BOAZ AND JACHIN (I KINGS 7:21 // II CHRONICLES 3:15-17)

Most Bible readers will recognize Boaz as the name of Ruth's husband and an ancestor of David. But what about Jachin (also transliterated from the Hebrew as Jakin and Yachin)? Actually, in the parallel passages given above, both of these names refer not primarily to people, but to two 27-ft high, hollow bronze pillars that stood on either side of the entryway to Solomon's Temple.

There are two puzzling things about these pillars: what was their function and what did the names stand for? But there is one thing upon which most Bible scholars are in almost complete agreement: the answers to these two questions remain unsure:

    O'Kennedy: “Scholars have a wide variety of opinions concerning the names of the two pillars.

    McKelvey: “Their purpose remains indeterminate.”

    LaSor: “Numerous suggestions have been made concerning [their] names...all suggestions are largely speculative”

    Hubbard: “Sadly, the many options yield no certain conclusion at this time.”

    G.H. Jones: “Attempts to explain the meaning of these two names and to interpret the significance of the pillars are too numerous to be listed.”

    House: “It is not entirely clear what these pillars represent.”

    Martin: “The names Jakin and Boaz are much debated.”

But wherever the biblical text is a bit ambiguous, as in this case, you can be sure that commentators will attempt to fill the void even if some of the explanations may seem a bit far-fetched. Thus, we have the following opinions regarding the function and naming of these pillars:

Function

“They were cressets [metal cups or baskets, often mounted to or suspended from a pole, containing something flammable and a rope wick] where the fat of the sacrifices was burnt.” (G.H. Jones)

“Based on the closest parallels, such as the 'Ain Dara temple, it would appear that they supported the roof of the porch.” (Monson)

In contrast to Monson, Wiseman says that the pillars were “free-standing,” and McKelvey states “they were not part of the structure.”

LaSor cites the design of the Baal temple at Tyre as a model and notes, “It has been suggested that the pillars in front of Solomon's Temple may have contained a sacred fire reminding the Israelites of the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night of the wilderness period.” In agreement with these respective contentions, (a) Howard similarly suggests that Phoenician and Canaanite structures of the period were in mind when Hiram (from Tyre) constructed the temple for Solomon, and (b) Martin notes that “Albright and others suggest that these capitals contained fire which lit up the area and emitted smoke symbolic of Yahweh's presence.”

Names

They were named for the favorable comments of the craftsman who completed them – Yakin ('it is solid') and Boaz ('with strength').

In view of Israel's synchretism, one represented the power of Baal and the other the power of Yahweh.

They represented both the covenant between God and his people, and between him and the Davidic dynasty.

Cogan states, “the most reasonable suggestion is to take these names as the catchwords of sentences that had been inscribed on the columns, one on each” He notes that Mesopotamian doors and gates were even known by entire sentences.

Monson offers the translations “he sets up” for Jachin and “in strength” for Boaz.

Martens feels that Boaz means 'in him is strength' and Jakin means 'he establishes.' Their significance may be 'as proprietary emblems, claiming the temple for Yahweh.' (De Vries)”

“The names and meaning of the two pillars...may indicate a more positive connotation to the left (north) than to the south...Jakin may convey the meaning 'he establishes, he shall uphold' and the name Boaz 'in him is strength' or 'may strength be with him.' If this hypothesis is correct, it indicates that the pillar on the left side (Boaz) is not seen as weaker or less important.” (O'Kennedy) Thus, it would serve to correct the usual biblical impression that the left is the weaker side.

“R.B.Y. Scott argues from allusions in Psalms that the words were the start of two dynastic oracles such as 'He (Yahweh) will establish (thy throne for ever)' and 'In the strength (of Yahweh shall the king rejoice”.'” (Martin)

Starting with the similarity of David's ancestor “Boaz” to the name of one of the columns, Wiseman says, “The names of the columns may enshrine the memory of David's ancestry through his mother (Jachin occurs as a Simeonite name [Nu. xxvi. 12] and in a priestly family [I Ch. xxiv. 17]) and through the paternal line. However, a more likely theory is that the names may be the first words of oracles giving power to the Davidic dynasty: perhaps 'Yahweh will establish (yakin) thy throne for ever' and 'In the strength (be'oz) of Yahweh shall the king rejoice' or something similar.”

Regarding the ancestry interpretation, Hubbard is similarly skeptical it since no such name as Yakin is mentioned in the Bible, but Campbell notes that 'yakin' does appear in the name of one Davidic descendant, i.e. Jehoiachin. Therefore he and Freedman choose to keep it as an open option.