Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
4:2-5 The Temple, the house of God, depicted Eden, the garden of God (cp. Isa 51:3). The massive Sea that rested on the backs of the twelve bronze oxen represented either cosmic pre-creation waters or the waters of life that emanated from the Garden of Eden. Divine forces subdue the waters of chaos (Gen 1:2) so that they provide life-giving nourishment for plant, animal, and human life (see Rev 21:1, where the sea is removed forever).
Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
4:2-5 The Temple, the house of God, depicted Eden, the garden of God (cp. Isa 51:3). The massive Sea that rested on the backs of the twelve bronze oxen represented either cosmic pre-creation waters or the waters of life that emanated from the Garden of Eden. Divine forces subdue the waters of chaos (Gen 1:2) so that they provide life-giving nourishment for plant, animal, and human life (see Rev 21:1, where the sea is removed forever).
Literal English (Darby)ⓘThe Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.The Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.
And he made the sea, molten, ten cubits from brim to brim, round all about; and its height was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits encompassed it round about.
Hebrew (Masoretic Text)ⓘThe Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.The Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.
King James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
King James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
¶ Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.
American Standard VersionⓘAmerican Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.American Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.
Also he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass; and the height thereof was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about.
World English BibleⓘWorld English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.World English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.
Also he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim. It was round, five cubits high, and thirty cubits in circumference.
Bible in Basic EnglishⓘBible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.Bible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.
And he made the great water-vessel of metal, round in form, measuring ten cubits across from edge to edge; it was five cubits high and thirty cubits round.