1 Kings 4:26

And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses [40,000 is certainly a clerical error, probably for 4000 ( i.e; אַרְבָּיעים for אַרְבָּעָה ). For

The chariots, e.g; numbered 1400; the horsemen 12,000. Now for 1400 chariots the proper allowance of horses would be about 4000. We see from the monuments that it was customary to yoke two horses (seldom three) to a chariot; but a third or supernumerary horse was provided to meet emergencies or accidents. 4000 horses would hence be a liberal provision for Solomon's chariots, and it would also agree well with the number of his cavalry. 12,000 cavalry and 40,000 chariot horses are out of all proportion. As to stalls, it seems clear that in ancient, as in modern times, each horse had a separate crib (Vegetins in Bochart, quoted by Keil). Gesenius, however, understands by אֻרְוֹת , not stalls, but teams, or pairs ] for his chariots [or chariotry : the word is singular and collective] and twelve hundred horsemen [rather, horses, i.e; riding or cavalry, as distinguished from chariot horses above. See note on 1 Kings 1:5 . It has been supposed that this warlike provision is mentioned to account for the peace ( "si vis pacem, para bellum" ) of Solomon's reign, and was designed to overawe the tributary kings. But it is more probable that the idea of the historian was, partly to exhibit the pomp and circumstance of Israel's greatest king, and partly to record a contravention of the law ( Deuteronomy 17:16 ), which was one of the precursors of his fall].