Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the finest gold.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 18. Ivory. Hebrew “of the tooth” (or horn) of elephants: people do not agree of which the ivory is formed. See Pliny (viii. 3.) for the former sentiment, and for the latter, Varro vi. Ezec. (27:15) seems to unite both sentiments, calling it, “horns of the tooth.” Bible.—Ivory may, in effect, be wrought like horn.—Finest. Hebrew “gold of Uphas.” This was the country whence it was brought; (Jeremiah 10:9) probably Colchis, where the river Phasis, or Phison, flows. Genesis 2:11. Calmet.—The Chaldee calls Uphas, (in Jeremias) Ophir; and Huet supposes that Paz and Parvaim designate the same place. Calmet. 9:28. Job 28:17. D.—In Paral. we only read, pure gold, which would suffer the ivory to appear in some places. Calmet.