Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898)
SEA, THE MOLTEN, or BRA'ZEN, the name of the large copper or bronze laver made by Solomon for the temple, and which stood upon twelve metal oxen in the southeast corner of the court of the priests. It is described in 1 Kgs 7:23-26. It was 74 feet high, 15 feet in diameter, and 45 feet in circumference, and contained 16,000 gallons (2 Chr 4:5 says SEA . 24,000). The Gibeonites, it is said, were at first employed to bring the water requisite to fill it, but at a later day it was supplied by a conduit from the pools of Bethlehem.
Solomon made it of the copper captured from Tibhath and Chun, cities of Hadarezer, king of Zobah. 1 Chr 18:8. Ahaz took down the sea from off the brazen oxen and put it upon a pavement of stones. 2 Kgs 16:17. The Assyrians broke it in pieces. 2 Kgs 25:13. See Layer.