Topical Bible: The Ox: Sea of Brass Rested on Figures of

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The ox holds significant symbolism and utility within the biblical narrative, often representing strength, service, and sacrifice. In the context of the Temple of Solomon, the oxen play a crucial role in the design and function of the "Sea of Brass," also known as the "Molten Sea."

The Sea of Brass

The Sea of Brass was a large basin used for ceremonial washing by the priests in the Temple of Solomon. It was an essential component of the temple's furnishings, symbolizing purity and preparation for service to God. The construction and design of the Sea of Brass are detailed in 1 Kings 7:23-26 and 2 Chronicles 4:2-5.

Design and Symbolism

The Sea of Brass was a massive circular basin, measuring ten cubits from brim to brim, five cubits in height, and thirty cubits in circumference. It was made of cast metal and held approximately 2,000 to 3,000 baths of water, depending on the translation and interpretation of measurements.

The basin rested upon twelve oxen, which were cast in bronze. These oxen were arranged in groups of three, facing outward in four cardinal directions: north, south, east, and west. This arrangement is described in 1 Kings 7:25: "The Sea stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The Sea rested on them, and their hindquarters were toward the center."

Symbolic Interpretation

The use of oxen to support the Sea of Brass is rich in symbolic meaning. Oxen, as beasts of burden, represent strength, labor, and service. Their positioning in the four cardinal directions may symbolize the universality of God's covenant and the reach of His presence throughout the earth. The number twelve often signifies completeness or the people of Israel, as seen in the twelve tribes.

The oxen's role in supporting the Sea of Brass can also be seen as a representation of the foundational strength required for the spiritual cleansing and preparation of the priests. The Sea itself, used for purification, underscores the necessity of holiness and readiness in approaching God.

Biblical References

· 1 Kings 7:23-26 : "He made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line of thirty cubits to measure around it. Below the rim, gourds encircled it—ten per cubit. The gourds were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea. The Sea stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The Sea rested on them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. It was a handbreadth thick, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held two thousand baths."

· 2 Chronicles 4:2-5 : "He made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line of thirty cubits to measure around it. Below the rim, figures of oxen encircled it, ten per cubit. The oxen were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea. The Sea stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The Sea rested on them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. It was a handbreadth thick, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held three thousand baths."

The oxen supporting the Sea of Brass serve as a powerful visual and theological element within the Temple, emphasizing the themes of strength, service, and the comprehensive reach of God's covenant with His people.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Kings 7:25
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.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
... and a thousand thousand talents of silver; brass, and iron ... yet since those very
ordinances were figures of things ... fruit and trees, and ships at sea (Exodus 10 ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/solomons temple spiritualized.htm

Imperial Tombs.
... as to give him the appearance of an ox (bufalo ... crystal, in the shape of a corrugated
sea-shell, the ... the fragments of a bedstead (?) of gilt brass, studded with ...
/.../lanciani/pagan and christian rome/chapter iv imperial tombs.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... Apostana, Gogana, and Taoke, on the sea-coast (the ... The first and third figures are
Medes, the second ... and large wickerwork shields covered with ox-hide, which ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... coat of scale mail and the helmet of brass; their weapons ... home among the mountains
of the Dead Sea, had become ... the Philistines six hundred men with an ox-goad ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... was considered the most efficacious, but an ox, a cow, a ... to the south-east of the
Caspian Sea, that of ... nine; historians now prefer the latter figures, at least ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm