1 Kings 10:11-25

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 10:1-13

We have here an account of the visit which the queen of Sheba made to Solomon, no doubt when he was in the height of his piety and prosperity. Our Saviour calls her the queen of the south, for Sheba lay south of Canaan. The common opinion is that it was in Africa; and the Christians in Ethiopia, to this day, are confident that she came from their country, and that Candace was her successor, who is mentioned Acts 8:27. But it is more probable that she came from the south part of Arabia the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 10:14-29

We have here a further account of Solomon's prosperity. I. How he increased his wealth. Though he had much, he still coveted to have more, being willing to try the utmost the things of this world could do to make men happy. 1. Besides the gold that came from Ophir (1 Kgs. 9:28), he brought so much into his country from other places that the whole amounted, every year, to 666 talents (1 Kgs. 10:14), an ominous number, compare Rev. 13:18; Ezra 2:13. 2. He received a great deal in customs from... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:11

And the navy also of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir ,.... This perhaps was before Solomon was concerned with Hiram in navigation and merchandise; though in 2 Chronicles 9:10 both their servants are said to bring it; and it is here inserted perhaps to show that Solomon had not his gold, at least all of it, from the queen of Sheba; but much from Hiram, who fetched it from Ophir; and as this was in India, as observed on 1 Kings 9:28 , many writers make mention of gold in that part of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:12

And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the Lord, and for the king's house ,.... Or terraces, as in 2 Chronicles 9:11 , causeways; and means the ascent or causeway he made from his own house to the temple; the pavement of which, as Jarchi interprets the word here, was made of the wood of these trees; or the supports of it, or rather the rails on each side, on which men might stay themselves as they passed along, as Ben Gersom; and since this ascent was admired by the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:13

And King Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire , whatsoever she asked ,.... Some curious things she saw, and was desirous of, she asked for, and had them: besides that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty ; of his own good will and pleasure, without asking: so she turned and went to her own country : the country of Sheba in Arabia Felix: she and her sergeants : the train or retinue she brought with her, which was large, 1 Kings 10:2 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:14

Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty and six talents of gold. From Ophir and Tarshish, and wherever he traded; which was of our money, according to Berewood F11 De Ponder. & Pret. c. 5. , 2,997,000 pounds; or as another learned man F12 Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. vol. 3. p. 580. , who makes it equal to 5,138,520 ducats of gold. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:15

Besides that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffic of the spice merchants ,.... What they paid him as a duty or custom for the importation of their goods: and of all the kings of Arabia ; who were subject to him, and paid him a yearly tribute, or at least made presents, see 1 Kings 4:21 . and of the governors of the country ; who were viceroys or deputy governors of countries conquered by his father, and who collected tribute from the people, and paid it to him. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:16

And King Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold ,.... Which were a larger sort of shields, which covered the whole body; and these were made of gold beaten with the hammer, or drawn into plates, being melted like wax; so the Poeni or Carthaginians made shields of gold F13 Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 35. 3. : six hundred shekels of gold went to one target ; which is to be understood not of the weight, but of the price or value of them, which amounted to four hundred and fifty... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:17

And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold ,.... Which were a lesser sort: three pounds of gold went to one shield ; or three hundred shekels, as in 2 Chronicles 9:16 a hundred shekels made one pound; so that these were but half the value of the former, and one of them was worth but two hundred and twenty five pounds: Eupolemus F15 Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 34. , an Heathen writer, makes mention of those golden shields Solomon made, and which were made for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:18

Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory ,.... To sit on and judge his people; and ivory being white, may denote the purity, justice, and equity with which he judged; the white throne in Revelation 20:11 may be an allusion to this; the ivory he had from Tarshish, 1 Kings 10:22 . and overlaid it with the best gold ; for the greater splendour and majesty of it; not that he covered it all over, for then the ivory would not be seen, but interlined it, or studded it with it,... read more

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