Jeremiah 52:21

Jer 52:21-23. The height of one pillar was eighteen cubits — The same account is given of the height of these pillars, 1Ki 7:15 : but in 2Ch 3:15, it is said, that both the pillars made thirty-five cubits; which two texts may be easily reconciled by allowing one cubit for the basis. And a fillet of twelve cubits — So that the diameter was almost four cubits. The thickness whereof was four fingers — The pillar being hollow, the thickness of the work that encompassed the hollow space was four fingers over. There were ninety and six pomegranates on a side — Or, toward every wind, as Blaney very properly renders רוחה. “In 1Ki 7:42, and 2Ch 4:13, it is said, there were four hundred pomegranates for each net-work or wreath. The mode of expression here is different, but amounts to exactly the same. For divide the two pillars into four quarters, according to the four winds; and let ninety-six pomegranates stand opposite to each of the four winds upon the two pillars; the whole number in front of the four winds, taken together, will be three hundred and eighty-four. But they were in four rows, two on each pillar, and in each row must have been four angular pomegranates, that could not be said to be opposite to any of the four winds, consequently, sixteen angular ones in the four rows; which sixteen being added to three hundred and eighty-four, make up the number of pomegranates in all four hundred; that is, a hundred in a row of wreathen work round about.”

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

52:21 Jeremiah added “and 18 feet in circumference” and the last sentence (cp. 2 Kgs 25:17).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

eighteen cubits--but in Ch2 3:15, it is "thirty-five cubits." The discrepancy is thus removed. Each pillar was eighteen common cubits. The two together, deducting the base, were thirty-five, as stated in Ch2 3:15 [GROTIUS]. Other ways (for example, by reference to the difference between the common and the sacred cubit) are proposed: though we are not able positively to decide now which is the true way, at least those proposed do show that the discrepancies are not irreconcilable.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 21. See Clarke on Jer 52:18.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(21-23) And concerning the pillars . . .—In 2Ki_25:16-17 we have a list abbreviated by the omission of some of the measurements and of the number and arrangement of the pomegranates. “Chapiter” is the old English word for the “capital” of a column.

On a side.—The exact meaning of the Hebrew is towards a (=each) wind—i.e., there were twenty-four pomegranates on each side of the square pillars, with one at each corner, making, as in Jer_52:23, one hundred in all.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. eighteen cubits] a cubit was about 18 inches.

21–23. Cp. 1Ki_7:15-18.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And a chapiter of brass was upon it,.... Or a coronet of brass, of molten brass, was set upon the top of the pillar:

and the height of one chapiter was five cubits; as in Kg1 7:16; but in Kg2 25:17; the height is said to be but three cubits; which is reconciled by the Jewish Rabbins thus, the three superior cubits of it were with ornaments, the two inferior without any; the whole together was five cubits; but, as ornamented, only three:

with network and pomegranates upon the chapiters round about, all of brass; the nets were of chequer work, and wreaths of chain work, and there were seven of them to each chapiter, Kg1 7:17;

the second pillar also, and the pomegranates, were like unto these; one pillar was exactly like the other, and the ornaments of it the same.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The fillet means a measuring line; the pillars were 12 cubits, i. e., 18 feet, in circumference, and thus the diameter would be 5 feet 9 inches. As the brass was four fingers, i. e., scarcely four inches thick, the hollow center would be more than five feet in diameter.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

This agreeth with 1Ki 7:15, where what is called here a fillet is called a thread; concerning the height of the pillars, we read the same 2Ki 25:17; 2Ch 3:15.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.