Solomon's throne did not merely hold him. It moved under him like a court of golden creatures.
Targum Sheni on (Esther 1:2) preserved in Paulus Cassel's 1888 public-domain English translation, says the throne was overlaid with gold from Ophir and set with precious stones. Twelve golden lions stood opposite twelve golden eagles. Higher up, six golden steps paired creatures that should have been enemies: ox and lion, bear and lamb, panther and owl, eagle and peacock, cat and hen, hawk and dove.
The throne turns royal judgment into a visible order of creation. Solomon rises through a world where beasts are arranged, restrained, and made to serve wisdom. The animal pairs do not fight. They flank the king's ascent.
The targum also looks forward. The golden dove grasps the hawk, and the text says that one day all nations and languages will be delivered into the hands of the King Messiah and the house of Israel. Solomon's throne is therefore not only a marvel of craftsmanship. It is a miniature prophecy of kingship made peaceful, ordered, and answerable to Torah.
This King Solomon was it who had caused a glorious royal throne to be made, covered with gold from Ophir, overlaid with beryl stones, brilliants, marble, samaragel, carbuncle, diamonds, pearls, and other precious stones. For no king was the throne made like it, and no kingdom could produce similar ones. This throne was made as follows: Twelve lions of gold stood upon it, and opposite to them twelve eagles of gold, a lion opposite an eagle, and an eagle opposite a lion. The right paw of the golden lion was toward the left wing of the golden eagle, and the left wing of the golden eagle was toward the right paw of the golden lion. The sum of all the lions upon it was seventy-two, and there were the same number of eagles. Towards the top, where the king's seat was, the throne was round. It had six steps of gold, as it is written: "The king made a throne of ivory, and this throne had six steps." Upon the first step lay a golden ox, and opposite to it a golden lion; upon the second step lay a golden bear, and opposite to it a golden lamb; upon the third step lay a golden panther, and opposite to it a golden owl; upon the fourth step lay a golden eagle, and opposite to it a golden peacock; upon the fifth step lay a golden cat, and opposite to it a golden hen; and upon the sixth step lay a golden hawk, and opposite to it a golden dove. Upon the throne stood likewise a golden dove, holding a golden hawk in its claws. Thus one day will all the nations and languages be delivered into the hands of King Messiah, and into the hands of the house of Israel.
