1 Kings 10:19

1Ki 10:19 The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne [was] round behind: and [there were] stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays.

Ver. 19. The throne had six steps.] Whereby when the king ascended to his throne, he was imminded both of his dignity and duty; since Sedes prima et vita ima, would be incongruous and reproachful.

And the top of the throne, &c.] The canopy encircled the king’s head, for his greater ease and state, and to note God’s protection.

And there were stays.] Heb., Hands, to rest his arms on.

And two lions stood beside the stays.] To show that his throne should not easily be overturned.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

As the chair bows, or places to lean upon.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 19. The throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side] This description seems to indicate that the throne was in the form of one of our ancient round-topped, two-armed chairs. This throne or chair of state was raised on a platform, the ascent to which consisted of six steps. What we call stays is in the Hebrew ידת yadoth, hands, which serves to confirm the conjecture above.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. And the top of the throne was round behind] The word ‘top’ is literally ‘head,’ and points to some erection in the nature of a canopy or baldachino. The roundness here spoken of might either be from the sides of the back being curved inward as they rose up, or from the canopy being arched from behind. This portion of the description is omitted in 2Ch_9:18, but there is added, what we have not here, that ‘a footstool of gold’ was joined to the throne. Josephus omits all mention of the throne, and the LXX. has προτομαὶ μόσχων, i.e. ‘heads (projections) of calves,’ having taken צָנוֹל = ‘round’ as if it were עֵנֶל ‘a calf.’

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The throne had six steps,.... Up to the footstool of the throne, which was of gold, Ch2 9:18 and was high, that everyone in court might see him, and the better hear the sentence he gave:

and the top of the throne was round behind; had a semicircle at the top of it, like an alcove:

and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat; or "hands" (q), such as the arms of a chair, to lean and rest upon:

and two lions stood beside the stays; which were not only ornamental, and for support of the stays, but expressive of majesty, and of undaunted courage and resolution to do justice, and of the danger such expose themselves to, who oppose magistrates in the discharge of their office; and in which Solomon was a type of Christ, the lion of the tribe of Judah; and for the same reasons were the like portraits on the steps, as follows.

(q) "manus", V. L. Montanus, &c. "brachiola", Sept. in 2 Chron. ix. 18.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Representations of thrones are frequent in the Egyptian and Assyrian sculptures. They have no steps up to them, but frequently stand upon square bases. The back appears to be flat at the top, not rounded. Assyrian thrones have “stays” or arms on either side, and they stand generally upon lion’s feet. They are always accompanied by a footstool.

Lions stood beside the stays - The arms of Assyrian thrones are occasionally supported by figures of animals. The throne of Rameses II at Medinet Abou has a sphinx at the side and a lion below the sphinx. The figure of the lion is naturally adopted by any imaginative race as an emblem of sovereignty. In the present case its adoption seems to have grown directly out of the poetic imagery of inspired prophets, who, living before the time of Solomon, had compared Israel Num 23:24; Num 24:9, and more particularly Judah Gen 49:9, to a lion. The “twelve lions” of 1Ki 10:20 were probably intended to be emblematic of the twelve tribes. Josephus adds to the description of Solomon’s throne here given, that the seat was supported by a golden ox or bull, with its head turned over its shoulder. As the lion was especially emblematic of Judah, so was the ox or bull of Ephraim. (Hos 4:16; Hos 10:11; Jer 31:18, etc.)

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Behind, like an alcove, (Haydock) placed in the porch of the palace, chap. vii. 8. --- Hands, for the elbows to rest on. In Paralipomenon, St. Jerome translates, "little" arms. The feet might also be made in this shape. Josephus ([Antiquities?] viii. 5.) represents them as forming the seat: (Calmet) and the Septuagint place them on each side: "the fore-parts of oxen, projecting from the back of the throne, and hands on the throne, on each side of the seat." In Paralipomenon also, we find a foot-stool of gold. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Round behind; made like the half of a circle.

Two lions: these and the following lions seem added, to express either the tribe from which Solomon sprung, compared to a lion, Gen 49:9; or rather, that majesty and power wherewith a prince is adorned and armed, which his subjects cannot resist; or the duty of a prince in the execution of judgment, which ought to be done with great courage and magnanimity.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. Top of the throne was round behind — That is, it had a curved, or rounded back.

Stays — The arms, as those of an easy chair, on which the king, when seated, might rest his hands or arms. This throne, with all its imposing surroundings, was set in the porch described at 1Ki_7:7.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The throne had six steps "The characteristic feature in the royal throne was its elevation" (Dict. Bib. ill. p. 1493); cf., Isa_6:1 and the top Heb. head of the throne was round behind same word ch. 7:23, 24. Thenius and Bahr understand it of an arched or rounded canopy attached to the back; Keil supposes that the back was arched or rounded in form: and there were stays Heb. hands, i.e., arms on either side on the place of the seat see drawing of Assyrian throne in Layard"s "Nineveh," 2:301; Dict. Bib. 52. p. 1494, and two liens probably of wood overlaid with gold. Cf. Jer_10:3, 4 stood beside the stays.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Round - Made like the half of a circle.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Six steps. Steps by which to go up [to it], and the top of the throne, was circular, where the king sits.

From behind. The throne was wide, and the steps were to the front and to the width, to the back was the seat, higher than the throne, was a round place.

And there were arm-rests on each side. On which to support his arms, like two gold rails from end to end, extending on the right and on the left.

There were two lions. Of gold. The entire plan of the throne is described in the Aggadah of Megillas Esther.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.