Doubt has arisen whether the “queen of Sheba” was an Ethiopian or an Arabian princess. Both countries profess to have traditions on the subject connecting the queen of Sheba with their history; and in both countries, curiously enough, government by queens was common. But the claims of Arabia decided... [ Continue Reading ]
See 1 Kings 10:10 note.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MEAT OF HIS TABLE - Compare 1 Kings 4:22. The scene here described receives very apt illustration from the Assyrian banquet scenes, where we have numerous guests sitting, dressed handsomely in fringed robes, with armlets upon their arms, and bracelets round their wrists, attendants standing... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED BE THE LORD THY GOD - This acknowledgment of Yahweh falls below the confessions of Hiram 2 Chronicles 2:12 and Cyrus Ezra 1:3. It does not imply more than an admission of His power as a local deity; namely, that He is the God of the Jews and of their country.... [ Continue Reading ]
Strabo relates that the Sabaeans were enormously wealthy, and used gold and silver in a most lavish manner in their furniture, their utensils, and even on the walls, doors, and roofs of their houses. That the gold of Sheba should be given to Solomon was prophesied by the writer of Psalms 72 (see the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NAVY OF HIRAM - i. e., Solomon’s navy in the Red Sea, which was chiefly manned by subjects of Hiram. (see the marginal reference). ALMUG-TREES - Probably the sandal-wood tree (pterocarpus santalinus). The wood is very heavy, hard, and fine grained, and of a beautiful garnet color, which, accord... [ Continue Reading ]
PILLARS - The Hebrew word signifies ordinarily a “prop” (margin). It is generally supposed to mean in this place a “railing,” or “balustrade,” a sense which connects and harmonises the present passage with the parallel passage in Chronicles (marginal reference), where Solomon is said to have made of... [ Continue Reading ]
SIX HUNDRED THREESCORE AND SIX TALENTS OF GOLD - About 3,646, 350 of our money. Solomon’s annual revenue exceeded that of Oriental empires very much greater in extent than his, and must have made him one of the richest, if not the very richest, of the monarchs of his time.... [ Continue Reading ]
There is no mention in the original of “spice merchants.” Two classes of traders are spoken of; but both expressions are general. KINGS OF ARABIA - Rather, “kings of the mingled people” (compare Jeremiah 25:24). These were probably tribes half Jewish, half Arabian, on the borders of the western des... [ Continue Reading ]
The “targets” seem to have been long shields protecting the whole body, while the “shields” of the next verse were bucklers of a smaller size, probably round, and much lighter. They may be compared with the Assyrian long shield, and the ordinary Assyrian round shield. As the amount of gold used in e... [ Continue Reading ]
These shields, together with the 500 taken by David from Hadadezer 2 Samuel 8:7 were hung round the outer walls of a building, reckoned as belonging to the “house of the Forest of Lebanon,” but separate from it, and called sometimes “the Tower of David” Song of Solomon 4:4, or from its use “the armo... [ Continue Reading ]
It is, on the whole, probable that the substance of the throne was wood, and that the ivory, cut into thin slabs, and probably carved in patterns, was applied externally as a veneer. This is found to have been the practice in Assyria. The gold was probably not placed over the ivory, but covered othe... [ Continue Reading ]
Representations of thrones are frequent in the Egyptian and Assyrian sculptures. They have no steps up to them, but frequently stand upon square bases. The back appears to be flat at the top, not rounded. Assyrian thrones have “stays” or arms on either side, and they stand generally upon lion’s feet... [ Continue Reading ]
Solomon’s throne, as described, is certainly grander than any of which we have a representation, either in Assyria or Egypt. Much more, then, would it transcend the thrones in inferior kingdoms.... [ Continue Reading ]
This is given as the reason of the great plentifulness of silver in the time of Solomon. The “navy of Tharshish” (not the same as the navy of Ophir, 1 Kings 9:26) must therefore have imported very large quantities of that metal. Tharshish, or Tartessus, in Spain, had the richest silver mines known i... [ Continue Reading ]
See the marginal references. By “all the earth” we are, of course, only to understand the kings or people of neighboring nations.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS PRESENT - i. e., his tribute (1 Kings 4:21 note). A statement illustrated by Egyptian and Assyrian sculptures on slabs and obelisks. Tribute-bearers from the subject kings, bring not only the fixed rate of bullion, but a tribute in kind besides, consisting of the most precious products of their... [ Continue Reading ]
See 1 Kings 4:26 note. Until the time of Solomon, war-chariots had not been in use among the Jews, except to a very small extent 1 Chronicles 18:4. Hence, it was necessary for him to put himself on an equality in this respect with neighboring powers. CITIES FOR CHARIOTS - They were probably fortres... [ Continue Reading ]
MADE SILVER AS STONES - This strong hyperbole marks in the most striking way the great wealth and prosperity of the capital during Solomon’s reign. The lavish expenditure which impoverished the provinces, and produced, or helped to produce, the general discontent that led to the outbreak under Jerob... [ Continue Reading ]
The word translated “linen yarn” is thought now by Hebraists to mean “a troop” or “company.” If the present reading is retained, they would translate the passage - “As for the bringing up of Solomon’s horses out of Egypt, a band of the king’s merchants fetched a band (or troop) of horses at a price.... [ Continue Reading ]
Taking the shekel at about three shillings of our money, six hundred silver shekels would be equal to about 90; and 150 shekels to 22 British pounds and 10 shillings. “Average” price seems to be in each case intended; and we may account for the comparatively high price of the chariot by supposing th... [ Continue Reading ]