Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

JACHIN

(Heb. yāḵîn)

AND BOAZ

(bōʿaz)

The two pillars that flanked the entrance of Solomon’s temple (1 Kgs. 7:15-22, 41-42; 2 Chr. 3:15-17). Molded of bronze by Hiram of Tyre (1 Kgs. 7:13-14), the freestanding pillars were ca. 8 m. (26.5 ft.) tall (18 cubits) and had a circumference of ca. 5.3 m. (17.5 ft.; 12 cubits). The pillars were hollow, with walls ca. 7.6 cm. (3 in.) thick (four fingers). Topped with a bowl-like capital (Heb. gullâ) ca. 2.3 m. (7.5 ft.) high (5 cubits), the pillars had a total height of 10.3 m. (34 ft.; 23 cubits).

The biblical writer gives special attention to the elaborate design and ornamentation of the capitals. They were designed with “nets of checker work,” “wreaths of chain work,” “pomegranates” and “lily-work,” the latter motif associated especially with the Egyptian artwork.

While the Bible provides an elaborate description of the design of Jachin and Boaz, the biblical account provides little or no information concerning the function of the two pillars. Since they seem to be described as freestanding, the pillars were apparently designed with a symbolic rather than structural function. Freestanding pillars have been found at several ancient Near Eastern sites including Byblos, Shechem, Khorsabad, Taanach and Tell Tainat. The pillars are of special interest in light of small pillarlike offering stands or incense altars discovered in excavations at Megiddo. One such stand was designed with a bowl-like capital decorated with lotus leaves and flowers, a motif similar to the lily-work ornamentation of Jachin and Boaz. With the similarities in design and motifs, and since 1 Kings describes the capital with Heb. gullâ (1 Kgs. 7:41), it is possible that the two pillars that flanked the entrance of Solomon’s temple were large incense altars, perhaps symbolic reminders of the divine presence in the wilderness by means of the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night (Exod. 14:24; 33:9-10; Deut. 31:15).

But the two pillars also may have had yet another symbolic function. Since the Hebrew form of the name Jachin (“he will establish”) appears also in 2 Sam. 7:12-16 (“he will establish David’s throne forever”), and Boaz (“in the strength of”) appears in Ps. 21:1 (“in the strength of Yahweh shall the king rejoice”), it is possible that the pillars were also symbols of the relationship between the king and Yahweh. The pillars, located in front of the royal chapel, may have functioned as symbols of the authority of the Davidic dynasty.

LaMoine F. DeVries