2 Chronicles 3:17 Meaning: What the Pillars Jachin and Boaz Mean
He set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.
And he reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.
And he set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.
And he raiseth up the pillars on the front of the temple, one on the right, and one on the left, and calleth the name of that on the right Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.
And he set up the pillars in front of the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left; and he called the name of that on the right Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.
Meaning in one sentence
What do the names Jachin ('He will establish') and Boaz ('In it is strength') mean?
Context
Solomon’s temple was almost complete. Gold covered the walls, cherubim spread their wings over the inner sanctuary, and the veil hung heavy with blue and purple. At the front of the house, before the porch, Solomon placed two bronze pillars. They did not hold up the roof. They stood on their own, one on the south side, one on the north, flanking the entrance. Every worshiper who approached would pass between them. And these pillars had names, names that spoke a message. This verse is the final note of the chapter, closing the description of the temple with a deliberate statement carved into bronze.
Key Words
The two names carry the weight. Jachin (ya·Khin) comes from the root kun, meaning to be firm, to stand, to establish. It is a verb in the active voice: “He will establish.” Not a hope, but a promise. Boaz (Bo·‘az) is harder to pin down, but the most natural reading is “in it is strength,” built from ‘oz (strength) with a preposition prefix. The Cambridge Bible notes the Septuagint translates it as “strength.” Together, the two pillars make a single proclamation: God establishes, and in Him is strength. The Hebrew word for pillar (‘am·mud) carries the idea of something standing upright and enduring. So these were not just decorations. They were a public statement, visible to everyone who came to worship, written in bronze.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians from many traditions have seen these names as a declaration of God’s character. The Jewish Targum, cited by Adam Clarke, connects Jachin to the establishment of David’s kingdom and Boaz to the patriarch from whom the kings descended. Matthew Henry writes of them as “sermons in brass,” reminding all who entered that God is the stability of His house. Keil and Delitzsch focus on the architectural details, but the naming itself points to a deeper meaning. Across the centuries, these two pillars have been understood as a sign of God’s faithfulness: He establishes, He strengthens. The names belong to God before they belong to any building.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that the pillars were simply architectural supports, like columns holding up the porch roof. In fact, the Hebrew places them “before the temple,” freestanding. They were not structural. Another mistake is to think the names refer only to people (Jachin the son of Simeon, or Boaz the husband of Ruth). In this context, the names are deliberate and symbolic, a proclamation about the God who dwells in the temple, not a memorial of ancestors.
Living This Out
If you feel unsteady this week, a job that wobbles, a health question with no answer, a relationship that seems fragile, these pillars face you the way they faced every worshiper. The message is not “try harder.” It is that God establishes, and in Him is strength. You do not have to hold yourself up. You can pass between the pillars and remember whose house you are in. Let the names do their work: He will establish. In Him is strength.
Main takeaway: The pillars Jachin and Boaz declare that God establishes His people and gives them strength to stand.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
The temple had two big pillars. They had special names. Jachin means “God makes us strong.” Boaz means “God is strong.” These names remind us that God helps us stand tall.
For ages 9, 12
Solomon set up two bronze pillars in front of the temple and gave them names. Jachin means “He will establish”, like God putting you on solid ground. Boaz means “in it is strength”, like God giving you power from the inside. Every time someone came to worship, they walked between these pillars and remembered: God is the one who keeps His people steady and strong.
Questions People Ask
What do the names Jachin and Boaz mean?
Jachin comes from a Hebrew word meaning 'He will establish.' Boaz likely means 'In it is strength' (combining the prefix 'b' meaning 'in' with 'oz', strength). Together, they declare that God establishes His temple and strengthens His people.
Why did Solomon name the pillars?
The naming shows these pillars were more than decoration. They were a public statement. Every worshiper entering the temple was reminded of God’s faithfulness, that He establishes and gives strength.
Did the pillars support the temple roof?
No. The verse says they were set up 'before the temple,' standing on their own. They were freestanding, flanking the entrance as symbols rather than structural columns.
Are Jachin and Boaz mentioned anywhere else in the Bible?
Yes. 1 Kings 7:21 describes the same pillars. They are also mentioned in Jeremiah 52:21-23 when the temple was destroyed by the Babylonians.
What can these pillars teach Christians today?
They remind us that our confidence is not in our own strength but in God who establishes and strengthens. When life feels unstable, we can trust His promise, just as the names proclaimed to everyone who entered the temple.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study