1 Kings 1:33

33. Mine own mule To ride upon the king’s mule was almost equivalent to being crowned. In the Eastern mind it was an honour ever associated with that of wearing the royal apparel and the crown. Thus Mordecai received the highest marks of honour the king of Persia could bestow. Esther 6:8-9. See cut of mules and note. 2 Samuel 13:29.

Gihon A reservoir at the head of the valley of Hinnom, about seven hundred yards northwest of the Yaffa gate of Jerusalem. Its length from east to west is about three hundred feet; its breadth about two hundred. This reservoir is, doubtless, identical with “the upper watercourse of Gihon,” or, more literally, “the outflow of the waters of the upper Gihon,” which, according to 2 Chronicles 32:30, Hezekiah “brought straight down to the west side of the city of David.” At the present time, when in the rainy season this reservoir becomes full, its waters are conducted by an aqueduct to the vicinity of the Yaffa gate, and so to the pool of Hezekiah within the city. It is no valid objection to this view of the Gihon here named that it is on such high ground, as regards the city of David, that it would be incorrect to speak of bringing Solomon down to it, or coming up from it after him, (1 Kings 1:35,) for any locality outside the holy city might be spoken of as down from that place, and from whatsoever quarter an Israelite came to Jerusalem he was accustomed to speak of it as a going up. Besides, being situated in the basin at the head of the Hinnom valley, it was naturally called “Gihon in the valley.” 2 Chronicles 33:14. The “lower pool,” mentioned by Isaiah, (Isaiah 22:9,) is probably the large broken reservoir still seen lower down in the same valley, and on the west side of the city, called by the Arabs Birket es-Sultan.