ater,'(691) water to cover all his flesh." "And how much is
it?" "A square cubit, in height three cubits." From thence the Sages
judged the measure of a pool to be forty seahs. "And how can it contain
150 cleansing-pools, if thou shalt say it was all round?" "It could not
contain them." "If thou shalt say it was all square?" "It therefore
contained more." But the three lowest cubits were square; allow for ten
cubits square, there are 100 cubits. Allow for a hundred square; there are
100 cleansing-pools. The two highest cubits were round. Allow for ten
cubits square; there are seventy-five cubits. Allow for seventy-five
square; there are 150. Allow for fifty square; there are fifty
cleansing-pools; since the square exceeds the round by a fourth. "And
whence do we know that the square exceeds the round by a fourth?" "As is
said, 'Ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and a line of
thirty cubits did compass it round about.' "(692) This teaches that the
square exceeds the round by a fourth. "And whence do we know that it was
round above?" "As is said, 'And it was an hand-breadth thick, and the brim
thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup.' " "And whence know we that it
was square below?" "As is said, 'It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking
toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking
toward the south, and three looking toward the east.' "(693) And what is
meant by saying "looking toward" four times; but that when one entered the
temple he looked toward the right; when he entered into the court, he
looked toward the right; when he entered the Mountain of the House, he
looked toward the right; when the priest went up to the top of the altar,
he looked toward the right. "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."(694) It follows that (there were) four rows of
the heads of oxen, which served for the four sides, as is said, "And the
similitude of oxen, two rows of oxen were cast when it was cast."(695) And
it was all cast even from the feet of the ox.

Chapter XIII

"How did the Levites guard the tabernacle?" "The family of Kohath watched
on the south, as is said, 'The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch
on the side of the tabernacle southward.'(696) And they were overseers of
the vessels of the ark, as is said, 'And their charge shall be the ark,
and the table, and the candlest