Dictionary Article

Opaque dentine substance, often mentioned along with precious metals and gems in the Bible and ancient Near Eastern writings. As such, ivory was used for combs, small boxes, jars, and other cosmetic articles; for figurines and amulets; for games; and for the adornment of articles of furniture, buildings, and perhaps even ships (Ez 27:6). It is frequently mentioned in Egyptian and Assyrian annals of conquest as part of the spoils of war. Some excellent examples of work with ivory can be found in the famed collection of Tutankhamen.

Show passage in OET: EZE 27:6

OET-RV EZE 27:6

6 They made your oars from the oak trees in Bashan.
⇔ They made your decks out of cypress wood from Kupros (Cyprus), and overlaid them with ivory.

OET-LV EZE 27:6

6 Oaks from_Bāshān they _made oars _of_your boards _of_your they _made ivory the _daughter _of ʼAshshūrns from_the _islands _of Kittim.

Jump to OET EZE 27:6 section.

In the Bible ivory is spoken of as the adornment of Solomon’s throne (1 Kgs 10:18; 2 Chr 9:17) and of beds in the time of Amos (Am 6:4). Both references are probably to ivory inlay. The ivory palaces of 1 Kings 22:39, Psalm 45:8, and Amos 3:15, however, may refer to forms of decoration other than inlay. Whether Ezekiel 27:6 actually implies that ships were decorated with ivory is debatable, since that passage forms part of the whole picture of Tyre as an extravagant ship. The articles of ivory that earth’s merchants can no longer sell to Babylon (Rv 18:12) include smaller objects of the kind found at various archaeological sites (Megiddo, Samaria, Nimrud).

Show passage in OET: KI1 10:18

OET-RV KI1 10:18

18 The king had a large ivory throne made and overlaid with pure gold.

OET-LV KI1 10:18

18 And_ the_king _he/it _made a _throne _of ivory great and_he_overlaid _it gold refined.

Show passage in OET: CH2 9:17

OET-RV CH2 9:17

17 Then the king made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold.

OET-LV CH2 9:17

17 And_ the_king _he/it _made a _throne ivory great and_he_overlaid _it gold pure.

Show passage in OET: AMO 6:4

OET-RV AMO 6:4

4 They lie on ivory beds
⇔ ≈ and lounge on their couches.
⇔ They eat lambs from the flock
⇔ ≈ and calves from the stall.

OET-LV AMO 6:4

4 Those_who_lie on beds _of ivory and_people_sprawled _out on couches _of_their and_those _who_eat lambs from_the_flock and_calves from_the _midst _of the_stall.

Show passage in OET: KI1 22:39

OET-RV KI1 22:39

39 Everything else about Ahav and everything that he did, including the ivory palace and all the cities that he had built, is written in the book of the events of the kings of Yisrael.

OET-LV KI1 22:39

39 And_the _rest _of the _matters _of ʼAḩʼāⱱ and_all that he _did and_the _house _of (the)_ivory which he _built and_all the_cities which he _built am_not are_they written on the _scroll _of the _matters _of the_days of_the _kings _of of _Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

Show passage in OET: PSA 45:8

OET-RV PSA 45:8

8 All your clothes smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia.
⇔ Stringed instruments playing from of ivory palaces have made you glad.

OET-LV PSA 45:9

9  Are_myrrh and_aloes cassia(s) all _of clothes _of_your from palaces _of ivory stringed _instrument they_have _made _you _glad.

Show passage in OET: AMO 3:15

OET-RV AMO 3:15

15 I’ll destroy the winter house along with the summer house. The houses of ivory will perish, and the large houses will vanish.
§ That is Yahweh’s declaration.”

OET-LV AMO 3:15

15 And_I _will _strike the _house _of the _winter to the _house _of the _summer and_ the _houses _of (the)_ivory _they _will _perish and_ houses great _people _will _snatch _away the _utterance _of YHWH.

Show passage in OET: REV 18:12

OET-RV REV 18:12

12 gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple cloth and silk and scarlet cloth, expensive wood and carved ivory containers and every kind of container made from the costliest wood and bronze and iron and marble,

OET-LV REV 18:12

12 cargo of _gold, and of _silver, and of _stone precious, and of _pearls, and of _linen, and of _purple, and of _silk, and of _scarlet, and all wood citron, and every object ivory, and every object of wood most _precious, and of _bronze, and of _iron, and of _marble,

Jump to OET KI1 10:18 section.

Jump to OET CH2 9:17 section.

Jump to OET AMO 6:4 section.

Jump to OET KI1 22:39 section.

Jump to OET PSA 45:8 section.

Jump to OET AMO 3:15 section.

Jump to OET REV 18:12 section.

Originally ivory was available in northern Syria, where Assyrian monarchs hunted elephants. By Solomon’s time, however, it was imported (1 Kgs 10:22; 2 Chr 9:21), probably from the east (India) or south (Africa), while the ships of Tarshish may represent the seagoing capability of the ships rather than the source of the ivory. Tyre received its ivory in trade from the “coastlands” (Ez 27:15).

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary