Ivory

IVORY, in Hebrew Schen, that is to say a Ezek. xxvii. 15.tooth; because Ivory is an Elephant’s tooth. Ezekiel calls it horns of teeth, because the Elephant’s tooth is in the shape of an horn, and has more of the nature of an horn than of a tooth, being manageable, and, like horn, easily to be worked. Varro maintains, that Varro de Lingua Latina, l.6.Ivory is improperly said to be a tooth, and that it was really an horn: Nam quos dentes multi vocant, sunt cornua. In the first book of Kings, ch. x. 22. it is said, that Elephants teeth were brought to Solomon from the land of Ophir. Dentes elephantorum; in the Hebrew, Schen-habbim; and Bochar is of opinion, Schen. habbim.that Schen-habbim is put for Schen-kahabim, affirming that kahabim signifies Elephants; Dens furcorum, seu elephantorum.whereof he produces no proof. It is our opinion, that these two words are to be read separately Schen habenim; teeth or ivory, and Ebony. Habenim signifies Ebony in Ezekiel xxvii. 15. There was an ascent of six steps to Solomon’s Ivory throne, and at each of these steps a lion. The Ivory palaces in Psalm xliv. are boxes made of Ivory in the form of houses. The houses of Ivory built in Samaria, Amos iii. 15. and 1 Kings xxii. 39. are palaces where there were any ornaments in Ivory.

Dioscorides writes, that if Ivory is boiled for six hours with the root of mandrake, it softens to such a degree, that any one may do what he pleases with it. The Ivory of the Isle of Ceylan, and of the Isle of Achem, has this particular in it, that it does not grow yellow, as that does of the terra firma and the West Indies; which makes it dearer than the other. The Scripture speaks of red Ivory: rubicundiores ebore antiquo, redder than old Ivory. Homer¹ speaks of making ivory of this colour, which was used in adorning the bridles of horses. Ovid intimates, that Ivory was tinged thus to prevent its growing yellow; as it does generally Ovid. l. 2. Amor. Eleg. 5.when it is old.

Aut quod ne longis flavescere possit ab annis, Mæonis Assyrium fœmina tinxit ebur.

The Hebrew of the abovecited passage in Jeremiah is different from the Vulgate. It imports, that their body is brighter or redder than pearls. We know Pearls are white and not red. The Hebrew therefore which generally signifies to be red, must be understood in another sense, to be bright, as it is sometimes understood in Scripture, and even in profane authors; or else we must suppose the redness of the pearl to mean that beautiful carnation red, which is remarkable in the mother of pearl, wherein the red and white are so well mixed, that a white and vermilion tincture may be well compared to them. Candidiores Nazaræi ejus nive, nitidiores lacte, rubicundiores pinnis, seu perulis.

The Scripture speaks likewise of houses of Ivory Amos inveighing against the effeminacy and magnificence of the rich men of Samaria, says, the Ivory houses shall be destroyed. Peribunt domus eburneæ. King Ahab had built one of these Ivory houses, & domus eburnea quam ædificavit. There was mention made of it at large in the Annals of the Kings of Israel. The Psalmist describing the magnificence of the presents which were made to Solomon’s wife when she was married, says, that Kings daughters presented her with Myrrh, Casia, and the most excellent spices in Ivory houses, Myrrha & gutta & casia à vestimentis tuis, a domibus eburneis, ex quibus delectaverunt te filiæ Regum in honore tuo. These Ivory chests served to lock up clothes, gold, jewels, and what was more particularly of value; this was in use even among the Heathens; who sometimes made boxes of cedar, as may be seen in Ezekiel xxvii. 24. according to the Hebrew; and in Euripides², who calls them houses of Cedar.

As to the Ivory houses mentioned by Amos, and in the first book of Kings, it is very probable that these were real houses, adorned with abundance of furniture in Ivory, such as beds, tables, boxes, and other imbellishments, wherein there was use made of Ivory; these works were probably more common and more in vogue at that time than at present.

Amos vi. 4.The same Amos speaks of Ivory beds: qui dormitis in lectis eburneis, & lascivitis in stratis vestris. S. John in the Revelations discoursing of the fall of Rome, which 12.he describes under the name of Babylon, says, that the vessels of gold, silver, and Ivory which were before to be seen there, shall be seen no more. We have said something in another place of Solomon’s Ivory Ezek.throne. xxvii. 6. Ezekiel tells us, that the Tyrians carried their magnificence to such an height, as to make the seats on which their rowers sat of Indian Ivory: Transtra tua fecerunt tibi ex ebore Indico. This seems to be a very ill judged Piece of Costliness; and the Hebrew is differently translated; by some, They have made thy hatches of Ivory well troden³ (literally of Ivory the daughter of steps) and brought from the isles of Chittim. But what can be the meaning of Ivory troden under feet? It is a custom with elephants to hide their teeth under ground, when either by chance or old age they fall from them. Dentes deciduos casu aliquo vel senectâ defodiunt. Others translate this passage thus, They have made thy branches of Ivory wrought in Assyria, and brought from the isles of Chittim, or Macedonia. But Macedonia we know is not a country where Elephants teeth are to be found. There are Bochart. de animal. Sacr. part.others who translate it, They have made thy seats of Ivory set in box, brought from the isles of Macedonia. The Hebrews called peninsula’s and maritime countries, Islands, as well as the places which properly go by this name; and Macedonia produced box which was much valued. That Ivory was c. 16.sometimes set in box may be seen from Virgil.Virgil. Æneid. x.

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