_Saba is written with sh, to denote a part of Arabia, and with s, when Ethiopia is meant, Psalm lxxi. 10. The former is here designated, (Menochius) being "the ends of the earth, east" of Judea, (Tacitus, Hist. v.) and lying also to the south of that country, Matthew xii. 42. This region was famous... [ Continue Reading ]
_House, the palace, or rather the temple, (Calmet) or both. (Menochius) --- Dion (37) and Tacitus extol the grandeur of the temple, which Titus destroyed. What would they have said of that built by Solomon? (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_In her. She fainted away in rapture and astonishment. (Haydock) --- Thus the church of the Gentiles is taught, by the gospel, to lay aside the spirit of pride, &c. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Justice. Kings are given by God, either in his mercy or in his anger. (Calmet) --- They are not appointed for themselves alone. (Menochius) --- This queen was moved to take so long a journey, to hear and to see Solomon, as a figure of the many potentates who should embrace the Christian faith. (Wor... [ Continue Reading ]
Thyine. Pliny ([Natural History?] iii. 16.) mentions a species of tall and incorruptible trees, called thya. The wood was odoriferous, and very costly. Citri et mensarum insania, quas feminæ viris contra margaritas regerunt. (B. xiii., and xv. 16.) Calypso burnt it, to perfume her whole island. (Hom... [ Continue Reading ]
_Rails. Hebrew mihsad, "pillars, supporters, or banisters." (Haydock) --- Most interpreters suppose the rails were on each side of the road, leading from the palace to the temple. (Calmet) --- Paralipomenon stairs. --- Citterns, or harps and lyres. (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "kinnoroth and nebalim."_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gold. His stated revenue was, 4,646,350 l. sterling. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Merchants: wholesale. (Menochius) --- Arabia, the desert, which was peopled by various nations. Arab means, "a mixture, or assemblage," as well as "the night, and a fruitless country." Septuagint seem to have read abor, "all the kings of the other side" the Euphrates, who were also called Arabs. Se... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shields. Hebrew tsinnu is rather indeterminate, denoting something sharp or pointed; "a dart," &c. (Calmet) --- Paralipomenon spears. Some of the shields were made with a point, projecting from the middle, (Haydock) with which the enemy might be wounded. (Menochius) --- These arms were used when th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Targets, smaller than the former, and resembling a crescent. Ducit Amazonidum lunatis agmina peltis. (Virgil, \'c6neid i.) (Calmet)_ --- Paralipomenon reads, shields. --- Fine. Septuagint, "ductile." Hebrew sseut, "beaten, refined," &c. --- Hundred is omitted in Hebrew and Septuagint, (Haydock) but... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ivory. Hebrew, "of the tooth" (or horn) of elephants: people do not agree of which the ivory is formed. See Pliny ([Natural History?] viii. 3.) for the former sentiment, and for the latter, Varro vi. Ezechiel (xxvii. 15.) seems to unite both sentiments, calling it, "horns of the tooth." (Haydock) -... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behind, like an alcove, (Haydock) placed in the porch of the palace, chap. vii. 8. --- Hands, for the elbows to rest on. In Paralipomenon, St. Jerome translates, "little" arms. The feet might also be made in this shape. Josephus ([Antiquities?] viii. 5.) represents them as forming the seat: (Calmet... [ Continue Reading ]
_No silver vessels, (Calmet) though there was a great abundance of that metal, ver. 27. It was not deemed worthy to be admitted at the king's table. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
To Tharsis. This word in Hebrew signifies, "the sea," Isaias ii. 16., and xxiii. 10. (Menochius) --- But when it signifies some particular place, (Haydock) it probably refers to Tarsus of Cilicia, which was once the most famous mart on the Mediterranean, though not perhaps in the days of Solomon, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
_The earth; or, the kings of, &c., Paralipomenon._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hunderd chariots. Paralipomenon, forty thousand horses, in the stables, and 12,000 chariots and horsemen; though the chariots may be referred to the former number, conformably to the Hebrew, and to chap. iv. 26. (Menochius) --- Many of the horses were not employed in the chariots, (Salien) which we... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sycamores, (Hebrew shikmim) which were formerly very common in Palestine, as they are still about Cairo, in Egypt. The fruit resembles figs, as the leaves do the mulberry tree; whence the name is a compound of Greek: sukon, "a fig," and Greek: moria, "a mulberry;" though some would prefer Greek: mo... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER X. Egypt was once very famous for horses, and the breed is much admired by travellers. The Turks will not suffer strangers to have them. The canals made by Sesostris and other kings, caused their numbers to be diminished. (Herodotus ii. 108.) --- Yet there were many used in the time of Ezec... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fifty, upon an average. --- Hethites: some had retired, and built Lusa; (Judges i. 26.) others dwelt beyond Libanus, 4 Kings vii. 4. These kings sold horses to Solomon; or, according to the Hebrew, the Jews had the traffic of horses in their own hands. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "and so for all the... [ Continue Reading ]