1 Kings 10:18

18 The king also made a large throne of ivory and overlaid it with the finest gold.

1 Kings 10:18 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 10:18

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 ( Revelation 20:11 ) may be an allusion to this; the ivory he had from Tarshish, ( 1 Kings 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 ^F16.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Appian. Alex. l. 2.

1 Kings 10:18 In-Context

16 King Shlomo made 200 large shields of hammered gold; fifteen pounds of gold went into one shield.

17 He made 300 more shields of hammered gold, with three-and-three-quarters pounds going into one shield; the king put these in the House of the L'vanon Forest.

18 The king also made a large throne of ivory and overlaid it with the finest gold.

19 The throne had six steps, a back with a rounded top, arms on either side of the seat, two lions standing beside the arms,

20 and twelve more lions standing on each side of the six steps. Nothing like it had ever been made in any kingdom.