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 , weighed 1,800 arobas, and, with twelve oxen under, 33,500; each aroba being twenty five pounds weight. Relation of Memorable Things in the Temple, ch. 4.
p.