1 Kings 10:18

18 He also had a large throne made. Part of it was covered with ivory and the rest of it was covered 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 Solomon made two hundred large shields and had each one overlaid with almost fifteen pounds of gold.

17 He also made three hundred smaller shields, overlaying each one of them with nearly four pounds of gold. He had all these shields placed in the Hall of the Forest of Lebanon.

18 He also had a large throne made. Part of it was covered with ivory and the rest of it was covered with the finest gold.

19 The throne had six steps leading up to it, with the figure of a lion at each end of every step, a total of twelve lions. At the back of the throne was the figure of a bull's head, and beside each of the two armrests was the figure of a lion. No throne like this had ever existed in any other kingdom.