Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 10:18
Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.
18. a great throne of ivory ] Like Ahab’s ivory house, mentioned later on (1Ki 22:39), the throne was no doubt only inlaid with ivory, in such a way that where the gold did not cover the framework there the ivory appeared. And we may suppose that the ivory was a very conspicuous part of the structure, or else the throne would not be called from it.
with the best gold ] R.V. ‘finest gold.’ The Hebrew participle (which occurs in no other place) is from a root which signifies ‘to refine,’ ‘to purge.’ Hence the rendering of R.V. is preferable. The Hebrew word is ‘muphaz,’ and the excessive rarity of its occurrence has led some to conjecture that the reading here ought to be as in Jer 10:9 ‘ma-uphaz,’ i.e. ‘from Uphaz.’ Uphaz is thought to be a later form of the word Ophir. It is found also in Dan 10:5. But though the participle in the text is rare, there is a cognate word of frequent occurrence, meaning ‘fine gold,’ so that we need not doubt about the sense in this passage.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
It is, on the whole, probable that the substance of the throne was wood, and that the ivory, cut into thin slabs, and probably carved in patterns, was applied externally as a veneer. This is found to have been the practice in Assyria. The gold was probably not placed over the ivory, but covered other parts of the throne.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Overlaid it; not wholly, but in part, here and there, which made it more beautiful to the eye. Probably the main substance of it was ivory, but some cavities were left in it which were filled with gold.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18-26. a great throne of ivoryItseems to have been made not of solid ivory, but veneered. It was inthe form of an armchair, with a carved back. The ascent to it was bysix steps, on each of which stood lions, in place of a railingwhilea lion, probably of gilt metal, stood at each side, which, we maysuppose from the analogy of other Oriental thrones, supported acanopy. A golden footstool is mentioned (2Ch9:18) as attached to this throne, whose magnificence is describedas unrivalled.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory,…. To sit on and judge his people; and ivory being white, may denote the purity, justice, and equity with which he judged; the white throne in Re 20:11 may be an allusion to this; the ivory he had from Tarshish, 1Ki 10:22
and overlaid it with the best gold; for the greater splendour and majesty of it; not that he covered it all over, for then the ivory would not be seen, but interlined it, or studded it with it, whereby it appeared the more beautiful and magnificent. Such a throne of gold and ivory was decreed to Caesar by the Romans p.
p Appian. Alex. l. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Solomon had a great throne of ivory made, and had it overlaid with fine gold. is not a throne made of ivory, but one merely ornamented with ivory; and we are to imagine the gilding as effected by laying the gold simply upon the wood, and inserting the ivory within the gold plate. , a hophal participle of : aurum depuratum , hence = in 2Ch 9:17. The throne had six steps, and a “rounded head on the hinder part thereof,” i.e., a back which was arched above or rounded off,
(Note: Instead of we have in the Chronicles , “ and a footstool in gold fastened to the throne ” (the plural refers to the footstool and the steps). Now, however easily may have been written by mistake for , cannot have grown out of by any such mistake. The quid-pro-quo of the lxx for rof xxl , , in which is certainly confounded with , does not warrant the conjecture of Thenius, that the Chronicler found in his original and substituted (lamb), whereupon (lamb) was changed by another hand into footstep, and was dropped altogether.)
and , arms, i.e., arms on both sides of the seat ( ), and two lions standing by the side of the arms. Beside this there were twelve lions upon the six steps, namely two upon each step, one on this side and one on that. Instead of (1Ki 10:20) we find in 1Ki 10:19, just as we do in both verses of the Chronicles, not because the reference is to artificial, inanimate figures and not to natural lions, as Thenius supposes, but because the plural ending – is an unusual one with this word; and even where natural lions are spoken of, we always find in other passages (cf. Jdg 14:5; 2Sa 1:23; 2Ki 17:25; Son 4:8, etc.). The lions were symbols of the ruler’s authority; and the twelve lions upon the steps may possibly have pointed to the rule over the twelve tribes of Israel, which was concentrated in the throne; not “watchers of the throne,” as Thenius thinks. This throne was so splendid a work, that the historian observes that nothing of the kind had ever been made for any other kingdom. Upon the early Assyrian monuments we do indeed find high seats depicted, which are very artistically worked, and provided with backs and arms, and some with the arms supported by figures of animals (see Layard’s Nineveh and its Remains, vol. ii. p. 301), but none resembling Solomon’s throne. It is not till a later age that the more splendid thrones appear (vid., Rosenmller, A. u. N. Morgenland, iii. pp. 176ff.).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(18) Ivory.This seems to have been brought in by the Tyrians (1Ki. 10:22), and it may be noted that the only other notice of ivory in the history is in the ivory house of Ahab (1Ki. 22:39), who was allied with Tyre. In Psa. 45:8 (presumably of the age of Solomon) we find mention of ivory palaces, or possibly caskets. The Tyrians are described in Eze. 27:15 as receiving it through Dedan in Arabia, whither, no doubt, it came from India. But the Egyptians used ivory largely, drawing it from Africa; and there was, in later times, a port on the Red Sea which was a mart for ivory. The Tyrians may, therefore, have imported it both from India and from Africa. The throne of Solomon was probably inlaid with ivory and gold. Traces of such inlaying are found in Assyrian and Egyptian monuments. It is probable that, like his other architectural and decorative work, it was executed by Tyrian workmen, and the detailed description of it shows how greatly it impressed the imagination of Israel. The lion was the emblem of the house of Judah; the number twelve corresponded to the twelve tribes; and the exaltation of the thronespecially remarkable in a country where men sat commonly on the ground or on cushionswas the emblem of majesty. In the Dictionary of the Bible (THRONE) is given a sketch of an Assyrian throne, from a Nineveh bas-relief, which has horses in the position, supporting the stays, or arms of the throne, here ascribed to the lions.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. Throne of ivory Like Ahab’s ivory house, (1Ki 22:39,) and the ivory palaces and beds mentioned Psa 45:8, Amo 6:4, this throne was not made entirely of ivory, but was so set with ivory, and so much of this material was used in its construction, that it naturally received this name. Ivory was an important article of ancient commerce, as Assyrian monuments show.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ki 10:18. The king made a great throne of ivory The porch in which this throne was placed is mentioned, chap. 1Ki 7:7 and it was by far the most magnificent of all the rest, inasmuch as it was both the king’s seat of judgment and the public audience, where he shewed himself either to the nobles, or to the strangers who resorted to him. It was placed in the midst of rich pillars of cedar, curiously carved and covered, or rather inlaid, with gold: the throne itself, which was in the fashion of a niche, was covered with ivory, inlaid and intermixed with curious ornaments in gold: the ascent to it was by six steps, each step being supported on either side by a small lion, and the arms of the seat with two others as large as the life. All these, and even the steps themselves, were covered with ivory and gold. We never read of ivory till about Solomon’s time; who, perhaps, brought elephants out of India, or, at least, took care to have a great deal of ivory imported from thence; for in after ages we read of ivory beds and ivory palaces: at this time, however, it was nearly as precious as gold. The text says, the like to this throne was not made in any kingdom, (1Ki 10:20.) 1:e. in those days; for we read in afterages, that the throne of the Parthian kings was of gold, encompassed with four golden pillars, adorned with precious stones; and that the Persian kings sat in judgment under a golden vine, and other trees of gold, the bunches of whole grapes and other fruits were made of several sorts of precious stones.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Ki 10:18 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.
Ver. 18. Moreover the king made a great throne. ] Which stood, likely, in the porch of judgment. 1Ki 7:7
And overlaid it with the best gold.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the best = pure.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
a great throne: 2Ch 9:17-19, Psa 45:6, Psa 110:1, Psa 122:5, Heb 1:3, Heb 1:8, Rev 20:11
ivory: 1Ki 10:22, 1Ki 22:39, Psa 45:8, Eze 27:6, Amo 6:4, Rev 18:12
Reciprocal: 1Ki 7:7 – for the throne Est 5:1 – sat Son 7:4 – ivory
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 10:18-20. The king made a great throne of ivory We never read of ivory till about Solomons time; who, perhaps, brought elephants out of India, or at least took care to have a great deal of ivory imported from thence; for we read of ivory palaces Psa 45:9, whose walls were overlaid with ivory; which was more precious than gold in ancient times, as Pliny tells us in many places. And overlaid it with the best gold Not entirely, so as to cover the ivory, for in that case it might as well have been made of wood; but here and there, and with curious ornaments. Thus, the throne appeared the more beautiful by this mixture of gold and ivory, with which, at due distances, it was studded. It was in the form of a niche, and the top of it was round behind Making a half circle over his head. It was placed in the porch, mentioned 1Ki 7:7, which was very magnificent, being both the kings seat of judgment, and the public audience, where he showed himself either to the nobles, or to the strangers that resorted to him. Here it stood in the midst of a flight of rich pillars of cedar, curiously carved and covered, or rather inlaid, with gold. The ascent to it was by six steps, each step being supported, on either side, by a small lion, and the arms of the seat with two large ones, as big as life. All these, and even the steps themselves, were covered with ivory and gold. Dodd. There was not the like made in any kingdom That is, in those times there was none to be compared to it: but in after ages there were, perhaps, some equally glorious. For Alhneus says, The throne of the Parthian kings was of gold, encompassed with four golden pillars, adorned with precious stones; and that the Persian kings sat in judgment under a golden vine, and other trees of gold, the bunches of whose grapes were made of several sorts of precious stones.