The Meaning of 1 Kings 7:21 Explained

1 Kings 7:21

KJV: And 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.

YLT: And 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;

Darby: And 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.

ASV: And 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And 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. 

What does 1 Kings 7:21 Mean?

Study Notes

Jachin i.e. He shall establish.
Boaz i.e. in it is strength.

Context Summary

1 Kings 7:13-26 - Pillars Of Security And Strength
Hiram, the artificer, was remarkably gifted. From his father he had inherited all the genius of Tyre, while on his mother's side he was of the tribe of Naphtali and thus inherited the religious genius of the Hebrew people. The twin pillars were made of the brass taken from the king of Zobah, 1 Chronicles 18:8-9. Each would stand to a height of forty feet. Their names were symbolical, and indicated their strength and durability. Wreaths of golden chainwork hung from the capitals, while beautiful ornaments of lily-work adorned the heads of these noble columns. Jachin-"he shall establish"-and Boaz-"in him is strength"-combined with the beauty of the lily-work, remind us that strength and beauty are in God's sanctuary and blend in the character of His people.
The molten sea was substituted for the ancient laver, Exodus 30:18. It was an immense circular vase, holding 20,000 gallons of water. Its brim was in the form of a lily and it stood on twelve brazen oxen. Water in abundance was needed for the cleansing of the courts; and our Lord has taught us in John 13:1-38 the necessity for constant washing if we would walk with God.
1 Kings 7:1-51 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 7

1  The building of Solomon's house
2  Of the house of Lebanon
6  Of the porch of pillars
7  Of the porch of judgment
8  Of the house for Pharaoh's daughter
13  Hiram's work of the two pillars,
23  Of the molten sea
27  Of the ten bases
38  Of the ten lavers
40  and all the vessels

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 7:21 mean?

And he set up - the pillars by the vestibule of the temple and he set up the pillar on the right and called its name Jachin on the left its name Boaz
וַיָּ֙קֶם֙ אֶת־ הָֽעַמֻּדִ֔ים לְאֻלָ֖ם הַֽהֵיכָ֑ל וַיָּ֜קֶם הָעַמּ֣וּד הַיְמָנִ֗י וַיִּקְרָ֤א שְׁמוֹ֙ יָכִ֔ין הַשְּׂמָאלִ֔י שְׁמ֖וֹ בֹּֽעַז

וַיָּ֙קֶם֙  And  he  set  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָֽעַמֻּדִ֔ים  the  pillars 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַמּוּד  
Sense: pillar, column.
לְאֻלָ֖ם  by  the  vestibule 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אוּלָם  
Sense: porch.
הַֽהֵיכָ֑ל  of  the  temple 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: הֵיכָל  
Sense: palace, temple, nave, sanctuary.
וַיָּ֜קֶם  and  he  set  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
הָעַמּ֣וּד  the  pillar 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַמּוּד  
Sense: pillar, column.
הַיְמָנִ֗י  on  the  right 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: יְמָינִי 
Sense: right, right hand.
וַיִּקְרָ֤א  and  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
שְׁמוֹ֙  its  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
יָכִ֔ין  Jachin 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָכִין 
Sense: the 4th son of Simeon and founder of the family of Jachinites.
הַשְּׂמָאלִ֔י  on  the  left 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: שְׂמָאלִי  
Sense: left, left side, on the left.
שְׁמ֖וֹ  its  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
בֹּֽעַז  Boaz 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּעַז 
Sense: ancestor of David, kinsman-redeemer to Ruth, daughter-in-law of Naomi.