1 Kings 7:25

Verse

The Sea stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The Sea rested on them, with all their hindquarters toward the center.

American Standard Version (1901)

It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; and the sea was set upon them above, and all their hinder parts were inward.

Bible in Basic English

It was supported on twelve oxen, with their back parts turned to the middle of it, three of them facing to the north, three to the west, three to the south, and three to the east; the vessel was resting on top of them.

Free Bible Version

The Sea stood on twelve metal bulls. Three faced to the north, three to the west, three to the south, and three to the east. The Sea was placed on them, with their rears toward the center.

Geneva Bible 1599

It stoode on twelue bulles, three looking towarde the North, and three toward the West, and three toward the South, and three towarde the East: and the sea stoode aboue vpon them, and all their hinder partes were inward.

King James (Authorized) Version

It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.

Translation for Translators

Huram also cast twelve bronze statues of oxen. He placed them to face outward. He placed three of them to face north, three to face west, three to face south, and three to face east. His helpers put the bronze tank on the backs of the statues of the oxen.

Unlocked Literal Bible

“The Sea” stood on twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, three looking toward the west, three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east. “The Sea” was set on top of them, and all their hindquarters were toward the inside.

Noah Webster Bible

It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking towards the north, and three looking towards the west, and three looking towards the south, and three looking towards the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.

World English Bible

It stood on twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; and the sea was set on them above, and all their hindquarters were inward.

Young's Literal Translation

It is standing on twelve oxen, three facing the north, and three facing the west, and three facing the south, and three facing the east, and the sea [is] upon them above, and all their hinder parts [are] inward.

Context

The Molten Sea

²⁴Below the rim, ornamental buds encircled it, ten per cubit all the way around the Sea, cast in two rows as a part of the Sea.²⁵The Sea stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The Sea rested on them, with all their hindquarters toward the center. ²⁶It was a handbreadth thick, and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It could hold two thousand baths.

Summary

This verse describes the intricately designed bronze sea in King Solomon's temple, which was used for ceremonial washing. The sea was circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim, five cubits high, and thirty cubits in circumference. It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, south, east, and west, symbolizing strength and stability. The attention to detail in the construction of this basin reflects the grandeur and reverence accorded to the worship of God in the temple.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

And it was an hand breadth thick,.... Or four fingers, as in Jer 52:21. and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies, embroidered and engraven on it for ornament sake: it contained 2,000 baths; which is reckoned about five hundred barrels of water; it was filled by the Gibeonites; in Ch2 4:5, it is said to receive and hold 3,000 baths, which the Jewish writers (s) thus reconcile; they suppose here it means so many baths of liquid, as the Targum expresses, there of dry measure, which might be heaped up, and so contain more; but as this was a vessel for water, and this distinction seems to answer no purpose, it may be better to observe, that in common, for the use of the priests, whether for washing their hands and feet, or dipping their bodies, it had no more than 2,000 baths in it, but, if filled up to the brim, it would hold 3,000. How a vessel of such dimensions should hold so much is difficult to account for; the Rabbins say (t), that in the two upper cubits of it it was circular, and in the three lower cubits square, by which they imagine it would hold more, and the position of it on the oxen seems to countenance this; but very probably it was wider, and bellied out in the lower part of it, and so more capacious; but of the contents of this, according to mathematical rules, see a treatise of Bishop Cumberland's (u). It is said (w) of a temple of Neptune's, in the fore part of it were two signs of him, and another of Amphitrite, and that was a brasen sea. This brasen sea of Solomon was typical of Christ, the fountain opened to wash in for uncleanness, by all that are made priests unto God; and this being larger than the laver in the tabernacle, may denote the greater efficacy of Christ's blood than in anything in the law of Moses to cleanse from sin; and the larger provision made for it, not only for Israel, but for all the people of God in the several nations of the world, in the four quarters of it; being published, and proclaimed, and directed to by the twelve apostles of Christ, and by all Gospel ministers since, signified by oxen for their laboriousness and strength. In the second temple there were no sea, nor bases, after mentioned, nor lavers, but one, which stood between the porch and the altar, which was for the priests to wash their hands and feet at (x). (s) Shilte Hagibborim, c. 27. fol. 23. 4. (t) T. Bab. Eruvin, fol. 14. 2. (u) Of Scripture Weights and Measures, c. 3. p. 93, &c. (w) Pausaniae Corinthiaca, sive, l. 2. p. 87. (x) Shilte Hagibborim, c. 27. fol. 24. 2.