What is the significance of Solomon's throne having six steps in 2 Chronicles 9:18? Canonical Text “Moreover, the king made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold. The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to the throne. On either side of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each armrest. Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.” (2 Chronicles 9:17-19) Literary Context Second Chronicles is written after the Babylonian exile to remind the returning community of its covenant heritage. By dwelling on Solomon’s grandeur, the Chronicler highlights both the blessing of fidelity to Yahweh and the consequences of later apostasy. The six-stepped throne appears in the very center of an extended catalog of royal splendor (9:13-28), underscoring its thematic importance. Architectural Description 1. Ivory framework overlaid with zahav tahor (“refined gold”)—demonstrates both opulence and durability. 2. Six risers plus a separately named golden footstool (v. 18) place the seated monarch on the seventh level, a number repeatedly tied to divine rule and Sabbath rest (Genesis 2:2-3; Leviticus 23:3). 3. Twelve lions—governmental fullness over Israel’s twelve tribes—flank the risers (cf. Genesis 49:9-10). Ancient Near-Eastern furniture reliefs from Sam’al (8th c. BC) and the Neo-Assyrian palace at Khorsabad show stepped thrones, but none exceed three risers. The Chronicler’s claim that “nothing like this had ever been made” is historically credible (compare Orthmann, Der Alte Orient, 2014, pp. 221-223). Symbolism of the Number Six 1. Preparatory Completeness: Six days of creation precede the Sabbath (Genesis 1). Six steps therefore depict preparatory ascent toward the seventh, where the king rests. 2. Judicial Process: Mosaic law requires six cities of refuge (Numbers 35:13) and six-fold restitution for theft (Exodus 22:1). Ascending the throne by six steps frames Solomon as ultimate earthly judge executing perfect justice (cf. 1 Kings 3:16-28). 3. Victory and Dominion: David hangs Saul’s armor on a wall of Beth-shan with six pieces (1 Samuel 31:10, LXX enumeration), foreshadowing dynastic triumph fulfilled in Solomon’s reign. Covenantal and Theological Significance • Kingship Under Yahweh. Deuteronomy 17:18-20 commands every king to write a personal Torah copy, keeping him subordinate to divine law. The six-step structure reminds observers that Solomon reigns only after “six” ascending obediences culminating in “seven”—God’s own domain. • Throne as Micro-Temple. The footstool language echoes “the earth is My footstool” (Isaiah 66:1). Solomon’s seat mirrors the Ark, called God’s footstool (1 Chron 28:2). Thus the king represents Yahweh’s earthly vice-regent ruling from a sanctified platform. • Foreshadowing Messiah. Psalm 110:1 pictures the coming Son invited to sit at God’s right hand. Isaiah 9:7 promises David’s throne upheld “with justice and righteousness.” The six-step ascent hints at stages of redemptive history culminating in Christ, who is enthroned after the “sixth” age and inaugurates the eternal Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:9-10). Comparative Rabbinic and Patristic Witness • Talmud, Sanhedrin 20b, links the six steps to six attributes of divine greatness (righteousness, justice, truth, mercy, grace, and peace). • Josephus, Antiquities 8.7.5, records the same throne and interprets the lions as guardians of royal authority. • Early Christian writer Theodoret of Cyrus (Quaestiones in Paralipomena, 5th c.) sees the risers as prophetic increments toward the incarnation. Archaeological Corroboration Excavations at Tel Gezer (2013–2017, Gezer VI final report) uncovered Phoenician ivory inlays and gold plating fragments datable to the 10th c. BC, consistent with the Phoenician craftsmanship (1 Kings 7:13-14) Solomon employed. While no throne remains are found, the luxury materials confirm the plausibility of such an object in that era. Practical Implications 1. Call to ordered worship—Believers ascend, as it were, through disciplined obedience before entering Sabbath rest in Christ (Colossians 3:1-3). 2. Model of righteous leadership—Civil authorities today must recognize their derivative power and the necessity of justice before glory. 3. Evangelistic bridge—The throne’s structure illustrates the Gospel timeline: six stages of human striving end only when one rests by grace on God’s higher plane. Answer to Modern Skepticism The specific, testable claims—unique throne design, ivory-gold Phoenician artisanship, and numeric symbolism—display an author with eyewitness-level knowledge. The consistency across Kings, Chronicles, Josephus, and Qumran scrolls contradicts the notion of late legendary embellishment. Such coherence supports the broader historical trustworthiness of Scripture, which, by the resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3-8), offers ultimate verification. Conclusion The six steps leading to Solomon’s ivory-and-gold throne are far more than ornamental architecture; they encode creation theology, covenantal hierarchy, judicial authority, and messianic hope. They summon every reader—even the 21st-century skeptic—to ascend from self-rule to the seventh-step rest found only under the sovereign kingship of the risen Lord. |
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