1 Kings 7:17-22 Meaning: The Pillars of the Temple
17There were nets of checker work and wreaths of chain work for the capitals which were on the top of the pillars: seven for the one capital, and seven for the other capital.
18So he made the pillars; and there were two rows of pomegranates around the one network, to cover the capitals that were on the top of the pillars; and he did so for the other capital.
19The capitals that were on the top of the pillars in the porch were of lily work, four cubits.
20There were capitals above also on the two pillars, close by the belly which was beside the network. There were two hundred pomegranates in rows around the other capital.
21He set up the pillars at the porch of the temple. He set up the right pillar and called its name Jachin; and he set up the left pillar and called its name Boaz.
22On the tops of the pillars was lily work. So the work of the pillars was finished.
17And nets of checker work, and wreaths of chain work, for the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars; seven for the one chapiter, and seven for the other chapiter.
18And he made the pillars, and two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the chapiters that were upon the top, with pomegranates: and so did he for the other chapiter.
19And the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars were of lily work in the porch, four cubits.
20And the chapiters upon the two pillars had pomegranates also above, over against the belly which was by the network: and the pomegranates were two hundred in rows round about upon the other chapiter.
21And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz.
22And upon the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pillars finished.
17There were nets of checker-work, and wreaths of chain-work, for the capitals which were upon the top of the pillars; seven for the one capital, and seven for the other capital.
18So he made the pillars; and there were two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars: and so did he for the other capital.
19And the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars in the porch were of lily-work, four cubits.
20And there were capitals above also upon the two pillars, close by the belly which was beside the network: and the pomegranates were two hundred, in rows round about upon the other capital.
21And he set up the pillars at the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin; and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz.
22And upon the top of the pillars was lily-work: so was the work of the pillars finished.
17Nets of net-work, wreaths of chain-work are for the chapiters that are on the top of the pillars, seven for the one chapiter, and seven for the second chapiter.
18And he maketh the pillars, and two rows round about on the one net-work, to cover the chapiters that are on the top, with the pomegranates, and so he hath made for the second chapiter.
19And the chapiters that are on the top of the pillars are of lily-work in the porch, four cubits;
20and the chapiters on the two pillars also above, over-against the protuberance that is beside the net; and the pomegranates are two hundred, in rows round about on the second chapiter.
21And he raiseth up the pillars for the porch of the temple, and he raiseth up the right pillar, and calleth its name Jachin, and he raiseth up the left pillar, and calleth its name Boaz;
22and on the top of the pillars is lily-work; and the work of the pillars is completed.
17[and] nets of checker-work, wreaths of chain-work, for the capitals which were upon the top of the pillars; seven for the one capital and seven for the other capital.
18And he made pomegranates, namely two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars; and so he did for the other capital.
19And the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars were of lily-work [as] in the porch, four cubits.
20And the capitals upon the two pillars, above also, close to the enlargement which was behind the network, had two hundred pomegranates in rows round about, [also] on the other capital.
21And he set up the pillars for the porch of the temple; and he set up the right pillar, and called its name Jachin; and he set up the left pillar, and called its name Boaz.
22And upon the top of the pillars was lily-work; and the work of the pillars was finished.
Meaning in one sentence
What do the names Jachin and Boaz mean? This passage describes the bronze pillars at Solomon's temple entrance, symbolizing God's establishment and strength.
Context
The scene is Solomon's temple being built. King Solomon sent for a master craftsman named Hiram, a worker in bronze from Tyre. Hiram was filled with skill to do all kinds of work in metal. He fashioned two enormous bronze pillars and set them at the porch of the temple. Each pillar was eighteen cubits tall, about twenty-seven feet, with a capital on top five cubits high. The capitals were decorated with networks, chainwork, two rows of pomegranates, and lily work. When the pillars were finished, Solomon named them: the right pillar Jachin, the left pillar Boaz. The entire description emphasizes how carefully and beautifully the house of God was prepared.
Key Words
The names given to the pillars are more than labels, they are declarations. Jachin (Hebrew ya·khin) comes from a verb meaning “he will establish.” It is a promise: God establishes His people and His house. Boaz (Hebrew bo·‘az) means “in strength,” suggesting that the strength for that establishment comes from God. The word for “capital” (kō·te·ret) is often translated “crown”, these were crowning ornaments at the top of each pillar. And the lily work (shū·shan) and pomegranates (rim·mōn) were not just decorations; they echoed the garden imagery of Eden and the fruitfulness God promised His people. Every detail proclaimed that this place was established by God’s strength and filled with His beauty.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have seen these pillars as carrying spiritual meaning. In the Protestant tradition, Matthew Henry and the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown commentary read them as symbols of the stability of God's spiritual kingdom, not the material temple, which was later destroyed, but the enduring rule of God. The Septuagint (an early Greek translation) rendered the names “Direction” and “Strength,” emphasizing that God guides and supports His people. Roman Catholic interpreters (like the Douay version) keep the Hebrew names, while noting the pillars did not support the building itself but stood at the entrance as a visible reminder. Orthodox readers often see in the pillars a type of the apostles and prophets who uphold the church. The common thread is trust in God’s faithful establishment.
A common misunderstanding
A common misunderstanding is that these pillars held up the temple roof or porch. In fact, the pillars were free-standing. Adam Clarke noted they “supported no part of the building.” They were purely ornamental and symbolic, placed at the entrance of the porch as a public declaration. Their purpose was not structural but spiritual: to remind everyone who entered that God establishes His house in strength.
Living This Out
This week you might feel wobbly, unsure about your faith, your family, or your future. The pillars at the temple entrance were a daily reminder that God’s establishment and strength are real. You can set up your own small reminder: a stone on your desk, a note taped to the mirror that says “Jachin” or “Boaz.” When you see it, pause and say, “God establishes me. My strength is in Him.” That is what the pillars were for: to point people to the God who finishes what He starts.
Main takeaway: God’s establishment and strength stand at the entrance of His presence, inviting all who enter to trust in Him alone.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
The two big pillars were like signs that said “God makes things strong.” When people went to God’s house, they saw the pillars and remembered that God is strong and He takes care of His people.
For ages 9, 12
The pillars had special names. Jachin means “He will establish” and Boaz means “in strength.” They were like promises standing at the door of the temple. Every time someone walked in, they saw the pillars and remembered that God establishes His people and gives them strength. You can have reminders too, like a cross on your wall or a Bible verse you say to yourself. Those reminders help you trust God, just like the pillars helped the Israelites.
Questions People Ask
What do the names Jachin and Boaz mean?
Jachin means 'He will establish' and Boaz means 'in strength.' Together they declare that God establishes His people and gives them strength. Some early translations render them 'Direction' and 'Strength.'
Were the pillars structural or symbolic?
The pillars were free-standing and did not support any part of the building, according to Adam Clarke and other commentators. They were purely ornamental and symbolic, placed at the entrance of the porch to remind everyone of God's establishment and strength.
Why were pomegranates and lilies on the capitals?
Pomegranates and lilies were common decorative motifs in the ancient Near East. Some scholars think the pomegranates symbolized fruitfulness, while the lily work evoked beauty and the garden of Eden. But Barnes' Notes says it is doubtful whether a fixed symbolic meaning was attached; they may have been chosen simply as beautiful natural forms.
How does this passage connect to the rest of the temple description?
The pillars are part of the larger account of Solomon's temple furnishings (chapters 6-7). They flank the entrance to the holy place, drawing a boundary between the ordinary world and God's special presence. The careful detail shows that every part of the temple was made with excellence to honor God.
What happened to these pillars later?
According to 2 Kings 25:17 and Jeremiah 52:17, when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC, they broke up the bronze pillars and carried the metal away. The physical pillars are gone, but their symbolism of God's establishment and strength still speaks to believers today.
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