It stood upon twelve oxen,.... Figures of them in brass, of full proportion:
three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; and so turned to the four quarters of the world:
and the sea was set above upon them; as it were on the backs of them, and their mouths served as spouts or cocks, to let water out of it on all sides:
and all their hinder parts were inward; that they might not be seen, and which met in a centre; they that were north came against those that were south, and they in the east met with those to the west. The brass of the sea, according to Jacob Leon r, weighed 1,800 arobas, and, with twelve oxen under, 33,500; each aroba being twenty five pounds weight.
r Relation of Memorable Things in the Temple, ch. 4. p. 21.