Jachin and Boaz are two bronze pillars that stood on the porch of Solomon’s temple as described in the Old Testament books of 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles. They were large freestanding pillars made of cast bronze, incredibly ornate, and stood at the entrance to the temple. The pillars were given symbolic meaning relating to the house of God.
The first mention of these pillars is in 1 Kings 7:15-22 (ESV):
He cast two pillars of bronze. Eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits measured its circumference. It was hollow, and its thickness was four fingers. The second pillar was the same. He also made two capitals of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits. There were lattices of checker work with wreaths of chain work for the capitals on the tops of the pillars, a lattice for the one capital and a lattice for the other capital. Likewise on the lattice that was on the top of the second pillar, in the same way. There were four hundred pomegranates on the two lattices, two hundred on the one lattice and two hundred on the other lattice.
This passage describes how the pillars were made of cast bronze and were quite large – about 27 feet tall and 18 feet in circumference. They had ornate decorative capitals on top carved with latticework and pomegranates. The capitals were each 7.5 feet tall. The pillars themselves were hollow but had walls that were about 4 inches thick.
2 Chronicles 3:15-17 (ESV) also describes these pillars:
In front of the house he made two pillars thirty-five cubits high, with a capital of five cubits on the top of each. He made chains like a necklace and put them on the tops of the pillars, and he made a hundred pomegranates and put them on the chains. And he set up the pillars in front of the temple, one on the south, the other on the north; that on the south he called Jachin, and that on the north Boaz.
This passage confirms the immense size of the pillars, specifying their height at about 53 feet. It also mentions the decorative chains and pomegranates around the top. Verse 17 reveals the names of the pillars – the one on the south was called Jachin and the one on the north was called Boaz.
Meaning of the Names
The names Jachin and Boaz carry symbolic meaning relating to the temple and God’s promises.
Jachin (also spelled Jakin) comes from the Hebrew word meaning “he establishes.” This signifies God’s unchanging nature and eternal presence. Some see it as a reminder of God’s promise to establish the Davidic kingdom forever.
Boaz means “in him is strength” which points to the strength and stability of God. As the temple was built from strong materials, God Himself provides strength and stability to His people.
Together, these pillar names convey a message about God’s character. Jachin reflecting His unchanging nature and eternal presence with His people. Boaz reflecting His strength to establish, support, and fulfill His promises to His people.
The symbolic meaning attached to these pillars emphasizes God’s faithfulness and the certain hope His people can have in His promises. As the temple was a symbol of God’s presence with Israel, these pillars were reminders to the people of God’s steadfast commitment to dwell among them and be their God.
Where the Pillars were Located
The pillars Jachin and Boaz were located on the porch of Solomon’s temple. Based on the descriptions in 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles, they flanked the entrance to the temple, one on each side as people approached the doorway.
2 Chronicles 3:15 (ESV) specifies their location:
In front of the house he made two pillars…And he set up the pillars in front of the temple, one on the south, the other on the north.
The passage makes clear the pillars stood in front of the temple, positioned on the south and north side of the entrance. As people approached and entered the temple, these enormous pillars would have been impossible to miss.
Many also believe there was a porch or portico extending out from the front of the temple, supported on these two pillars. The pillars marked the entryway to the sacred space, symbolically holding up or establishing God’s house.
Architectural Purpose
In addition to their symbolic meaning, Jachin and Boaz also served an architectural purpose. Their sheer mass and size contributed to holding up the roof structure over the front portion of the temple.
1 Kings 7:21 (ESV) describes metal capitals atop the pillars:
He also made two capitals of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars.
These large cast bronze capitals would have helped distribute the weight of any horizontal beams extending between the pillars to support the porch roof. The roof structure could rest upon these capitals rather than just the pillars themselves.
Also, the ornamentation on the capitals suggests they were designed to draw the eye upward. As pillars normally taper toward the top, bulky decorative capitals ensure a substantial thickness is maintained right up to the roof level. This allowed the pillars to effectively bear the load of the overhead structure.
While these pillars had rich symbolic meaning, they also played an important architectural role in the temple design as load-bearing elements, supporting the porch roof.
Parallels to the Tabernacle Entrance
The placement of the two pillars Jachin and Boaz on either side of the temple entrance mirrors the tabernacle construction from the time of Moses:
Exodus 26:31-37 (ESV) describes the entrance to the tabernacle:
You shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen…And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy. You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place. And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table on the north side of the tabernacle.
There was a veil dividing the tabernacle into two sections: the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. The passage refers to items being positioned on the “north side” and “south side” as you enter. This implies a symmetry to the entrance way with furnishings flanking the opening just as Jachin and Boaz did at Solomon’s temple.
Seeing this correspondence, the pillars may have been intentionally placed to evoke the memory of the tabernacle and God’s presence there during Israel’s wilderness journey.
Architectural Similarities to Other Ancient Temples
The use of pillars flanking a temple entrance way was a common design feature in the ancient world. Similarities have been noted between Jachin and Boaz and the pillars used in temples of other ancient Near East cultures.
For example, excavations at a temple complex in Hazor from the Late Bronze Age uncovered twin pillars that once framed the entrance to the sacred area. The design parallels Solomon’s temple pillars in size, prominence of location, and use of decorative elements like pomegranates.
Also, images on a clay model of a temple to the goddess Asherah include depictions of freestanding pillars on either side of the entryway. These mimic the described placement of the pillars Jachin and Boaz in the Bible.
While not unique to Israel’s temple, the use of flanking entrance pillars was an important architectural design in the ancient world. This common motif served to mark a transition into sacred space. The parallels reinforce the biblical pillars’ significance in Israel’s worship.
What Happened to the Pillars?
The ultimate fate of the bronze pillars Jachin and Boaz is unknown. The pillars stood for centuries marking the entrance to Solomon’s temple. The temple was eventually destroyed by the Babylonians around 586 BC when they conquered Jerusalem.
There is no mention of the specific fate of the pillars at that time. Thousands of articles of bronze and other precious metals were likely pillaged from the temple ruins by the Babylonian armies (see 2 Kings 24:13). The enormous bronze pillars were presumably dismantled or destroyed either by the Babylonians or in the temple’s burning.
Later, when Israelites returned from exile and rebuilt the temple under Zerubbabel, there is no record of new pillars being constructed to replace Jachin and Boaz. The Second Temple built by King Herod several centuries later was an expansion of Zerubbabel’s temple. There is no indication Herod’s Temple incorporated any similar freestanding pillars at the entrance.
While their physical presence faded long ago, Jachin and Boaz endured as symbols of God’s stability and strength through references to them in the written records of the Old Testament. The memory of these magnificent pillars lives on in the Scriptures.
Jachin and Boaz in Freemasonry
The pillars Jachin and Boaz are important symbols in Freemasonry. In Masonic temples, representations of these pillars typically stand on either side of the entrance to the main lodge room.
This placement mirrors the physical placement of the actual pillars in the Bible at the entrance to Solomon’s Temple. Jachin stands on the right, and Boaz on the left as you walk through the doorway into the lodge room.
In Freemasonry, the pillars are said to represent the equilibrium between opposing forces. Jachin represents strength and establishment, while Boaz represents wisdom and stability. Together, they express the harmony of opposites through strength and wisdom.
The Masonic pillars also carry Solomon’s Temple symbolism. They represent the gateway into the enlightened state, just as the original pillars stood at the portal to the Temple and the presence of God.
Additionally, the checkerboard pattern on the capitals is thought to symbolize human life as an interplay of opposites: good/evil, light/dark, male/female. This relates to Masonic philosophical beliefs about duality in the universe.
Jachin and Boaz and their symbolism have endured as core elements of Masonic tradition and rituals.
Jachin and Boaz Mentioned in the Bible
References to the pillars Jachin and Boaz are found in these passages:
- 1 Kings 7:15-22 – Description of pillars being cast of bronze with decorative capitals.
- 2 Kings 11:14 – Location of the king standing by a pillar during a coronation ceremony.
- 2 Kings 23:3 – King Josiah standing by a pillar while making a covenant before God.
- 2 Kings 25:13-17 – Destruction and pillaging of items from the temple including “pillars of bronze.”
- 2 Chronicles 3:15-17 – Dimensions and names of the two pillars.
- 2 Chronicles 4:12-13 – Further details about the pillars and decorations.
- Jeremiah 52:17-23 – Destruction and pillaging of temple items including the bronze pillars.
These passages provide insight into the original appearance, location, and symbolism behind Jachin and Boaz. They capture the pillars’ role and significance in Israel’s temple worship.
Artistic Depictions
There are no known contemporary depictions or models that accurately show Solomon’s actual temple pillars. But based on the biblical descriptions, artists have envisioned how Jachin and Boaz may have appeared.
Notable depictions include:
- An 1802 painting by French artist Charles Meynier portrays the pillars with ornate decorations flanking the temple entrance.
- A 1695 etching by Bernard Lens shows the temple with symmetrically placed pillars supporting a porch roof.
- A 1728 engraving by Gerard Hoet and Pieter Christiaenszoon depicts the pillars on either side of the temple doorway.
- A 15th century Bohemian manuscript includes an illuminated illustration of the temple entrance flanked by intricately decorated pillars.
These and other artistic images try to capture the grandeur and beauty of the bronze pillars described in Scripture. They provide interpretations of how Jachin and Boaz may have originally appeared based on the biblical text.
Significance for the Temple
Jachin and Boaz held both symbolic and architectural significance for Solomon’s temple:
- The pillars marked the entrance to the sacred space, standing like guardians to the threshold of the temple.
- They evoked memories of the tabernacle entrance with furnishings flanking the sides.
- Their names and decorations carried meanings about God’s attributes and faithfulness to His people.
- They provided structural support for the porch roof over the entrance.
- Their great size and ornate beauty reflected the importance and glory of the temple.
For temple worshipers, the pillars reinforced God’s presence with them and His strength to fulfill promises to His people. Their strategic placement, scale, and craftsmanship made them impossible to miss when approaching God’s house.
Significance for Christians
While Solomon’s temple is long gone, the pillars still have significance for Christians today:
- They direct attention to the faithfulness and strength of God.
- Their symbolism reminds us of God’s eternal presence with His people throughout history.
- The skill and care put into their design reflects the high quality we strive for in our worship spaces.
- Though the temple has been replaced by Jesus Christ, it points to the sacred space we now enter through Christ into God’s presence.
- The temple imagery reminds us of Jesus as the true temple where God now dwells among His people.
As Christians, we no longer need a physical temple building. However, Jachin and Boaz still evoke worshipful reflection on God’s character and point us to Christ through their temple symbolism.
Summary of Key Details
Here are some key facts to remember about Jachin and Boaz:
- They were two massive freestanding bronze pillars that stood at the entrance of Solomon’s temple.
- The pillars were described as being about 27 feet tall and 18 feet in circumference.
- They had ornate decorative capitals on top carved with latticework and pomegranates.
- The names Jachin and Boaz mean “he establishes” and “in him is strength” reflecting God’s attributes.
- They were likely destroyed when the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem and burned the temple in 586 BC.
- The pillars symbolized God’s stability and faithfulness to dwell among His people.
Jachin and Boaz left a lasting legacy and still resonate with symbolic meaning for Christians today. Their mention in Scripture immortalized these magnificent pillars that once marked the entrance to God’s house in ancient Israel.