He made the Sea(A) of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits[a] high. It took a line of thirty cubits[b] to measure around it. Below the rim, figures of bulls encircled it—ten to a cubit.[c] The bulls were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea.

The Sea stood on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east.(B) The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. It was a handbreadth[d] in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held three thousand baths.[e]

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 4:2 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters
  2. 2 Chronicles 4:2 That is, about 45 feet or about 14 meters
  3. 2 Chronicles 4:3 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters
  4. 2 Chronicles 4:5 That is, about 3 inches or about 7.5 centimeters
  5. 2 Chronicles 4:5 That is, about 18,000 gallons or about 66,000 liters

Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.

And under it was the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round about: ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about. Two rows of oxen were cast, when it was cast.

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.

And the thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held three thousand baths.

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