1 Kings 10

18 And © Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderb Jos.16.3. e Jos.19.44. ness, in the land, 2 Ch.8.4, 19 And all the cities of store that Solomon f, &e. d 0.4.26. had, and cities for his ‘ chariots, and cities for e the desire his horsemen, and ‘that which Solomon deof Solosired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, which he and in all the land of his dominion. f Jud. 20 J And all the people that were left of the g Jos.15.63. Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jeh Ju.1.28. busites, which were not of the children of Israel, Ezz. 2.58. 21 Their children that were left ‘ after them i Le.25,.39. in the land, whom the children of Israel also k 0.7.8. were not able £ utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bond-service » unto this day.

_ 22 But of the children of Israel i did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, n 2 Ch.8.12, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his o De.2.8. p lip. 23 These were the chief of the officers that q ¢.10.11. were over Solomon’s work, five hundred and r Job 22.24. fifty, which bare rule over the people that A. M. 3014. wrought in the work. B. C. 990. 24 J But }Pharaoh’s daughter came up out of the city of David unto her * house which Solo- Mat. 12. mon had built for her: ! then did he build Millo. b Pr.1.5,6. 25 7 And three times in a year did Solomon ¢ words. offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings upon d standing. the altar which he built unto the Lorn, and he e or, butournt incense ™ upon the altar that was before the Lorv.

So he finished the house. ing towns, upon the lake of Genesareth, occupied chiefly by heir revenues might fishermen and mariners; and though t they did not anbe more productive than some splendid cities, swer Hiram’s expectations, and he therefore aimee refused v, in the parallel to accept them in that state; for we are tol “the cities that Huram (or Hiram assage of Chronicles, that Solomon built them, and cause ad restored to Solomon, He built also varithe children of Israel to dwell there.” ous other cities, and particularly Tadmor, 1 in the wilderness, since called Palmyra, one of the most, splendid cities of the j Hiram instead of heathen world, and possibly fips to king spised. Solomon, it is evident, ‘the dirty cities’ which he had a great taste for splendour and magnificence, which first These must cost the nation, eventuappeared in his buildings, ally, a vast expense, the taxes to repay which, probably, occasioned the discontents so observable in the succeeding reign.

The labour, however, did not fall on his own people, but on s, and performed all the Canaanites, who were his bond slaves, of the Israelites were overseers, the work, except that some Hiram’s servants were engaged for the more difand some of Solomon also built a ship, in a ficult parts of workmanship. built in Israel. and seamen, which formed a little napers on the Red sea, the first, perhaps, ikewise sent both ships together they made a three years’ voyvy, (as it is called,) and which, probably, went to pay their master. age to Ophir, and brought over 420 talents of gold, great part The same love of splendour and distinction which led Solo- Edom. ¥ 27 And Hiram sent in the navy his servants.

shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.: 28 And ‘they came to ’ Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty “|talents, and brought it to king Solomon.: - 1 ‘The queen of Sheba ndmireth the wisdom of Solomon. 14 Solomon’s gold. 16 His vs ee are, ieee: of ivory. 21 His vessels. 24 His presents. His chariot ND «when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lorn, she came to prove him with hard > questions. é 2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. 3 And Solomon told her all her °* questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

4 J And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built, és 5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the “attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his * cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lorn; there was no more spirit in her. mE mon to build palaces and ships, led him also to multiply horses and chariots, contrary to the divine command; still, however, ‘to the temple serhe adhered to the worship of Jehovah, an hree great Jewish vice, which be attended at least upon the Another circumstance is more remarkable. He festivals. i a house for Pharaoh’s daughter, and built, as we have seen, immediately as it was finished, brought her up thither, from “For he said, My his father’s palace in the city of David: i of Israel, be wife shall not dwell in the house of David kin i e Lord hath cause the places are holy, whereunto the ark of The meaning of which we suppose come.”

((2 Chronicles 8:11). to be, that he did not consider a place sanctified by the pre- ? for a palace of pleasure, in sence of the ark, as a proper, site h Solomon was now evidently beginning to indulge. X. Ver. 1-29. The Queen of Sheba visits Solomon.—Both the Arabians and Abyssinians lay claim to this the latter seem to have xood queen as their sovereign, an t is probable also that she might have grounds for so doing. i and consequently subjects; but Arabia acolony in Arabia, could not be considered as the uttermost parts of the earth, because they could go through it by land to Egypt. Solomon horses; and it appears, as the queen was sent thither for his that she must have come attended by a train of loaded camels, to Jerusalem.

It is evident also from through that countr her langua e, that she was not an entire stranger to the God ough it is probable that she might first hear of of Israel, t ts fieet touching upon her territories, Solomon by means of heh a SS eee in different parts, during their three years’ voyage. Travellers seem to have been always famous for the marvellous; this lady, therefore, doubted of the reports she heard, and was determined to satisfy her laudable curiosity, which appears to have extended not only to Solomon’s personal character, to his religion also. The Hebrew literally reads, that “hearing she heard of Solo mon igpanccted) with the name of Jehovah:” that is, probably, s had heard of his sublime address at the dedication of the temple, [ R le, and consequently of the tem- PS itself; and this greatly excited her admiration, and induced er to make a journey from “ mal the uttermost parts of the earth”

to visit him—for so was Africa then considered, and but a small part of that quarter of the globe was then known. We are told the queen came to prove Solomon with hard questions: the word is used respecting Samson’s riddle, which was a poetical enigma, (Jud ges Xiv. 12, 13.) and is applied to any difficult figure of speech in (Psalms 49:4). where it is synonymous with parable. Here it certainly does not relate to any amusing trifles, but to points of religion, of governme: and of matural history and em, the subjects whic his buildings, the = order of his attendants, an he went up into the house of the Lord:” he had steps sacredly preserved for word also signifies “ burnt-offerings,’ which ascend in the house of the Lord: and the best interpreters, ancient and modern, give a preference to the latter explanation: these sacrifices were so numerous and expensive, they might well not only create surprise, but so overm her with astonishment, that she fainted.

e also “‘communed with him of all that was in heart,” stated all the questions th: nad; of their discourse was of natural history, listened with admiration to his replies. It is likely at m of Judea; but it is more certain that much of it perc fo the gig ee When arrived at Jechiefly attracted her attention ly of his table, number and especially the “ascent by which by this some suppose his own use: but the he caused to that she had proposed, and p arly that Jews; for she not only ig jac gio him on his wisdom and prospenit, but she also said, ‘‘ Blessed be the Lord thy God, ee delighted! in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: ecause the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king to do judgment and justice!’ Nor were her words empty compliments, for she presented him with one hundred and twenty talents of pold, with spices and precious stones.

And he in return gave her not only “ whatsoever she asked,” but also a present “of his royal bounty” besides. Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, which, according to Bishop Cumberland, was about fifteen millions of dollars, and so rich was he in this precious metal, that he made shields, and targets, and drinking vessels of gold; besides which he overlaid with it a throne of ivory which he had formed, and added golden ornaments. _ Indeed, so plentiful in his days was gold, that silver was nothing accounted of. His first naval expedition hed be so successful, that he formed connexions at Tarshish, from whence, in every three years, he received not aaly immense riches, but various objects of curiosity; and so far forgot the divine command, that he multiplied to himself chariots and horses also; but these he brought out of Egypt.: But if we quit this chapter without adverting to another personage more illustrious than either Solomon or the queen of Sheba, the latter will “rise up in judgment against us”

another day; for “she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, end behold a greater than Solomon is here!’ ((Matthew 12:42).) Solomon in all his glory was but a type of King Messiah: “ Princes shall come out of t” to visit him: “ Ethiopia shall stretch out her hands” toward him: “His name shall be continued as long as the sun; and all nations shall call him blessed. And blessed behis glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.” ((Psalms 17:31).; 1xxii. 17—19.)

Notes on the verses

Chap. X. Ver. 1. and of the name of Jehovah.” The Syriac and When the queer of Sheba heard, &c.—The LXX. read, “Of the name of Solomon " concerning.” But this par: Arabic also read vau, “ and,” instead of lamed, 26. ‘She heard of Solomon in conticle is translated ‘‘ with,” in (Genesis 46:26). which ig the sense above adopted, nexion with the name of Jehovah;”; Vor, 5. And his ascent by twhichhe went up —The Vulgate, LXX., Syriac, and Arabic, all explain this of the holocausts (or whole burnt-offerings) which he offered (or sent up) in the house of the Lord. So Luther, ‘His burnt-offering which he offered.” The burnt-offerings were in Hebrew called ascents, because they went up in smoke and flame.—No more spirit in her.—Probably she fainted from surprise.

Ver. 10. She Save the king a hundred and twenty talents.—Which, at the usual reckoning, amounts to $2,703,960. Houbigant, in placing the 13th verse here, to conclude what concerns the queen of Sheba; otherwise ver. 11, 12, must be consi; red as a parenthesis. Ver. 11. Almug trees.—(2 Chronicles 2:8), &c. says. *Algum trees,” by the transposition of a letter. The Arabic reads, “ coloured wood veined, like mahogany, or satin wood. Ver, 12. Pillars.—(2 Chronicles 9:11). reads ‘ ders “‘ stairs.” Ver. 16. Targets.—Probably shields, witha dagger in the centre, like the Highland targets.—Dr. Cl Ver. 18. A fi eof ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.—The late Editor of Calmet temarks, “Ivory is here called shen gedul, great tooth, a very expressive name.”

He udds, “But Solomon could never be such a fool as to cover his ivory throne with gold; he inlaid it, not overlaid it; for then, common wood would have answered the purpose.”"—In corroboration of this. it “gs be remarked, that a noun of near kindred to this Hebrew ve, is used a honey-comb, which is in/aid, not overspread with honey. t be denied, however, that the word is generally used for o i Park- 19. Round behind.—Like some of our aritlana armed | —Stays on either side.—We should rather say arms; ‘‘ arm-stays.”” = it), The most eminent critics follow Two lions.—That is, to support the arms or elbows. ) cate 22. A navy of Tarshish. ka. See note on Chap. ix, 28. —That is, ships sent from ee i.

e. Mo- 23. Ex four ti;’ i. e. beautifully ceeded all the kinge.” | Rewnotie stating Solom mes as much as his father left him, reckons that; each week, about $12,255,280; and e “terraces,” which Parkhurst renae about $620,554,630 But we can hardly suppose, that m:,020. ogee same relative value as at the present 28. Linen yarn.—This se couple fl with horses the word Mikveh, signifies the co horses other; probably this was made o ven, and the merchants, See note, (1 Chronicles 1:16). en, Ver. 29. Chariot of Egypt for sit hundred shekels. t ekels was that of a horse. pee of a chariot, as 150s nor chariots came out of Bgypt but by means of