The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 4:3 Explained

2 Chronicles 4:3

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Chronicles 4:3 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 2 Chronicles 4

1  The altar of brass
2  The molten sea upon twelve oxen
6  The ten lavers, candlesticks, and tables
9  The courts, and the instruments of brass
19  The instruments of gold

What do the individual words in 2 Chronicles 4:3 mean?

And the likeness of oxen [was] under it it around encircling all around it ten to a cubit all the way - the Sea around [in] two rows the oxen [were] cast when it was cast
וּדְמ֣וּת בְּקָרִים֩ תַּ֨חַת ל֜וֹ סָבִ֤יב ׀ סָבִיב֙ סוֹבְבִ֣ים אֹת֔וֹ עֶ֚שֶׂר בָּֽאַמָּ֔ה מַקִּיפִ֥ים אֶת־ הַיָּ֖ם סָבִ֑יב שְׁנַ֤יִם טוּרִים֙ הַבָּקָ֔ר יְצוּקִ֖ים בְּמֻֽצַקְתּֽוֹ

וּדְמ֣וּת  And  the  likeness 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: דְּמוּת  
Sense: likeness, similitude adv.
בְּקָרִים֩  of  oxen 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בָּקָר  
Sense: cattle, herd, oxen, ox.
תַּ֨חַת  [was]  under 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
סָבִ֤יב ׀  it  around 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מוּסָב 
Sense: places round about, circuit, round about adv.
סָבִיב֙  encircling 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מוּסָב 
Sense: places round about, circuit, round about adv.
סוֹבְבִ֣ים  all  around 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: סָבַב  
Sense: to turn, turn about or around or aside or back or towards, go about or arou nd, surround, encircle, change direction.
עֶ֚שֶׂר  ten 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: עֶשֶׂר 
Sense: ten.
בָּֽאַמָּ֔ה  to  a  cubit 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַמָּה 
Sense: cubit—a measure of distance (the forearm), roughly 8 in (.
מַקִּיפִ֥ים  all  the  way 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: נָקַף 
Sense: to strike, strike off.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַיָּ֖ם  the  Sea 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
סָבִ֑יב  around 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מוּסָב 
Sense: places round about, circuit, round about adv.
שְׁנַ֤יִם  [in]  two 
Parse: Number, md
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
טוּרִים֙  rows 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: טוּר  
Sense: row.
הַבָּקָ֔ר  the  oxen  [were] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּקָר  
Sense: cattle, herd, oxen, ox.
יְצוּקִ֖ים  cast 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural
Root: יָצַק  
Sense: to pour, flow, cast, pour out.
בְּמֻֽצַקְתּֽוֹ  when  it  was  cast 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּצָקָה  
Sense: pipe.