1 Kings 10
PATAnd, behold, the half teas not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the, fame tchich I heard. This was very extraordinary; for commonly men find things fall far Short of their expectations. into his country every year; not only from Ophir, but from other countries, unto which perhaps the queen of Sheba opened him a passage.
1 Kings 10:1
JjlND tvheti the queen of Sheba. Joscphus thinks She was queen of Mcroe, which was anciently called Saba. But a great; many of his countrymen more rightly understand this mattery who say she calhe from Aljemin, which was the south part of Arabia Felix, near the Red Sea; and so our Saviour calls her the queen of the south, which is Uhe signification of Jetnin in Hebrew; arid in Arabic, with the addition of Al, is called Aljemin. Heard of the fame of Solomon, concerning the name of the Lord.’] Theodoret thinks she was a religious woman, as far as the light of nature guided her; and if we may believe the Hebrew tradition, she had some tincture of revealed religion from her pious ancestors: for they think she was descended from Abraham by Keturah, one of whose sons begat Shcba, (1 Chron. i. 32.) Now she came to hear of Solomon’s fame by the ships that went to Ophir: for they sailed by her coast, and in all likelihood spread his fame there, as they <H& in all -other places where they touched, proclaiming his magnificence, and especially his wisdom, and his glorious temple which he had built for the worship of his’God: whose praise they set forth as far above all gods. She came to prove him with hard questions.’] To try whether he was so wise as report made him; by propounding difficult questions to him, which none but a man divinely illuminated could resolve, as Abarbinel understands it.
1 Kings 10:2
And site came to Jerusalem. The fable of Agatharcides is confuted by this, which saith the royal dignity among the Sabeeans was but a kind of captivity. For after the inauguration of their king, it was forbid, by an ancient oracle, that he should stir out of his palace upon pain of stoning: but there he enjoyed himself in all manner of pleasure. * *..-. ^ *•" " " With a very great train.] Royally attended. And with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones.] These presents which she brought to Solomon are a great argument she came from Arabia Felix, which Abounded with such fhings, but none of them arc in Mcroo: nor can Meroc be said to be the ends of the earth, from whence our Saviour saith this queen came, there being many -large countries in Africa beyond Mcrbc, but none beyond the Sabaeans in Arabia, whose country lay upon the sea. « See Bochartus, in his Phaleg. lib. ii. cap. 2G. where he shews they abounded in gold, having such plenty of it from Ophir, that they exchanged it for brass and iron, &c. giving double, or thrice the weight of them. And yet the Abyssinc Christians (who say her name was Marqucda) are very confident she came from their country; where it is as constant a tradition that she had a son by Solomon, from whom their kings are derived. So Ludolphus observes, in his notes upon the confession of Claudius king of Ethiopia, where he saith, this was " the faith of his father the Israelitish king/’; *. r And when she was come to Solomon, she communed tvith him of all that was in her heart.] Had the liberty to propound whatsoever she desired to be resolved about; either in natural, I suppose, or Divine things.
1 Kings 10:3
And Solomon told her alt her questions. That is, answered them to her satisfaction: There was dot any tiling hid from the king, which he told her not.] There was nothing so secret, which he did not reveal to her.
1 Kings 10:4
And when the queen of Sliebd had seen all Solomon’s ivisdom. Had fully discovered the wonderful variety of wisdom wherewith he was endowed. And the house which he had built.] Both for God and for himself; the magnificence of which was admirable.
1 Kings 10:5
And the meat of Ids table. Where it is likely she was entertained while she stayed at Jerusalem. And the sitting of his servants.] At their table. And the attendance of his ministers.] Who waited on him at his table, and in his chamber, and other places. And their apparel.] Which was different, I suppose, according to their several offices; but all very stately. And his cup-bearers.] Who filled out his whje/ and brought and delivered it to him; with such ceremony as made his grandeur appear in that small thing. And his ascent by which he went up to the house of the Lord.] From his own palace; of which L’Empereur gives an account, upon Codex Middoth, p. 50. But the ancient interpreters understand by the word Qlatho not his ascent, but his burnt-offering, which he offered in the house of the- Lord. And it is very likely, she saw the service of God’s ministers in his house, as well as Solomon’s in his own house; and was made by Solomon to understand the meaning of every thing.that was done there. Which must needs put her into ari ecstacy of admiration, as it here follows. Arid thus the LXX. translate these words, ml rrjv oXoKavTttxrtv avTOv T]v av i
1 Kings 10:7
Howbeit, I believed not the words, till I came, and mine eyes had seen it. She thought they might magnify things too much, as travellers are wont to do; especially when they speak of their own country.
1 Kings 10:8
Happy are thy men. His subjects. And happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.] Especially those that were about his person, and ministered unto him; who had’opportunity every day to hear his wise sayings and discourses.
1 Kings 10:9
Blessed be the Lord thy God. One would think, by this, that she became a proselyte before she returned to her own country; whither she carried better things than she presented to Solomon (which the next verses mention); the treasures of heavenly wisdom. Philostorgius, indeed, saith, that in his time the Sabaeans sacrificed to the sun and.moon, and certain demons of their own country; and yet Ik 7r’£ptT6fiov’rb lOvog, &c. the nation was circumcised after the Jewish manner on the eighth day. Which rite they received, one would think, from this queen, and retained it a long time, though they continued their old superstition. It is possible, indeed, that the Jews who lived among them, might persuade them to it. For the same Philostorgius saith; ouk okiyov ttXtiOoq’IouScuwv avroTc <*varri^vprat, no small number of Jews was mingled with them. Which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.] A most excellent admonition both to the people and to the king; that they should think themselves highly obliged to God, who had given them such a king; and he should think God made him king to govern his people justly. This sense the wise heathen had, that governors were set over men by God for their good: as Aristotle told Alexander in a letter to him, wherein he exhorts him to keep in mind, that his kingdom was given him by God for the sake of mankind, *?c tvepyto’iav, ov Trpbg vfiptv, that he might do them good, and not abuse them.
1 Kings 10:10
And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold. Though we do not find that the ancients speak of any mines of gold in the Sabaeans’ country; yet they abounded with it, being near to that Ophir which I before mentioned, and is spoken of in the book of Job, xxii. 24. xxviii. 1G. (in an age when they were not acquainted with the Indian Ophir, which was very remote from them.) And several other places there were also near to them, who had plenty of gold, as Bochartus shews in his Phaleg. lib. ii. cap. 27. p. 159, &c. And of spices very great store, and precious stones.] This country was famous for myrrh, frankincense, and cinnamon (Josephus adds balsam, also), as Boohart observes, out of many authors in the same book, cap. 26. p. 149. 153. For’ their very fires were made of cassia and cinnamon. Precious stones also he shews werp so common in this country, that they adorned their cups, and their beds, and their stools, &c. with them. (See him, p. 100.) There came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.] For it seems the Jews maintained no trade with this country. •
1 Kings 10:11
-And the navy also of Hiram tltat brought gold from Ophir. This is meant of Ophir in India, mentioned ix. 28. From which Hiram’s navy is said to bring gold, though the ships were Solomon’s, because Hiram’s servants had the management of them. Brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug-trees, and precious stones.] It is very uncertain what these almug, or algum-trees were (as they are called by a transposition of letters in 2 Chron. ii. 8.) Our famous Dr. Castell thinks it was the wood called sanctulum, which is proper for all the uses mentioned in the next verse, and is still in India. And R. D. Kimchi upon that place in the Chronicles saith it was a red wood which is now called brezil. By which cannot be meant the wood that comes from Brazil, for that country was not known in his days; but probably he calls it brezil, from the Hebrew word barzel, which signifies iron; it being of such a dark colour. And such a wood there is now in the kingdom of Java, as Gousset observes out of Thevet, and other authors, in his Comment. Linguee Hebr.
1 Kings 10:12
And the king made of the almug-trees pillars for the house of the Lord, and for his own house. Or rather rails (as we translate it in the margin of our Bibles), which were made on either side the causey which went up from th6 king’s house to the house of the Lord. Compare this with 1 Chron. xxvi. 16. 18. and 2 Chron. ix. 11. and see Dr. Lightfoot of the Temple, p. 125. where he only quotes Halbag, who saith he made battlements, i. e. rails, on either side, that men by them might stay themselves as they went along the highway of that ascent.; «• Harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug-trees, nor were seen unto this day.] This account of almug-treesis mixed with the story of the queen of Sheba, because she is said (ver. 5.) to have admired the ascent (as we translate it) which Solomon made to the house of the Lord. Which appeared themore magnificent, because the rails thereof were made of this rare wood. Which Abarbinel fancies was coral, which grows in the very sea, and they had never seen before; nor did any come after.
1 Kings 10:13
And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. By their mutual presents, which she made to him, (ver. 10.) and he at her departure made to her, they testified their friendship to each other; desiring by these to be remembered. And Solomon desired to know what would be most acceptable to her, among all the rarities she had seen, which he bestowed upon her: besides, he generously added more things of value, which it is likely she had not in her own country. So she turned, and went to her own cowitry, she and her servants.] Accompanied, it is probable, with many of the Israelites, who went and planted themselves there: from whom sprung those Jews, who, Philostorgius saith, w r ere mixed with the Sabaeans in no small numbers, as I ob r - served, ver. 9. But tjie Jews of whom he speaks wcro such as settled there after the last captivity; and it w^s not lawful for a Jew, while the temple stood, to settle in a place, from whence he could not come three times a year to worship at Jerusalem. ycr. 14. JV oip th$ tveight of gold which came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold.] The history of the queen of Sheba being ended, he returns to give an account of Solomon’s riches and magnificence; which he had begun to set forth before. And first he relates wh^t a vast quantity of gold was brought
1 Kings 10:15
Besides that he had of the merchantmen. Who paid custom for the goods they brought from several countries; or, as Abarbinel thinks, the men ofHattarim (as the words are in the Hebrew) signify a certain nation, viz. the Tartars (as they are now called), who brought commodities from the north country to the people of Israel, as others did from the south.. | And of the traffic of the spice-merchants.’] There is no reason thus to translate these words, as the same author thinks: but they signify in general all sorts of traders, who brought in merchandise, by sea or land. i And all the kings of Arabia.] Who sent him presents. And of the governors of the countries.’] Which David or he had conquered, and placed governors there; who gathered his tribute, and sent it to him every year. Ver. 1G. And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target.
1 Kings 10:17
And he made three hundred shekels of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to every shield. These targets and shields seem to have been made for’state arid pomp; to be carried before him, upon some special occasions. Though we do read in the Roman authors of some great captains to whom golden shields were granted, as a reward of their great valour: and these perhaps might be intended for the same purpose. But then we must not think that the shields weighed but six hundred shekels (which would have been so small as to be of no use), but that each cost six hundred shekels of gold; as Fortunatus Scacchus observes, Myrothec. iii. cap. 3.’ And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.] Where, itis likely, he kept his most precious treasure. See concerning this house, vii. 2. which Joscphiis saith the queen of Sheba admired above all things she saw in Judea: the vast multitude of cedar pillars that weTe in it, making it look like the forest of Lebanon: from whence some think it had its name.
1 Kings 10:18
And the king made a great throne of ivory. We never read of ivory until about Solomon’s time; who, perhaps, brought elephants out of India, and took care to have a great deal of ivory brought with them. Insomuch, that we read of ivory palaces, (Psal. xlv. 9.) whose walls were overlaid with ivory; which was more precious than gold in ancient times, as Pliny tells in many places. And overlaid it with the best gold*] Not entirely, so as to cover the ivory (for then it might as well have been made of wood), but here and there; as P. Martyr reasonably conjectures. Which made the throne appear more beautiful by the mixture of gold and ivory; with which, at due distances, it was studded. In this throne he sat when he administered justice, and gave audience to ambassadors, and the like. • • )
1 Kings 10:19
The throne had six steps. Was advanced to a just height, that he might be seen and heard by all.* And the top of the throne was round behind.] Making a half circle over his head. And there were stays on either side of the place of the seat.] Like one of our great chairs, which have rests to lean one’s arms upon, on either side. And two lions stgod beside the stays.] As their supporters. vol. n.
1 Kings 10:20
And twelve lions stood on the one side, and on the other upon the six steps. Upon every step a lion stood reared up, on each side, as if he was falling upon his prey: which many interpreters think had a mystical meaning in it,* as every thing else had belonging to this throne; with which I shall not trouble the reader. Grotius thinks he offended in making these figures; and having once begun to transgress the law, he grew still worse and worse. There was not the like made in any kingdom.] That is, in those times there was none to be compared with it; but in after-ages there were perhaps more glorious. For Athenseus saith, the throne of the Parthian kings was of gold, encompassed with four golden pillars, beset with precious stones, (lib. xii. Deipnos.) And the Persian kings, he saith, sat in judgment under a golden vine (and other trees of gold), the bunches of whose grapes were made of several sorts of precious stones.
1 Kings 10:21
And all king Solomon* s drinking vessels’ were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.] Who brought in such plenty of gold, that it made silver of less value while he lived.
1 Kings 10:22
For the king had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram. These words are added to give a further account how Solomon came to have gold in such abundance: for he trafficked for it in another fleet, besides that which went to Ophir. That fleet, it is plain, was Solomon’s, and sailed out of his own port Ezion-gebcr, (ixl 2G.) though it was manned by Tyrians, because they understood the sea. Whereas this navy here spoken of belonged to Hiram, and went out of his port at Tyre; and Solomon had only the liberty to trade in it to Tarshish. Which was a placo wherewith the Tyrians had very ancient commerce; and therefore Hiram was the chief in this voyage, as Solomon was in that to Ophir. Once in three years’ came the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver. ] It was not so far off, that they could not return in less than three years: but, as Abarbinel supposes, they went thither in the end of one year, and stayed there the next to vend and to buy their commodities; and then returned in the beginning of the third year. Bochartus hath made it very probable that this place was Tartessus in Spain, where gold and silver in ancient times, if we’may believe Strabo and others, whom he quotes, were plentiful. But I do not find any proof that ivory, apes, and peacocks, were the commodities of that country. (See his Phaleg. lib. iii. cap. 7.) And ivory.] The Hebrew word senhabim is of doubtful signification: but the word sen, or shen, certainly signifying a tooth, interpreters have supposed that habini signifies an elephant; and both together import elephants’ teeth, i. e. ivory. But it is hard to give an account of this word Aabim: therefore Bochartus rather thinks that the whole word senhabim. signifies an elephant: which best agrees with what follows, apes and peacocks, all three signifying living creatures: and, indeed, ivory itself, in this chapter, is simply called by the name of sen: where he speaks of Solomon’s throne, ver. 18. (SeehisHierozoicon, par. ii.lib. i. cap. 20.) And apes.] The Hebrew word kephinris both by the ancients and modems translated apes: which creature Pliny calls cephos; and saith they were seen but once at Homo 3 I