And it was a handbreadth thick, and the brim thereof was shaped like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths.
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Bede
AD 735
For by the brim of a cup is expressed the taste of the Lord’s passion, and by the leaf of a crisped lily the glory of his resurrection is openly revealed. For that the chalice of his passion is indicated in the cup is attested by the Lord, who on approaching his passion prayed to his Father, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this chalice from me”; but the lily, which, in addition to the grace of a most pleasant fragrance, displayed a white color on the outside and a golden color on the inside, appositely suggests the glory of the resurrection of him who showed the disciples the immortality of his body externally and at the same time taught that there was within him a soul shining with divine light. One can also fittingly take the crisped lily as the “mediator of God and humankind” himself crowned with glory and honor on account of the suffering of his death, who prior to his passion was still, as it were, a closed lily and shone forth as an illustrious human being by reason o...
Two thousand bates. That is, about ten thousand gallons. This was the quantity of water which was usually put into it: but it was capable, if brim-full, of holding three thousand. See 2 Paralipomenon iv. 5, 7. (Challoner)
The batus contained about five gallons. (Worthington)
Some imagine, without grounds, (Calmet) that the measure in Paralipomenon was of a less capacity. (Vallalpand) (Cornelius a Lap ide)
The smaller is called metreta, "measure "after the Greek, as it had no proper name. (Salien)
Instead of a hand's breadth, it is literally, "three ounces "or the fourth part of a Roman foot; which is equivalent to four fingers' (Haydock) breadth, or a "hand's breadth "as the Hebrew tophach implies, or a little above three inches.
Crisped, or "full-blown lily. "The Chaldean supposes it was thus ornamented. Hebrew, "with flowers of lilies "(Calmet) or "roses "Shoshan. (Haydock)
Two thousand bates: That is, about ten thousand gallons. This was the quantity of water which was usually put into it: but it was capable, if brimful, of holding three thousand. See 2 Par. 4. 5.
