left side pillar of king solomon temple

The left-hand pillar at the porch of King Solomon’s Temple is named Boaz 13. Situated to the north of the entrance, its name literally translates as "in strength" or "in thee is strength" 13.

In early Craft lectures incorporated by Calcott and William Preston, the left-hand pillar is associated with the pillar of fire that guided the Israelites through the wilderness by night, while the right-hand pillar represented the pillar of cloud by day 1. Taken together, they signify the superintending guidance, protection, and providential power of Deity 13.

Within the symbolic framework of Craft Masonry, the two pillars represent strength and stability 13. When paired with the right-hand pillar, Jachin ("it shall be established"), the combined names express the divine promise that "in strength shall it be established," denoting the perpetuity and divine support underlying both the Temple and the Institution 13. Hutchinson originally introduced this symbolic interpretation into the Masonic system, viewing the pillars as emblematic declarations of God's almighty power and eternal establishment 1.

Arthur Edward Waite notes that while Scriptural texts provide limited detail regarding their spiritualized architectural meaning, Kabalistic tradition—such as The Garden of Pomegranates—extensively treats the attribute of strength assigned to this left-hand pillar 2. More broadly, the pillar stands within the lodge as a symbol of living faith, divine stability, and the fundamental strength upon which spiritual building rests 3.