1 Kings 10:18
in 1 Kings 10Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the finest gold.
KJV
Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.
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This verse in 1 Kings 10
Commentary
5 notes on this verseMoreover, 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 Rev 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.
This site's exposition
a great throne of ivory
on 1 Kings 10:18-20
The throne combines two costly materials, ivory carved and then overlaid with gold, six steps up with a rounded back, armrests flanked by lions, and twelve more lions ranged two by two on the steps. The text's own comment, there was not the like made in any kingdom, matches its later claim that Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and wisdom at verse 23. Twelve lions on a throne built for David's son reads to the commentators as royal imagery reaching toward Judah's lion of Gen 49:9, named as their reading rather than the text's own statement.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He rolled it, flowered it, or inlaid it, with gold. The stays or arms of this stately chair were supported by the images of lions in gold; so were the steps and paces by which he went up to it, to be a memorandum to him of that courage and resolution wherewith he ought to execute judgment, not fearing the face of man. The righteous, in that post, is bold as a lion.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
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.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The ascent to it was by six steps, on each of which stood lions, in place of a railing--while a lion, probably of gilt metal, stood at each side, which, we may suppose from the analogy of other Oriental thrones, supported a canopy. A golden footstool is mentioned (2Ch 9:18) as attached to this throne, whose magnificence is described as unrivalled.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּ֧עַשׂ | vaiyaas | and he made | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| כִּסֵּא־ | kise'- | a throne of | H3678 → | 135 times |
| שֵׁ֖ן | shen | ivory | H8127 → | |
| גָּד֑וֹל | gadol | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ | vaytzapehu | and he overlaid it | H6823 → | 47 times |
| זָהָ֥ב | zahav | gold | H2091 → | 389 times |
| מוּפָֽז׃ | mufaz | refined | H6338 → |
וַיַּ֧עַשׂand he made
vaiyaasH6213 →2628 times
הַמֶּ֛לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
כִּסֵּא־a throne of
kise'-H3678 →135 times
שֵׁ֖ןivory
shenH8127 →
גָּד֑וֹלgreat
gadolH1419 →526 times
וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּand he overlaid it
vaytzapehuH6823 →47 times
זָהָ֥בgold
zahavH2091 →389 times
מוּפָֽז׃refined
mufazH6338 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 1:8But about the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom.
it leads to
- Psalms 45:6–7
Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom.
- Isaiah 9:6–7
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of…
- Romans 9:5
Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen.
- Jeremiah 23:5–6
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
- John 10:30
I and the Father are one.”
- Psalms 45:6–7
Through
Revelation 20:11Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.
it leads to
- Revelation 21:1
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
- 2 Peter 3:7
And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
- Daniel 2:35
Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were shattered and became like chaff on the threshing floor in summer. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found.…
- Revelation 21:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 1 Kings
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.