1 Kings 7:39

And he put five bases on the right side [Heb. shoulder ] of the house, and five on the left side of the house [ i.e; on the south and north sides of the court of the priests]: and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward over against the south. [This passage is decisive as to which was the right and which the left. The right side was the south. It was probably for convenience that the sea did not stand due east of the house, i.e; between the porch and altar.]