2 Chronicles 9

Notes on the verses

Ver..2. The cities hich Huram (or Hiram) had restored.—That is, gave back, because he disliked them. See the exposition of the above chapter. Ver. 18. Ophir.—{ Josephus says, that Ophir is the Indies, called the Gold country; by which he is supposed to mean Chersonesus Aurea, now Ma/acca, opposite Sumatra; and Le Poivre observes that the inhabitants of these cos call their gold mines ophirs.|—Bagster. (2 Chronicles 9)I This sie 7 corresponds throughout with the 10th chapter of the 1st Book of Kings: but we shall offer a few notes of farther elucidation. Ver. 9. Sheba.—{ Josephus says, that Sheba was the ancient name of the city of Meroe, (south of Egypt, and sometimes comprehended in Ethiopia,) and that this princess came from thence.

‘Those who think this princess came from Arabia rely chiefly on ‘the fact, that gold, silver, spices, and precious stones, which were the presents she made to Solomon, are the natural products of that country; and that it may well be placed at the uttermost parts of the earth. as it borders on the southern ocean, and formerly they knew no land beyond it.|—Bagster Ver. 17. A great throne of ivory.—The crab * great” (gadol) refers rably the gold was chiefly used in ther to the throne than to’ the tooth: proba Nothing-can well be conceived more the ornamental figures; the lions, &c. z That ivory was at this magnificent than an intermixture of gold and ivory. time curiously carved, we learn from (Psalms 45)

8. See also Sol. Songs v. 14. Amos Ll. Ver. 21. Tarshish.—| Bochart thinks this Tarshish was probably the promontory Cory, on the north of the island of Ceylon, which, according to him, was the land of Ophir. That it was the name of a place in the East Indies, seems robable from the articles brought thence, ‘and also from the ships sent thither ing built at Ezion-gaber, Ba on the Red sea: though Michaelis supposes, that the fleet coasted along the shore of ‘Africa, doubling the Cape of Good Hope, and came to Tartessus in Spain, and thence back again the same way; this accounts for their three years’ voyage out, and home; and that Spain, all the commodities which they brought back. J— the coasts of Africa, furnish ing the ins Ver.

9. Four thousand stalls.—Yhe parallel pasar ng Z roeae = be says, ‘40,000;” but the learned Wm, Robertson remar Yod in this text, would here render the word “ stables;” and supposing om stable to contain ten stalls, that would remove the contradiction. Still, 40,000 stalls seem far too many. But ever, as we read of only 12,000 horsemen, these stables are said to be for the horses, chariots and horsemen, 80 that pos: sibly the barracks of the horse soldiery were included also. “had ex- Wer. 98, Horses out of Esypt.—("* Moses » says Bp. Warburton pressly prohibited the multiplying of horses, ((Deuteronomy 17:16).) by which the fuforbidden to establish a body of cavalry, because this could not ture king was J Egypt, with which people God had forbidden be effected without sending into When Solomon any communication, as this would be dangerous to religion, !

| had violated this /aw, and multiplied horses to excess, ((1 Kings 4:16).) it was attended with those fatal consequences that the law foretold: for this t of kings, having likewise, in violation of another law, married Pharaoh’s daughter, (the early fruits of this commerce;) and then, by a repetition of the of another law, had espoused more strange same crime, but a transgression xi. 1;) they first, in defiance of a Sourth law, 26; “ women, ((1 Kings 4)and afterwards, persuaded him to build them idol temples for ¢heir use; against a Jifth law, brought him to erect other temples for his own.” |—Bag- This chapter answers, verse by verse, the first nineteen verses of (2 Chronicles 10)Ist Book of Kings.

the 12th chapter of the a; Ver.8. Young men, &c.—({It was a custom 1n different countries to educate with the heir to the throne young noblemen of nearly the same age. This, as Calmet observes, answered two great and important ends; 1. It excited the prince toemulation; that he might, as far as possible, surpass in all manly exercises, and in all acts of prudence and virtue, those whom one day he was to and dignity of his station. 2. That he might acquire surpass in the elevation ty é i a correct knowledge of the disposition and views of those who were likely to be, under him, the highest officers of the state, and consequently, know the better how to trust and employ them. ]—Bagster.