What is the meaning of 2 Chronicles 4:5?

It was a handbreadth thick

“It was a handbreadth thick” (2 Chronicles 4:5)

• A handbreadth is roughly four inches, underscoring that this “Sea” was built for permanence and daily, heavy use by the priests.

• The substantial thickness matches the instruction in Exodus 30:17-21, where the laver had to endure constant drawing of water for ceremonial washings.

• 1 Kings 7:26 repeats the detail, confirming the chronicler’s literal measurement and emphasizing God’s concern for skilled craftsmanship (cf. Exodus 31:1-5).

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Its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup

“and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup” (v. 5)

• The flared rim prevented spillage, making it easier for priests to dip their hands and feet (Exodus 40:30-32).

• The cup-shape calls to mind vessels used for drink offerings (Numbers 28:7), hinting that cleansing and worship are inseparable.

• Psalm 116:13, “I will lift up the cup of salvation,” later uses the same everyday image of a cup to speak of God’s deliverance.

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Like a lily blossom

“like a lily blossom” (v. 5)

• Lilies symbolized purity and beauty (Song of Songs 2:1-2). By mirroring that flower, the Sea reminded priests that inward purity must match outward ritual (Psalm 24:3-4).

• Similar lily motifs crowned the temple pillars (1 Kings 7:19, 22), weaving God’s aesthetic of holiness throughout the sanctuary.

• Jesus pointed to lilies as examples of the Father’s lavish care (Matthew 6:28-30), echoing the same theme of God-given beauty.

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It could hold three thousand baths

“It could hold three thousand baths.” (v. 5)

• Three thousand baths equal roughly 17,000 gallons—an immense supply portraying God’s abundant provision for cleansing (Isaiah 1:18).

• 1 Kings 7:26 notes “two thousand baths.” Kings records the normal working volume; Chronicles cites maximum capacity—no contradiction, just two complementary facts.

• The vast quantity foreshadows the limitless cleansing offered in Christ (Hebrews 10:22; Titus 3:5-6).

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summary

Every detail—thickness, cup-shaped rim, lily design, and vast capacity—points to a God who provides strong, beautiful, and overflowing means of purification. The Sea in Solomon’s temple was both a literal basin for priestly washing and a physical proclamation that the Lord’s provision for holiness is sturdy, attractive, and more than sufficient for all who draw near.