1 Kings 10

The Queen of Scheba cometh to Jerusalem, vers.1, &c. She admireth Salomons wisdom and glory, 3. Giveth God thanks, 9. Giveth Salomon Presents, 10. Salomons riches, 11. Targets, and shields, 16. Ivorie Throne, 18. Vessels, 21. Presents which he receiveth, 24. Charets and horses, 26. Silver, Cedar-wood, and tributes or Customes of Horses and Wares, 27.

1. And when the Queen of Scheba [A country lying southward of Canaan, Matth.12.42. and Luke 11:31. having its name from Scheba, the son of Cus.See Gen10.on ver.7.] heard (of) the fame of Salomon, concerning the Name of the LORD; [or, for, of the Name, etc. Hereby is shewed the cause of Salomons great renown, which was not onely his transcendent wisdom, whereby he surpassed all men, above chap.4. vers.30,31. but especially the wonderful manner, forasmuch as he had even the same of the LORD very speedily by an infused gift illumination, without his own labour, and human instruction] she came to prove him with riddles. [Enigmatibus. The Hebrew word signifieth dark sayings, wherein somewhat is asked and propounded, which hath a secret and hidden meaning. So Numb.12.8. Judg.14.12. & Matth.13.35. out of Psal.78.2. it is translated hidden things.]

2. And she came to Jerusalem, [See Matth.12.42; [i.e. with a very great Retinue and state Train: see Gen.50.on vers.9.] with camels, bearing spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and she came to Salomon and spake to him all that was in her heart. [i.e. all that she had purposed in her heart to common with him of: see above chap.8.on v.17.]

3. And Salomon explained to her all her words: [i.e. The dark Questions, and deep Ripples, which she propounded to the King] there was nothing hid from the King, which he explained not to her. [i.e. There was nothing so dark, acute, or subtile, where in his wisdom should have come too short to have explained it.]

4. Now when the Queen of Scheba saw all the wisdom of Salomon, and the house, which he had built.

5. And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the standing of his ministers, [Understand the well-disposed, and glorious order; according to which his Princes and Counsellours sat at the Table, and the Courtiers stood to wait at the Table. Others understand this of the Kings sitting in counsel, or, Judgement] and their apparel, and his cup-bearers, and his ascent, by which he went up into the house of the LORD: [understand this of the curious Galleries, by which the King went up from his own house into the house of the Lord, or also of the stately train, that accomplained hymn therein. Others interpret this thus: And his offering which he offered in the house of the Lord] then there was no more spirit in her. [viz. by reason of the astonishment, which the exceeding great admiration wrought in her.]

6. And she said unto the King; The word was truth which I heard in my Land, of thy matters, [Heb. words] and of thy wisdom.

7. And I believed not those words, until I came, and mine eyes have seen (that); and behold the half was not told me, thou hast in wisdom, and good, excellent the fame which I heard. [Heb. thou hast added wisdom and good to the fame which I heard. Understand by wisdom the gift of understanding, wherewith the King was adorned, and by good, his vertues and excellent works, whereby he benefitted his subjects.]

8. Happy are thy men, [viz. that dwell with thee] happy these thy servants, that stand continually before thy face, [i.e. that do ordinarily minister unto thee. See Deu.1.on v.38.] which hear thy wisdom.

9. Praised be the LORD thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loveth Israel forever, therefore he made the King to do judgement and justice. [This phrase being ascribed to Magistrates, signifieth as much as in judgement to condemn and punish the wicked, and to absolve and defend the good; or to take notice of occident matters, and to judge aright, and then to execute that which is just and right, by punishing the wicked, and protecting the good, 2 Sam.8.15.]

10. And she gave the King an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: There came never spices in greater abundance then these, which the Queen of Scheba gave to King Solomon.

11. Moreover, the ships also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir very much Almug-wood, [What kind of wood the Hebrew word signifieth, is uncertain, 2 Chron.2.8. and 9.10. it is called Algum-wood. Some think that it was Thyne-wood, of which mention is made, Rev.18.12. Others take it to be Brasil-wood. So much we may conceive of it, that it was a very costly and precious wood, and such, as at that time was unknown in that land. See the following verse and 2 Chron.9.11.] and precious stones.

12. And the King made of this Almug-wood, stays [Understand herewith all bars, under-setters, or hand leanings at the galleries, by which they went from the Kings house into the Temple. Compare above vers.5. 1 Chron.26.16, & 18 1 Chron.9.11.] for the house of the LORD, and for the Kings house, as also harpes and lutes for the fingers: the Almug-wood came not, nor was seen [viz. in the land of Juda before this time. 2 Chron.9.11.] so, [viz. so costly, or in such abundance] unto this day.

13. And king Solomon gave unto the Queen of Scheba all her desire, what she desired; besides that which he gave her, according to King Solomons [i.e. his. Compare above chap.8.1. and 9.1.] ability: [Heb. according to King Salomons hand, i.e. of his own accord, according to his royal ability and munificence] so she turned and went to her (own) land, she, and her servants.

14. Now the weight of the gold that came in to Salomon in one year, [i.e. every year. See Numb.8.on v.13.] was six hundred threescore and six talents of Gold. [see of the value of a talent of gold. Exod.25.on vers. 39.]

15. Besides that which was of the Chap-men, [Heb. of the men that spie-out, search, ransack every corner. Understand such as are sent forth-by great Merchants into divers countries, to sell their wares and commodities at the dearest rates, and to buy other commodities for them at the lowest prices, and to send and convey them over to their masters. Others understand this of the farmers of custom, or Toll, or, Tribute-gathers, which were wont to look very narrowly, to entrap the merchants, if they should hide or conceal any of their wares, without paying toll or custom for the same] and of the traffick of the spice-Merchants: [or dragsters] and of all the Kings of Arabia, [as well East-ward as South-ward] and of the mighty men of the same land. [understand those that were near at hand.]

16. King Salomon also made two hundred targets of beaten gold: he caused six hundred (shekels) of gold [understand common shekels, of whose value, see Gen.24. on v.24.] to be weighed [Heb. to ascend, or go up] for every target.

17. Likewise three hundred shekels of beaten gold: he caused three pound of gold [Heb. Manin, etc. One mina or pound made ordinarily an hundred common shekels: and consequently every shield was worth three hundred shekels of gold. See 2.Chron.9.16.] to be weighed for every shield: and the King laid them in the house of the forest of Libanon, [see hereof above chap.7.on vers.2.]

18. Moreover, the King made a great Throne of Ivory; [Heb. a throne of the tooth; viz. of Elephants, whereof the Ivory cometh, of which divers things are made for ornament, as appeareth here, and below chap.22.39. Psa.45.9. Amos 3:15. and 6.4.] and he overlaid the same with gold. [i.e. which was well purified and refined: and therefore also very close and solid.]

19. This throne had six steps, and the head of the Throne was round behind [i.e. like a bow, or of the shape and fashion of a bow] and on both sides [Hebr.bence, and thence, or to, and fro. So in the following verse] were stays [Heb. hands] unto the seat, and two lions stood by those stays.

20. And twelve lions stood there on the six steps on both sides: the like hath not been made in any Kingdoms:

21. Also all King Solomons drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Libanon were of. close gold: [see above chap.8.on v.20.] (there) was no silver on them: (for) it [viz. Silver] was nothing accounted of in the days of Salomon. [an hyperbole, or excessive manner of speaking. Compare below v.27. and annotate. Thereon.]

22. For the King had at Sea ships of Tarsis. [Some understand by this word the great sea, called the Ocean, and by the ships of Tarsis, the ships that failed in that sea, Others take Tarsis to be Cilicia, whose metropolis or chief city called Tarsus, had a very well known port or haven, in which they found opportunity to sail into Africa, Juda, and other remote countrys. Compare Gen.10.on v.4. Others conceive Tarsis to be Africa, and by the ships of Tarsis to be understood a sleet or navy, sitted and prepared for to sail unto the African sea] with the ships of Hiram: these ships of Tharsis came home once in three years, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, [or munkies] and peacocks. [or parrats.]

23. So King Solomon waxed greater than all the Kings of the Earth, in riches, and in wisdom. [See chap.3.13.]

24. And all the Earth [Understand not all the men of the whole world, but the chiefest, as the Kings, Princes, Lords, etc. of all the countrys round about. See 2 Chron.9.23.] sought the face of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.

25. And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of Gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, every thing from year to year, [Heb. the thing of the year in the year, i.e. every present yearly.]

26. Besides, Salomon gathered together charets, and horsemen, and he had a thousand and four hundred charets, and twelve thousand horsemen: [see above chap.24.6. and 2 Chron.1.14. and 9.25.] and bestowed them in the charet-cities, and with the King [i.e. with him. Compare v.16.] in Jerusalem.

27. And the King made [Heb.gave] silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, [An hyperbole, or excessive manner of speaking, intimating exceeding great abundance. See Gen.13.on v.13. and above v.21. so 2 Chron.9 27.] and he made the Cedar-trees to be as the wild fig-trees, [or, as the sycamore-trees, i.e. fig-mulbeery-trees] in multitude.

28. The bringing forth of Horses, was that which Salomon had out of Egypt; and concerning the Linen yarn, [See Gen.41.on v.42.] the Kings Merchants [understand the Publicans or Farmer of the customs, and tolls, or tributes] took the linen yarn [as also the horses] at the price [i.e. at a certain set price. Egypt abounded with exceeding goodly horses, fine flax, and linen called Byssus: which were exceedingly well vented in the neighbouring countries, but were not suffered to be transported without paying the set tribute or custom. Now Pharao made over unto Salomon, that had married his daughter, the right and interest of the tribute or custom, who by his Merchants or Farmers gathered the same, and received great profit or revenue thereof.]

29. And a charet came up, and went out of Egypt, for six hundred (shekels) [See of the value of the shekel, Gen.20.on v.16. and 23.on v.15.] of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: [understand this of a charet, or wagon loaden with linen yarn, and also of horses that were loaden, yea of the horses themselves. Now a charet or wagon paid four times as much custom as a horse did, because they were wont to fasten four horses to acharet or wagon. The custom or tribute of a loaden charet or wagon, being six hundred shekels, the tribute or custom of a loaden horse was an hundred and fifty shekels] and so for all the Kings of the Hethites, [dwelling East-ward from Palestina] and for the Kings of Syria [north-ward of Palestina] did they bring them out by their hand. [viz. by the hand of the Merchants & Farmers mentioned in the former verse. The meaning of the words is this; that Salomon laid not only a tax or custom upon the wares and commodities, when they came into his land, but also when they were carried unto the Lands of the Hethites and Syrians, of whom Salomon also received custom or tribute by this means, because the horses and wares were to pass thorow his country or jurisdiction. Others understand this thus, that the Kings of the Hethites and Syrians did likewise take custom or toll of the wares, or commodities brought into their lands.]