays and on its borders, cherubim, lions and palm trees, according to the clear space on each, with wreaths all around. 37 He made the ten stands like this: all of them had one casting, one measure and one form.
38 He made ten basins of bronze, one basin held forty baths; each basin was four cubits, and on each of the ten stands was one basin. 39 Then he set the stands, five on the right side of the house and five on the left side of the house; and he set the sea of cast metal on the right side of the house eastward toward the south.
Besides the scale of all this, two other things popped out a bit. One was that I never realized Hiram had lost his father. He is introduced as a widow’s son from Tyre. It also just so happens that he has the same name as the king, and no doubt it was King Hiram that recommended this young metalworker to Solomon.
The other was the names of the pillars, one being Boaz, who was Solomon’s direct ancestor, the one who redeemed Ruth after her husband died in Moab. Both these women were living in foreign lands, but God knew them, and had a plan for their life even still.
Like Jonah the prophet, we might think we can run or hide from God. Or perhaps we think He doesn’t notice us anymore and has stopped caring about us. Yet Ruth and Hiram’s mother are evidence that nothing we do is hidden from God, and He certainly never stops loving us.
Further, His love doesn’t depend on our goodness, or how well we are doing in life. “While we were still sinners…” God sent His son to die in our place, because He loved us. So if you find yourself feeling alone, like God isn’t listening, just hang in there, and keep looking for His plan. You’ll find it, and He’ll find you in the process.