Lexical Summary peqaim: Knops, buds Original Word: פֶקַע Strong's Exhaustive Concordance a semi-globeFrom an unused root meaning to burst; only used as an architectural term of an ornament similar to paqqu'ah, a semi-globe -- knop. see HEBREW paqqu'ah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition gourd (shaped) ornaments NASB Translation gourds (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs מְּקָעִים noun masculine1Kings 7:24 plural carved wood or metal ornaments, either ball-, knob-shaped (Löwp. 332 f.) of gourd-shaped (so most; compare following; Syriac Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Hebrew 6497 designates the ornamental “gourd-shaped” motif that appears in the descriptions of Solomon’s temple complex. Though the word never refers to edible produce in these passages, it evokes the rounded form of a gourd and thereby draws the reader’s imagination to themes of fruitfulness and divine provision woven throughout the biblical narrative. Occurrences in Scripture • 1 Kings 6:18 Architectural Context in Solomon’s Temple The first appearance occurs inside the temple sanctuary: “The cedar inside the house was carved in the shape of gourds and open flowers” (1 Kings 6:18). Positioned on the inner walls overlaid with cedar, the carving unites vegetal imagery with the gold-covered cherubim, palm trees, and flowers (1 Kings 6:29), transforming the Holy Place and Most Holy Place into stylized representations of Edenic paradise. The second and third uses describe the massive Bronze Sea: “Below the rim, gourds encircled it, ten to a cubit, completely surrounding the Sea. The gourds were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea” (1 Kings 7:24). A ring of thirty-handbreadth circumference (1 Kings 7:23) is crowned by a double row of these rounded forms. The Sea, holding some twenty thousand gallons of water, stands on twelve sculpted oxen and serves the priests’ ritual washings, visually coupling cleansing with fertility motifs. Symbolism of Abundance and Provision Throughout Scripture, gourds and vines speak of God’s bounty (Numbers 13:23; Jonah 4:6). By incorporating gourd designs into the temple, Solomon memorializes the LORD as the giver of “wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil that makes his face to shine, and bread that sustains his heart” (Psalm 104:15). The worshipper entering the temple beholds not barren austerity but a sanctuary teeming with creative vitality, foreshadowing the future restoration when “the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the lily” (Isaiah 35:1). Relationship to Creation Motifs The tabernacle had already featured garden elements in its lampstand designed “like almond blossoms” (Exodus 25:33), but Solomon multiplies the imagery. The gourd carvings, open flowers, palms, and cherubim combine to recall Genesis 2, where rivers, trees, and life abound. The temple thus proclaims that fellowship with God restores humanity to the fullness of original blessing. Interplay with Water Imagery That the gourds encircle the Sea is theologically rich. Water imagery consistently points to cleansing (Numbers 8:7), life (Psalm 1:3), and the Spirit (Ezekiel 47:1-12; John 7:38-39). The ornamental gourds stress that the waters of purification are not mere ritual but channels of divine fruitfulness, heralding the rivers of living water to be poured out in the messianic age. Historical Background Near Eastern palatial architecture commonly featured vegetal and aquatic symbols signifying the king’s role as guardian of fertility and order. Solomon, however, attributes all fecundity to the covenant God. By embedding prolific motifs in a building devoted exclusively to Yahweh, Israel’s king asserts that prosperity flows, not from royal prowess nor Canaanite fertility cults, but from covenant faithfulness (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). Ministry Implications 1. Worship spaces ought to direct attention to God’s life-giving character. Beauty is never an afterthought but a legitimate testimony to divine generosity. Christological Foreshadowing The Bronze Sea anticipates the once-for-all washing secured by Jesus, our great High Priest. The ornamental gourds, permanently fused to the basin, hint that the cleansing He provides can never be separated from the abundance He bestows: “I will give from the spring of the water of life without cost” (Revelation 21:6). In Him the curse of barrenness is reversed, and the temple vision culminates in “the river of the water of life” flanked by “the tree of life bearing twelve kinds of fruit” (Revelation 22:1-2). Practical Application for the Church Today • Cultivate an atmosphere—whether in architecture, liturgy, or charitable works—that reflects God’s generosity and brings refreshment to the weary. Forms and Transliterations הַפְּקָעִ֔ים הפקעים וּפְקָעִים֩ ופקעים פְּקָעִ֔ים פקעים hap·pə·qā·‘îm happekaIm happəqā‘îm pə·qā·‘îm pekaIm pəqā‘îm ū·p̄ə·qā·‘îm ufekaIm ūp̄əqā‘îmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 6:18 HEB: פְּנִ֔ימָה מִקְלַ֣עַת פְּקָעִ֔ים וּפְטוּרֵ֖י צִצִּ֑ים NAS: carved [in the shape] of gourds and open KJV: [was] carved with knops and open INT: within carved gourds open flowers 1 Kings 7:24 1 Kings 7:24 3 Occurrences |
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flowers [Lexicons]); —