1 Kings 7 25

1 Kings 7:25 kjv

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.

1 Kings 7:25 nkjv

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.

1 Kings 7:25 niv

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.

1 Kings 7:25 esv

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.

1 Kings 7:25 nlt

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.

1 Kings 7 verses

1 Kings 7 25 Meaning

1 Kings 7:25 describes a critical detail of the "Molten Sea," a colossal bronze basin located in the outer court of Solomon's Temple. This verse specifies its unique support structure: the basin did not rest on a simple stand, but rather upon twelve meticulously arranged bronze oxen. These oxen were grouped in fours, with three facing each of the four cardinal directions (north, west, south, and east), providing stable and symmetrically balanced support for the immense weight of the Sea, and all their back parts were turned inward towards the center. The Molten Sea served as a large laver for the priests to ritually wash themselves and their implements before performing their sacred duties within the Temple.

1 Kings 7 25 Context

1 Kings Chapter 7 is predominantly dedicated to the elaborate details of the construction of Solomon's magnificent Temple, specifically focusing on the specialized work of Hiram of Tyre, a skilled bronzeworker. While Chapters 5 and 6 detail the structural elements of the Temple building itself, Chapter 7 shifts its attention to the monumental bronze furnishings commissioned for the Temple's courts and interior. This chapter meticulously describes the two great bronze pillars, Jachin and Boaz (vv. 15-22), followed by a detailed account of the "Molten Sea" (vv. 23-26), the ten bronze stands for the smaller lavers (vv. 27-39), and finally, the array of various pots, shovels, and basins necessary for the Temple service (vv. 40-47).

Verse 25 is specifically situated within the description of the Molten Sea, detailing the unique and robust substructure that supported this immense ritual basin. Historically, the construction of the Temple marked a pivotal moment for Israel, solidifying Jerusalem as the religious and political center and providing a permanent dwelling place for God's presence, unlike the portable Tabernacle. The precision in the descriptions of these sacred objects, including their measurements, materials, and symbolic elements, underscores the belief that their design was divinely inspired and intended for God's glory and the meticulous execution of His commands for worship. The grand scale and intricate details of these furnishings, like the twelve oxen, highlight Solomon's immense wealth, technological capabilities of the time, and dedication to creating a sanctuary befitting the Lord.

1 Kings 7 25 Word Analysis

• It stood: Refers to the "Sea" (the Molten Sea), introduced in the preceding verses. The phrase indicates stability and its designated, permanent place.
• upon twelve oxen:
  • upon: ʻal (עַל): indicating direct support, resting on.
  • twelve: šenim ʿăśâr (שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר): This number is highly significant in biblical symbolism, typically representing completeness, governmental order, and the tribes of Israel (e.g., 12 sons of Jacob, 12 apostles). It underscores the universal nature of Israel's worship and divine order.
  • oxen: bâqâr (בָּקָר): refers to cattle or bovine animals, specifically oxen (castrated males used for labor). These were strong, sturdy animals, symbolizing strength, endurance, and service. In a sacred context, oxen were common sacrificial animals. The fact they were bronze images, not living animals, is important, precluding idolatry. Their robust nature visually communicated the capacity of the Sea to hold vast amounts of water for priestly cleansing.
• three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east:
  • This specifies the precise and symmetrical arrangement of the oxen. The groups of three reinforce the orderly design. Facing the four cardinal directions signifies a comprehensive, complete coverage, implying the cosmic reach of the Temple's divine significance or the accessibility of the Temple to all directions. It speaks to order and universality in God's creation.
• and the sea was set above upon them: This reiterates the function of the oxen as the foundational support for the massive basin. The weight distribution was engineered through this precise arrangement.
• and all their hinder parts were inward:
  • hinder parts: 'ăchōrêhem (אֲחֹרֵיהֶם): their rear parts, their back sides.
  • inward: baytâh (בָּיְתָה): inward, homeward, towards the house (Temple).
  • This detail is crucial. It suggests that the oxen faced outwards from the center, creating a perimeter of powerful support, and their backsides were not exposed to those approaching or circulating the Molten Sea. This may have been a design choice for aesthetic decorum, visual coherence (to emphasize the heads and shoulders of the oxen), or even a subtle polemic against full, anatomically complete images that could be mistaken for idolatrous worship. By presenting their 'hind parts' discreetly, possibly hidden or facing the central core, the design maintained sanctity and dignity appropriate for a divine structure. It implies the oxen were not free-standing sculptures but integrated parts of a support structure.

1 Kings 7 25 Bonus Section

• The total weight of the bronze used for the Sea and its oxen, combined with the immense amount of water it held, made it an extraordinary feat of ancient metallurgy and engineering. Its capacity was approximately 10,000 gallons (according to 2 Chronicles 4:5, 3,000 baths, where 1 bath is about 6-9 gallons), though 1 Kings 7:26 states 2,000 baths. This scale necessitated robust support.
• The oxen were part of the Molten Sea's permanent display and were later inventoried as part of the Temple treasures that Nebuchadnezzar's forces plundered and carried away to Babylon, highlighting their material value and symbolic importance (2 Kgs 25:13, Jer 52:17).
• While other ancient cultures (like Ugarit and Mesopotamia) sometimes depicted deities or cosmic structures supported by animals, Israel's use of oxen here, clearly as supports for a laver for Yahweh's Temple, transforms such common motifs, purging them of idolatrous connotations and repurposing them for the worship of the one true God. The design elements were controlled to prevent animal worship.

1 Kings 7 25 Commentary

1 Kings 7:25 offers a remarkable glimpse into the practical construction and symbolic depth of Solomon's Temple. The description of the Molten Sea resting on twelve bronze oxen speaks to both the functional strength required for such a colossal ritual object and the profound theological symbolism inherent in its design. The number twelve, emblematic of the twelve tribes of Israel and completeness, underscores that the Temple was for the entirety of God's chosen people, representing the full body of God's covenant community. The oxen themselves, animals of immense strength and common for sacrifice in the Old Testament, visually represented the steadfast power upholding the holy things, repurposed here from sacrificial victim to supporting structure for priestly purification.

The precise arrangement, with three oxen facing each cardinal direction, symbolizes divine order, cosmic reach, and universal dominion, emphasizing that the God worshipped in this Temple is Lord over all creation and accessible from every direction. The detail about their "hinder parts were inward" serves multiple purposes: practicality in distributing weight efficiently, aesthetic elegance in presenting a clean façade of their heads and shoulders, and perhaps a subtle theological nuance to prevent any potential perception of worshipping the full animal form. The Molten Sea itself was crucial for the priests' purification, underscoring the necessity of ritual purity for ministry to a holy God, prefiguring the spiritual cleansing offered through Christ for believers to approach God today. This elaborate bronze support speaks volumes about the value placed on ritual cleanliness and the grand scale of Solomon's vision, executed with precise craftsmanship guided by divine blueprint.