Bronze laver (Temple)

Much greater detail is elaborated for the description of the supporting bases (Hebrew: Mekonoth) for the lavers. In the masoretic text, these are claimed to be four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high, but the older Septuagint, and Josephus, both instead give the size as five cubits long, five cubits wide, and six cubits high. These bases are described as being made from two components; in the Masoretic Text, these are described by the Hebrew terms misgeroth and shelabbim; the Septuagint uses the Greek terms sygkleiston and hexechomena to describe them. The meaning of these words is unfortunately somewhat uncertain, (hence some English translations render these words into side panels and uprights, or borders and frames). The bible describes the misgeroth/sygkleiston as being decorated by lions, oxen, and cherubim. The axles for these wheels are described as being held to the base by hands (Hebrew: yadoth), which were extensions of the base itself. According to a later passage from the books of kings, King Ahaz dismantled these bases, and removed the misgeroth/sygleiston; it doesn't mention whether he did anything to the lavers themselves, but if they remained they would presumably have been situated significantly lower than they were before. == Purpose ==

The ten lavers are described by the bible as being placed around the Temple building itself, five on the north side and the other five on the south. They were used for washing the hands and feet of the priests before doing ritual service (Exodus 30:18-21). This is a redundant act which was the purpose of the cast sea, thus the concluding statement of Josephus, saying that these laverns were for cleansing the entrails of the sacrificed animals, and their feet. Remember each item has symbolic meaning and the cast sea is for the use of the priests for cleansing of themselves, thus work of the Holy Spirit, where as this is the cleaning of the entrails, which is symbolic of the mind, soul, and leg or the intention of believers or here the priest. Parallels in other nearby cultures In the late 19th century, bronze chariots were discovered in Cyprus which had a remarkable similarity to the biblical description of the bases of the lavers. This has provided some clarification of the nature of misgeroth/sygleiston, and shelabbim/hexechomena, as well as explaining the design of the mouths of the lavers themselves (see illustration of the reconstruction, above). ==References==