John Gill Commentary 1 Kings 7:46

"In the plain of the Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan." — 1 Kings 7:46 (ASV)

In the plain of Jericho did the king cast them in the
clay ground
Which being thick, as the word signifies, and stiff and close, was fit for such a purpose as casting brass; of such clay, furnaces of earth used to be made to melt metals in; but here were large things to be cast, as the two pillars, the sea, the ten lavers, &c. moulds were made in the ground, and so the melted brass was poured into them, which gave it its different forms; this, no doubt, was done by Hiram, though said to be done by the king, because done by his orders:

The place where it was done was a part of the plain of Jericho, which lay

between Succoth and Zarthan ;
Succoth was in the tribe of Gad, on the other side Jordan; Zarthan was near it on this side, in the tribe of Manasseh, the same that is called Zartanah, (1 Kings 4:12) and Zaretan, (Joshua 3:16) and Zeredathah, (2 Chronicles 4:17) . The first casters of brass are said ^F8 to be Theodorus and Rhaecus, both Samians.

---

FOOTNOTES:

• F8: Pausau. Arcadica, sive, l. 8. p. 479. & Boeotica, sive, l. 9. p. 607.