Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Temple » Solomon's » The bronze sea
The king had them cast in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan in the Jordan plain.
Hiram also made a sea of cast metal ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in shape and five cubits and 30 cubits in its inner circumference. Under the brim, completely encircling it, were two rows of gourds inlaid as part of the original casting, ten to a cubit. The sea stood on top of twelve oxen. Three faced north, three faced west, three faced south, and three faced east. The sea was set on top of them, and their hind parts faced the center. read more.
The reservoir, which held about 2,000 baths, stood about a handbreadth thick, and its rim looked like the brim of a cup or of a lily blossom. Hiram also made ten bronze water carts. Each one was four cubits wide, four cubits long, and three cubits high. The carts were designed with borders between cross-pieces, and on the borders between the cross-pieces were lions, oxen, and cherubim. A pedestal was placed above the cross-pieces, and beneath the lions and oxen there were wreaths hanging down. Each cart had four bronze wheels equipped with bronze axles with four support feet. Beneath the basin were cast support structures made like wreaths on each side. The opening to each water cart inside the crown on top was one cubit wide, with engravings on the opening. The borders to the frames surrounding the opening were square, not round. The four wheels were placed underneath the borders, and the axles for the wheels were on the stand. Each wheel stood one and a half cubits high. The wheels resembled those of a chariot, with their axles, rims, spokes, and hubs made of cast bronze. Four supports stood at the four corners of each cart, built into the carts themselves. On top of each stand was a circular structure one half of one cubit high, with its braces and support frames integral with it, forming a single piece. Hiram engraved ornamental cherubim, lions, and palm trees on the surfaces of the supports and frames wherever there was space to do so, and encircled the artwork with wreaths. He made ten identical water carts by using the same plans, castings, and shapes for all of them.
The reservoir, which held about 2,000 baths, stood about a handbreadth thick, and its rim looked like the brim of a cup or of a lily blossom. Hiram also made ten bronze water carts. Each one was four cubits wide, four cubits long, and three cubits high. The carts were designed with borders between cross-pieces, and on the borders between the cross-pieces were lions, oxen, and cherubim. A pedestal was placed above the cross-pieces, and beneath the lions and oxen there were wreaths hanging down. Each cart had four bronze wheels equipped with bronze axles with four support feet. Beneath the basin were cast support structures made like wreaths on each side. The opening to each water cart inside the crown on top was one cubit wide, with engravings on the opening. The borders to the frames surrounding the opening were square, not round. The four wheels were placed underneath the borders, and the axles for the wheels were on the stand. Each wheel stood one and a half cubits high. The wheels resembled those of a chariot, with their axles, rims, spokes, and hubs made of cast bronze. Four supports stood at the four corners of each cart, built into the carts themselves. On top of each stand was a circular structure one half of one cubit high, with its braces and support frames integral with it, forming a single piece. Hiram engraved ornamental cherubim, lions, and palm trees on the surfaces of the supports and frames wherever there was space to do so, and encircled the artwork with wreaths. He made ten identical water carts by using the same plans, castings, and shapes for all of them.
He crafted a circular sea of cast metal 10 cubits from rim to rim and five cubits tall. A line 30 cubits long surrounded it. Underneath, figurines resembling oxen encircled the circular sea beneath it, ten oxen every cubit, and encircling the sea completely. The oxen were in two rows, cast all at the same time. The sea stood on top of twelve oxen, three of which faced to the north, three of which faced to the west, three of which faced to the south, and three of which faced toward the east. The sea was placed on top of the oxen, with all of their hindquarters turned inwards. read more.
It was a handbreadth thick, with its brim fashioned like the brim of a cup. Similar in shape to a lily blossom, it could hold 3,000 baths.
It was a handbreadth thick, with its brim fashioned like the brim of a cup. Similar in shape to a lily blossom, it could hold 3,000 baths.