1 Kings 7:25
New International Version
The Sea stood on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were toward the center.

New Living Translation
The Sea was placed on a base of twelve bronze oxen, all facing outward. Three faced north, three faced west, three faced south, and three faced east, and the Sea rested on them.

English Standard Version
It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The sea was set on them, and all their rear parts were inward.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
It 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 upon them, and all their back parts pointed inward.

New American Standard Bible
It was standing on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; and the Sea was set on top of them, and all their rear parts turned inward.

NASB 1995
It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; and the sea was set on top of them, and all their rear parts turned inward.

NASB 1977
It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; and the sea was set on top of them, and all their rear parts turned inward.

Legacy Standard Bible
It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; and the sea was set on top of them, and all their rear parts turned inward.

Amplified Bible
It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three west, three south, and three east; the Sea was set on top of them, and all their rear parts pointed inward.

Christian Standard Bible
It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The basin was on top of them and all their hindquarters were toward the center.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
It stood on 12 oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The reservoir was on top of them and all their hindquarters were toward the center.

American Standard 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 upon them above, and all their hinder parts were inward.

Contemporary English Version
The bowl itself sat on top of twelve bronze bulls with three bulls facing outward in each of four directions.

English Revised 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 upon them above, and all their hinder parts were inward.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The pool was set on 12 metal bulls. Three bulls faced north, three faced west, three faced south, and three faced east. The pool was set on them, and their hindquarters were toward the center [of the pool].

Good News Translation
The tank rested on the backs of twelve bronze bulls that faced outward, three facing in each direction.

International Standard Version
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.

Majority Standard Bible
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.

NET Bible
"The Sea" stood on top of twelve bulls. Three faced northward, three westward, three southward, and three eastward. "The Sea" was placed on top of them, and they all faced outward.

New Heart 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 backs were toward the center.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
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] on them above, and all their back parts [are] 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.

Smith's Literal Translation
It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking to the north, and three looking to the sea, and three looking to the south, and three looking to the sunrising: and the sea upon them from above, and all their behinds inside:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And it stood upon twelve oxen, of which three looked towards the north, and three towards the west, and three towards the south, and three towards the east, and the sea was above upon them, and their hinder parts were all hid within.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And it was standing upon twelve oxen, of which three were looking toward the north, and three toward the west, and three toward the south, and three toward the east. And the sea above was over them. And their posteriors were entirely hidden within.

New American Bible
This rested on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east, with their haunches all toward the center; upon them was set the sea.

New Revised Standard Version
It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; the sea was set on them. The hindquarters of each were toward the inside.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, three looking toward the west, three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; and the sea was set upon them, and their hinder parts were inward.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And it stood on twelve oxen; three faced to the North and three faced to the West and three faced to the South and three faced to the East, and the sea was upon them from over them, and their rear was inside the enclosure.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And there were twelve oxen under the sea: three looking to the north, and three looking to the west, and three looking to the south, and three looking to the east: and all their hinder parts were inward, and the sea was above upon them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



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.…

Cross References
2 Chronicles 4:4
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.

Exodus 25:18-20
Make two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat, / one cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold. / And the cherubim are to have wings that spread upward, overshadowing the mercy seat. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the mercy seat.

Revelation 4:6-7
And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and back. / The first living creature was like a lion, the second like a calf, the third had a face like a man, and the fourth was like an eagle in flight.

Ezekiel 1:10
The form of their faces was that of a man, and each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and also the face of an eagle.

Numbers 7:89
When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony. Thus the LORD spoke to him.

Revelation 15:2
And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, beside which stood those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name. They were holding harps from God,

Isaiah 6:2-3
Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. / And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.”

Ezekiel 10:14
Each of the cherubim had four faces: the first face was that of a cherub, the second that of a man, the third that of a lion, and the fourth that of an eagle.

Revelation 5:6
Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

Exodus 37:7-9
He made two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat, / one cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold. / And the cherubim had wings that spread upward, overshadowing the mercy seat. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the mercy seat.

Ezekiel 1:5-12
and within it was the form of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had a human form, / but each had four faces and four wings. / Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, gleaming like polished bronze. ...

Revelation 21:12
The city had a great and high wall with twelve gates inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and twelve angels at the gates.

Exodus 26:1
“You are to construct the tabernacle itself with ten curtains of finely spun linen, each with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and cherubim skillfully worked into them.

Ezekiel 43:14-17
The space from the gutter on the ground to the lower ledge shall be two cubits, and the ledge one cubit wide. The space from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge shall be four cubits, and the ledge one cubit wide. / The altar hearth shall be four cubits high, and four horns shall project upward from the hearth. / The altar hearth shall be square at its four corners, twelve cubits long and twelve cubits wide. ...

Revelation 4:8
And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”


Treasury of Scripture

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 above on them, and all their hinder parts were inward.

2 Chronicles 4:4,5
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…

Jeremiah 52:20
The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brasen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made in the house of the LORD: the brass of all these vessels was without weight.

Ezekiel 1:10
As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

Jump to Previous
East Facing Hinder Inward North Oxen Parts Sea South Stood Three Turned Twelve West
Jump to Next
East Facing Hinder Inward North Oxen Parts Sea South Stood Three Turned Twelve West
1 Kings 7
1. The building of Solomon's house
2. Of the house of Lebanon
6. Of the porch of pillars
7. Of the porch of judgment
8. Of the house for Pharaoh's daughter
13. Hiram's work of the two pillars,
23. Of the molten sea
27. Of the ten bases
38. Of the ten lavers
40. and all the vessels














The Sea
This refers to the large basin or laver used in Solomon's Temple, often called the "molten sea." In Hebrew, the word is "yam," which typically means "sea" or "large body of water." This basin was used for the ceremonial washing of the priests, symbolizing purification and readiness to serve God. The vastness of the "Sea" signifies the abundance of God's provision and the depth of His cleansing power.

stood on twelve oxen
The number twelve is significant in the Bible, often representing completeness or the people of Israel, as there were twelve tribes. The oxen, strong and enduring animals, symbolize strength and service. In Hebrew culture, oxen were also associated with sacrifice and labor, reflecting the dedication required in serving God. The imagery of the "Sea" standing on these oxen suggests that the spiritual cleansing and sustenance provided by God are supported by the strength and unity of His people.

three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east
The orientation of the oxen in all four cardinal directions symbolizes the universality of God's presence and the reach of His covenant. It suggests that God's cleansing and blessings are available to all directions, to all people, and at all times. This arrangement also reflects the order and precision in God's creation and His plans, emphasizing that nothing is random in His divine design.

The Sea rested on them
The Hebrew word for "rested" can also imply stability and security. This phrase indicates that the "Sea" was firmly supported by the oxen, symbolizing that God's provision and cleansing are steadfast and reliable. It reassures believers of the unshakeable foundation of God's promises and the security found in His presence.

with all their hindquarters toward the center
This detail highlights the unity and focus of the oxen, all directed towards a central point. It signifies that all strength and service are directed towards God, the center of worship and life. This orientation serves as a reminder for believers to keep God at the center of their lives, ensuring that all actions and intentions are aligned with His will.

Verse 25. - It stood [Heb. standing] upon twelve oxen [The import of the number twelve is well explained by. Bahr, Symbolik, 1:201 sqq. Like seven, it is compounded out of three and four. But the primary reference here is to the twelve tribes], three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east [So the tribes in the camp formed a square round the tabernacle, three on each side - east, south, west, and north (Numbers 2.)]: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward. The same regard of the cardinal points (see Bahr, Symbolik, 1:210 sqq.) has been noticed in the pomegranates on the capitals of the two columns. See note on ver. 20. Keil says the feet of the oxen no doubt rested on a metal plate, so that they were fixed and immoveable; but this lacks proof. The oxen would be immovable in any case, owing to the weight of the metal and the water. All conjectures as to the height and size of the oxen are necessarily of little value.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
[The Sea] stood
עֹמֵ֞ד (‘ō·mêḏ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

twelve
שְׁנֵ֧י (šə·nê)
Number - mdc
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

oxen,
בָּקָ֗ר (bā·qār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1241: Beef cattle, ox, a herd

three
שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה (šə·lō·šāh)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

facing
פֹנִ֣ים ׀ (p̄ō·nîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 6437: To turn, to face, appear, look

north,
צָפ֡וֹנָה (ṣā·p̄ō·w·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 6828: Hidden, dark, the north as a, quarter

three
וּשְׁלֹשָׁה֩ (ū·šə·lō·šāh)
Conjunctive waw | Number - masculine singular
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

facing
פֹנִ֨ים ׀ (p̄ō·nîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 6437: To turn, to face, appear, look

west,
יָ֜מָּה (yām·māh)
Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3220: A sea, the Mediterranean Sea, large river, an artifical basin

three
וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה ׀ (ū·šə·lō·šāh)
Conjunctive waw | Number - masculine singular
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

facing
פֹּנִ֣ים (pō·nîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 6437: To turn, to face, appear, look

south,
נֶ֗גְבָּה (neḡ·bāh)
Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5045: South country, the Negeb, south

and three
וּשְׁלֹשָׁה֙ (ū·šə·lō·šāh)
Conjunctive waw | Number - masculine singular
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

facing
פֹּנִ֣ים (pō·nîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 6437: To turn, to face, appear, look

east.
מִזְרָ֔חָה (miz·rā·ḥāh)
Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4217: Place of sunrise, the east

[The Sea]
וְהַיָּ֥ם (wə·hay·yām)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3220: A sea, the Mediterranean Sea, large river, an artifical basin

rested on them,
עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם (‘ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

with all
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

their hindquarters
אֲחֹֽרֵיהֶ֖ם (’ă·ḥō·rê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 268: The hinder part, behind, backward, the West

toward the center.
בָּֽיְתָה׃ (bā·yə·ṯāh)
Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1004: A house


Links
1 Kings 7:25 NIV
1 Kings 7:25 NLT
1 Kings 7:25 ESV
1 Kings 7:25 NASB
1 Kings 7:25 KJV

1 Kings 7:25 BibleApps.com
1 Kings 7:25 Biblia Paralela
1 Kings 7:25 Chinese Bible
1 Kings 7:25 French Bible
1 Kings 7:25 Catholic Bible

OT History: 1 Kings 7:25 It stood on twelve oxen three looking (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 7:24
Top of Page
Top of Page