בית המקדש · Beit HaMikdach

Mizbeach

The Ten Mekhonot

מכונות

Mekhonot

See it in the tour

The ten mobile bronze stands of Shlomo. Each rolls on four wheels and carries a basin. Five are arranged to the north, five to the south, “on the shoulder of the building” — in the tour, the floor of the Azara along the body of the Bayit. Their panels bore lions, oxen and keruvim; in the tour, only their frames are shown.

Dimensions

  • stands of 4 × 4 × 3 amot
  • four wheels of one and a half amot
  • a basin of four amot on each
  • five per side: “חָמֵשׁ עַל כֶּתֶף הַבַּיִת מִיָּמִין וְחָמֵשׁ עַל כֶּתֶף הַבַּיִת מִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ”
  • panels with lions, oxen and keruvim

Sources

  • I Kings 7:27-39“חָמֵשׁ עַל כֶּתֶף הַבַּיִת מִיָּמִין וְחָמֵשׁ עַל כֶּתֶף הַבַּיִת מִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ”
  • II Chronicles 4:14
  • Menachot 98b“שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה בָּאֶמְצַע, חֲמִשָּׁה מִימִינוֹ, וַחֲמִשָּׁה מִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ”

Project decisionFirst Temple: I Kings 7:27-39; the Mishna does not mention them. Project's position, as for the Bronze Sea: the tour places them in the Temple of the Mishna. Menachot 98b, which sets Moses' vessels among Shlomo's, speaks only of the First Temple; extending it to the Temple of the Mishna is the tour's choice.