Ten cubits from brim to brim. That is, [the basin’s] diameter was ten cubits. Its circumference was thirty cubits, as the text says, “a perimeter of thirty cubits encircled it”; for anything with a circumference of three fistlengths has a diameter of one fistlength (b. Eruvin 14a).

Figures of oxen were beneath it (taḥat lo), all around. The word lo (=it) refers to sefato (=its brim) mentioned [above] (v. 2), as it says in Kings, “below the brim” (1 Kings 7:24). Even though safah (=brim) is feminine, we nevertheless find safah yihyeh (=there shall be a binding; Exod 28:32) in the masculine. Alternatively, lo refers to ha-yam (=the basin; v. 2), and [taḥat lo] does not mean beneath it literally. Rather, it means that the figures of oxen were crafted into its lower portion. The oxen mentioned here are the peqa‘im mentioned in the book of Kings (1 Kings 7:24), which Targum Jonathan renders “egglike figures.” On this assumption, we must explain that their bodies were rounded in the shape of eggs, whereas their faces were in the likeness of those of oxen.

Ten cubits surrounded the basin, all around. Our Sages, of blessed memory (b. Eruvin 14b), explain that the three lower cubits were square-shaped, and that the two upper ones were round—for the height of the basin was five cubits (v. 2). So the meaning of “ten cubits” is that the oxen were on the three lower cubits where the basin was square-shaped. That is, the text says “ten cubits” because each of the sides—upon which were the oxen—was ten cubits. The perimeter of the square-shaped portion of the basin was thus forty cubits, whereas the circumference of its upper portion was thirty cubits.

Cast in its mold (be-muṣaqto). The noun is muṣeqet, in the pattern of moledet (=birthplace; Gen 24:8), even though one is with a ḥolem and the other with a shureq. What is meant here is that these oxen were cast together with the basin, not emblazoned on it afterward.

It stood above twelve oxen. This verse, too, suggests that the basin was square-shaped at the bottom, for it enumerates four sides for it, akin to any square. On each side there were three oxen, with the basin standing above them.

At capacity, it held three thousand baths. But in the book of Kings [it says], “Its capacity was two thousand baths” (1 Kings 7:26)! Our Sages, of blessed memory (Tosefta [Zuckermandel] Kelim Bava Metzia 5:2), explain: “Two thousand of liquids and three thousand of solids”: any vessel holds one-third more heaping solids than it does liquids, which cannot be heaped; for what extends above the vessel amounts to one-third of the vessel. They say similarly in the Mishnah (Kelim 15:1): “A chest, a box, a cupboard, or a straw basket … even with a flat bottom, is not susceptible to ritual impurity if it holds forty se’ahs of liquid, which is equivalent to two kors of solid”—and two kors of solid is sixty se’ahs.

Five to the right and five to the left. This means: to the right of Moses’ laver and to the left of it. And the same for the lampstands—five to the right of the lampstand that Moses made and five to the left of it (v. 7), and for the tables—five to the right of Moses’ table and five to the left of it (v. 8). Our Sages, of blessed memory (b. Menaḥot 98b), explain it like this on the grounds that all of the lampstands were to the south, and all the tables to the north. This, after all, is where Moses placed them in the Tabernacle—the lampstand to the south (Exodus 40:24) and the table to the north (Exodus 40:22). But they have this debate (b. Menaḥot 99a): Some of them say that they would kindle Moses’ lampstand only and set up the rows [of bread] on Moses’ table only, as it says, “they kindle the golden lampstand with its lamps burning [each] evening” (2 Chronicles 13:11). And some of them say that they would kindle all of them, as it says, “the lampstands and their lamps, to burn as prescribed” (2 Chronicles 4:20), and set up the rows [of bread] on all of them, as it says, “the tables, with the bread of display upon them” (2 Chronicles 4:19). And even though each one reconciles his view with the verses, it is this [latter view] that appears correct: they would kindle or set up the rows [of bread] on all of them. When the text says “the golden lampstand” (cf. 2 Chronicles 13:11), this is to impart that even though he made ten of them, they would kindle those of Moses also.

To wash with them; the parts of the burnt offering they would rinse off in them. “The parts of the burnt offering” is an elaboration of “to wash with them”; that is: What did they wash with them? They rinsed off the parts of the burnt offering in them. Alternatively, the text elides a conjunctive vav: “and the parts of the burnt offering.” That is, the lavers were for washing, meaning for the priests’ washing their hands and feet—akin to the laver Moses made, concerning which the text says, “and let Aaron and his sons wash their hands and feet [in water drawn] from it” (Exodus 30:19)—and they would also rinse off the parts of the burnt offering in them.

And the basin, for the priests to wash in it. This means: The laver was for the immersion of the priests, for they would immerse themselves in it [to cleanse themselves] from their impurity. The Talmud Yerushalmi (Yoma 19a) asks: “But was it not a vessel?” That is, how could they have immersed themselves in it? After all, it is a vessel, and immersion is ineffective in a vessel! And it replies: “Rabbi Joshua son of Levi said: A stream of water extended to it from the spring of Etam, and the feet of the oxen had openings the size of pomegranates.” That is, the water came to it from underground and would enter and rise up through the feet of the oxen, which were open and hollowed at the bottom.

As prescribed. This means: as prescribed for the lampstand made by Moses, with its cups and calyxes (Exodus 36:17–22).

[Solomon] made one hundred gold dashing instruments. The text is not saying that these were for the sake of the tables. Rather, they were for dashing the blood on the altar. The only reason it mentions them with the tables is that it is listing the items that he made out of gold.

And the large ‘azarah. This is the large court in which the Israelites would stand. It is called an ‘azarah because when they prayed there, they would be ne‘ezarim (=helped).

And the four hundred pomegranates. But above it says, “he made a hundred pomegranates and set them into the chainwork” (2 Chronicles 3:16)! The one hundred that the text mentions were for one row; and it had four rows of pomegranates, for a total of four hundred. Alternatively, there were pomegranates installed on the chainwork in addition to those installed on the pieces of network, and the pomegranates on the chainwork numbered one hundred, and those on the network numbered four hundred.

Huram his father (aviv) made for King Solomon. This means: Hiram made all these furnishings beautiful and of good quality as his father would have (ke-aviv), meaning just as they would have been made by his father who was widely known for his craftsmanship, as the text says above: “skilled … in gold, silver …” (2 Chronicles 2:13). In aviv, then, a prepositional kaf is elided. There are many cases like this, such as: “A joyful heart enhances [one’s health] gehah” (Proverbs 17:22), which means ke-gehah (=as does medicine).

In the ‘avi ha-adamah (=thickness of the earth). This means that he cast them in the ‘avi ha-qarqa‘ (=depth of the ground), not that he made smelting pots in which to cast them—for that would not be possible for such large vessels. Targum Jonathan renders “in the ma‘aveh ha-adamah (=thickness of the earth)” (1 Kings 7:46): [be-‘ovi (=in the thickness of)] gargishta, which is a red-colored soil from which smelting pots are made, for the purpose of casting metals.

Between Succoth and Zeredathah. In the book of Kings [it says], “and Zarethan” (1 Kings 7:46): “Zeredathah” and “Zarethan” are phonetically similar.

Mikhlot gold. This is akin to “kelei (=items of) gold,” meaning: All the items on the lampstand were gold. But some explain “mikhlot gold” to mean “kelil (=of pure) gold”; that is, highly refined gold. [We find] the same in a rabbinic source (b. Menaḥot 29a): “Solomon made ten lampstands: for each one he brought one thousand [talents of] gold, and he placed it in a smelting pot one thousand times, turning it into one talent of gold.”

Of the Great Hall—gold. This means: overlaid with gold; for as it says in the book of Kings, the doors were of wood but they were overlaid with gold (1 Kings 6:34–35).