1 Kings 7:24

24 And under the brim of it round about there were knops like gourds compassing it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about in two orders, which were made when it was cast.

1 Kings 7:24 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 7:24

And under the brim of it round about there were knops
compassing it
Of an oval form, and therefore the Targum calls them figures of eggs; in ( 2 Chronicles 4:3 ) they are said to have the similitude of oxen, being like the heads of oxen, and the other parts oval; or these were in the form of gourds, as sometimes the word is rendered, ( 2 Kings 4:39 ) which had on them the figures of the heads of oxen, and might serve as cocks to let out the water:

ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about it;
and as the circumference was thirty cubits, there must be three hundred of these in the circuit:

the knops were cast in two rows when it was cast;
for these were cast together with the sea, and being in two rows, there must be in all six hundred of them.

1 Kings 7:24 In-Context

22 And upon the top of the pillars was lily work, and so the work of the pillars was finished.

23 Likewise, he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other; it was perfectly round, and its height was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.

24 And under the brim of it round about there were knops like gourds compassing it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about in two orders, which were made when it was cast.

25 It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north and three looking toward the west and three looking toward the Negev and three looking toward the east; and upon them the sea rested, and all their hinder parts were inward.

26 And it was a hand breadth thick, and its lip was made like the lip of a cup, with flowers of lilies; it contained two thousand baths.