1 Kings 9:26-27

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 9:15-28

We have here a further account of Solomon's greatness. I. His buildings. He raised a great levy both of men and money, because he projected a great deal of building, which would both employ many hands and put him to a vast expense, 1 Kgs. 9:15. And he was a wise builder, who sat down first, and counted the cost, and would not begin to build till he found himself able to finish. Perhaps there was some complaint of the heaviness of the taxes, which the historian excuses from the greatness of his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 9:26

And King Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber ,.... Which was one of the stations of the Israelites, near the wilderness of Sin, or Paran, Numbers 33:35 , it signifies the backbone of a man; and it is said F23 Harris's Voyages, vol. 1. B. 1. ch. 2. sect. 3. p. 377. the ridge of rocks before this port were in that form, covered by the sea at high water, and sticking up with various points in a line when it was low. Josephus says F24 Antiqu. l. 8. c. 6. sect. 4. in his time... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 9:27

And Hiram sent in his navy his servants ,.... And, according to 2 Chronicles 8:18 , ships also but how he could send them from Tyre, which lay in the Mediterranean sea, to the above ports in the Red sea, without going a great way round, is not easy to conceive. Perhaps, as Gussetins conjectures F3 Ebr. Comment p. 628. , Hiram had a port in the Red sea for building and sending out ships, for the sake of his eastern navigation, and from thence he sent them to Solomon's ports in the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 9:26

A navy of ships - Literally, אני oni , a ship: in the parallel place, 2 Chronicles 8:17 , it is said that Hiram sent him אניות oniyoth , ships; but it does not appear that Solomon in this case built more than one ship, and this was manned principally by the Tyrians. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 9:26

And king Solomon made a navy of ships [Heb. אֱנִי , a collective noun, classis . The chronicler paraphrases by אֱנִיוֹת , plural. This fact finds a record here, probably because it was to the voyages of this fleet that the king was indebted for the gold which enabled him to erect and adorn the buildings recently described.. But no historian could pass over without notice an event of such profound importance to Israel as the construction of its first ships, which, next to the temple,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 9:27

And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea with the servants of Solomon. [The chronicler states ( 2 Chronicles 8:18 ) that he sent ships as well as servants, and it has been thought that ships were transported, in parts or entire, by land across the Isthmus of Suez, and there are certainly instances on record of the land transport of fleets. the Peloponnesians conveyed 60 ships from Corcyra across the Leucadian Isthmus, etc.) But this, especially when... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Kings 9:26

On Ezion-geber and Eloth, see the notes to marginal references. As the entire tract about Elath (Akaba) is destitute of trees, it is conjectured that the wood of which Solomon built his fleet was cut in Lebanon, floated to Gaza by sea, and thence conveyed across to Ezion-geber, at the head of the E anitic Gulf, by land carriage. (Compare 2 Chronicles 2:16.) read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Kings 9:27

Shipmen - See 1 Kings 5:6 note. With respect to the acquaintance of the Phoenicians with this particular sea, it may be observed that they are not unlikely to have had trading settlements there, as they had in the Persian Gulf, even at this early period. The commerce with Ophir was probably an established trade, previously either in their hands or in those of the Egyptians, when Solomon determined to have a share in it. The Egyptians had navigated the other arm of the Red Sea, and perhaps its... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Kings 9:26-27

1 Kings 9:26-27. King Solomon made a navy of ships Not now, in the order in which it is placed in the history, but in the beginning of his reign; as appears from this consideration, that the almug-trees, used in the work of the Lord’s house, were brought in this navy from Ophir, ( 1Ki 10:11-12 ; 2 Chronicles 9:10-11,) which was a three years voyage, 1 Kings 9:22. And Hiram sent in the navy his servants The navy was Solomon’s, who had servants of his own on board the ships, to manage the... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 9:26-28

9:26-11:43 OTHER FEATURES OF SOLOMON’S REIGNTrade, fame and wealth (9:26-10:29)Always alert in business dealings, Solomon saw the opportunity for further profits by cooperating with Hiram in trade transport. Goods from the Mediterranean were received at Hiram’s port of Tyre, taken overland to the Israelite port of Ezion-geber at the northern tip of the Red Sea, then shipped east, possibly as far as India. Since the Israelites were not a seafaring people, Solomon hired seamen from Hiram to teach... read more

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