2nd Chronicles Chapter 4 verse 3 Holy Bible
And under it was the likeness of oxen, which did compass it round about, for ten cubits, compassing the sea round about. The oxen were in two rows, cast when it was cast.
read chapter 4 in ASV
And under it was a design of flowers all round it, ten to a cubit, circling the water-vessel in two lines; they were made from liquid metal at the same time as the water-vessel.
read chapter 4 in BBE
And under it was the similitude of oxen, encompassing it round about, ten in a cubit enclosing the sea round about, two rows of oxen, cast when it was cast.
read chapter 4 in DARBY
And under it was the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round about: ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about. Two rows of oxen were cast, when it was cast.
read chapter 4 in KJV
And under it was the similitude of oxen, which encompassed it: ten in a cubit, encompassing the sea. Two rows of oxen were cast, when it was cast.
read chapter 4 in WBT
Under it was the likeness of oxen, which did compass it round about, for ten cubits, compassing the sea round about. The oxen were in two rows, cast when it was cast.
read chapter 4 in WEB
And the likeness of oxen `is' under it, all round about encompassing it, ten in the cubit, compassing the sea round about; two rows of oxen are cast in its being cast.
read chapter 4 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 3. - The similitude of oxen. The parallel gives simply "knops" (i.e. flower-buds) in the room of this expression, and no word "similitude" at all, the characters spelling the word for "knops" being פְּקָעִים, and those for "oxen" being בְּקָרִים. The presence of the word "similitude" strongly suggests that the circles of decoration under description showed the likenesses of oxen, not necessarily (as Patrick) "stamped" on the so-called knops, but possibly constituting them. For the ambiguous under it of our present verse the parallel says with definiteness, "under the brim of it." There is intelligibility, at all events, in the ornamentation being of these miniature oxen, presumably three hundred in the circle of the thirty cubits. The symbolism would harmonize with that which dictated the superposition of the enormous vase on twelve probably life-size oxen. There is a general preference, however, accorded to the opinion that the present text has probably been the result of some copyist's corruption, and that the text of the parallel should be followed.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(3) And under it was the similitude of oxen.--Literally, And a likeness of oxen (figured oxen) under it around surrounding it, ten in the cubit encompassing the sea around: two rows were the oxen, smelted in the smelting of it. In the parallel passage (1Kings 7:24) we read: And wild gourds underneath its lip around surrounding it," &c., as here; two of rows were the gourds, smelted in the smelting thereof. The Hebrew words for "oxen" and "gourds" might easily be confused by a transcriber, and accordingly it is assumed by most commentators that the text of the chronicler has suffered corruption, and should be restored from that of Kings. But there seems no reason--unless we suppose that each writer has given an exhaustive description, which is clearly not the case--why the ornamental rows which ran round the great basin should not have included both features, small figures of oxen, as well as wild gourds. Reuss objects on the ground of the diminutive size of the axon ("ten in a cubit"); but such work was by no means beyond the resources of ancient art. (Comp. the reliefs on the bronze doors of Shalmaneser 11. (859-825 B.C. ); 1Kings 7:29 actually gives an analogous instance.) The word p?q?'im, "wild gourds," only occurs in one other place of Kings, viz., 1Kings 6:18. (Comp. paqq-'oth, 2Kings 4:39.) A copyist of Kings might nave inadvertently repeated the word from the former passage in 1Kings 7:24. In any case it is sheer dogmatism to assert that "the copyists (in the Chronicle) have absurdly changed the gourds into oxen" (Reuss). The Syriac and Arabic omit this verse; but the LXX. and Vulg. have it.
