2 Chronicles 4:6

Arabic 2018 (الترجمة الكاثوليكيّة (اليسوعيّة))

ثُمَّ صَنَعَ عَشرَةَ أَحْواض، فجَعَلَ خَمسَةً مِنها عنِ اليَمينِ وخَمسَةً عنِ اليَسار، لِلاغتِسال، كانوا يَغسِلونَ فيها ما يُصعَدُ مُحرَقَةً، وكانَ البَحرُ لِٱغتِسالِ الكَهَنَة.

What Does This Mean?

This verse describes the creation of ten basins for washing purposes. Five basins were placed on each side, used to clean the offerings for burnt sacrifices. The large laver, or 'sea', was reserved for the priests to wash in. The passage is part of the description of the temple furnishings by the author of Chronicles.

Explained for Children

Imagine you have ten big buckets of water. You put five buckets on one side and five on the other side. These buckets were used to clean the animals that were offered as sacrifices to God. There was also a big pool of water just for the priests to use when they needed to wash themselves.

Historical Background

The Book of 2 Chronicles was written by an unknown author, possibly a priest or scribe, around 300 BCE. It was written for the Jews returning from exile in Babylon, detailing the history of the kingdom of Judah and the temple's construction and furnishings.

Living It Out Today

Today, we can understand this verse as a reminder of the importance of purification and cleanliness. Just as the priests and offerings were washed to be presented to God, we should strive to keep our hearts and actions pure in our daily lives.

Topics

• temple
• purification
• offerings
• priesthood
• worship
• ritual

Related Verses

• Exodus 30:18
• Exodus 38:8
• Ezekiel 40:38
• Ezekiel 41:22
• Mark 7:4

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the ten lavers?

The ten lavers were used to wash the offerings that were to be sacrificed, ensuring they were clean before being presented to God.

Who used the large laver or 'sea' mentioned in the verse?

The large laver, or 'sea', was specifically used by the priests to wash themselves before their duties in the temple.

What does this verse tell us about the temple's design?

This verse indicates that the temple was equipped with specific facilities for purification, highlighting the importance of cleanliness and ritual purity in temple worship.

How does this relate to modern worship practices?

While we no longer have physical sacrifices, this verse reminds us of the importance of spiritual purification and preparation before approaching God in worship.