II Chronicles 4:21
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the flowers, lamps, and tongs of gold—of purest gold;
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Ch2 4:1-6. The copper furniture of the court. Ch2 4:1. The altar of burnt-offering. Its preparation is passed over in 1 Kings 6 and 7, so that there it is only mentioned incidentally in connection with the consecration of the temple, Kg1 8:22, Kg1 8:54, and Kg1 9:25. It was twenty cubits square (long and broad) and ten cubits high, and constructed on the model of the Mosaic altar of burnt-offering, and probably of brass plates, which enclosed the inner core, consisting of earth and unhewn stones; and if we may judge from Ezekiel's description, Eze 43:13-17, it rose in steps, as it were, so that at each step its extent was smaller; and the measurement of twenty cubits refers only to the lowest scale, while the space at the top, with the hearth, was only twelve cubits square; cf. my Bibl. Archaeol. i. S. 127, with the figure, plate iii. fig. 2.
Open source ↗We have here a further account of the furniture of God's house. I. Those things that were of brass. The altar for burnt-offerings (Ch2 4:1), the sea and lavers to hold water (Ch2 4:2-6), the plates with which the doors of the court were overlaid (Ch2 4:9), the vessels of the altar, and other things (Ch2 4:10-18). II. Those that were of gold. The candlesticks and tables (Ch2 4:7, Ch2 4:8), the altar of incense (Ch2 4:19), and the appurtenances of each of these (Ch2 4:20-22). All these, except the brazen altar (Ch2 4:1), were accounted for more largely, Kg1 7:23, etc.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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Then he carved the walls all around the temple, in both the inner and outer sanctuaries, with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers.
It was a handbreadth thick, and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It could hold three thousand baths.
And on the lampstand were four cups shaped like almond blossoms with buds and petals.
He carved into them cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers; and he overlaid them with gold, hammered evenly over the carvings.
The cedar paneling inside the temple was carved with gourds and open flowers. Everything was cedar; not a stone could be seen.