1 Kings 7:24

24 And under the brim of it round about there were buds compassing it, ten to a cubit, compassing the sea round about; the buds were cast in two rows 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; so was the work of the pillars finished.

23 And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other; it was round all about, and his height was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about.

24 And under the brim of it round about there were buds compassing it, ten to a cubit, compassing the sea round about; the buds were cast in two rows 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 south, and three looking toward the east; and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hind parts were inward.

26 And it was a handbreadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies. It contained two thousand baths.