ivory

In ancient times a costly material derived from the tusks of elephants (or sometimes hippopotami) and used for jewelry and various other luxury items. Ivory is mentioned a number of times in the OT. Solomon’s fleet of ships, on its three-year voyages, brought back ivory along with gold, apes, peacocks, and other exotic items (1Kgs 10:22; 2Chr 9:21). Solomon had his “great throne” inlaid with ivory (1Kgs 10:18). “Palaces adorned with ivory” are mentioned in (Ps 45:8); and in (Song 5:14) the exquisite body of the lover is compared to polished ivory. Amos prophesies against the “palaces of ivory” of the Northern Kingdom (Amos 3:15); and he scornfully refers to the “beds of ivory” (i.e., beds inlaid with ivory) upon which the aristocratic women of Samaria lie (Amos 6:4).