1 Kings 22:48

48. Ships of Tarshish Ships designed to go to Tarshish, as 2 Chronicles 20:36, explains it. On Tarshish, see note at 1 Kings 10:22, and on Ophir, note on 1 Kings 9:28. Here observe that ships designed to carry on commerce with Tarshish might be built at Ezion-geber, and also might be used to carry on commerce with Ophir. To some it may seem strange that ships designed to go to Tartessus, in Spain, were built on the Red Sea; but if the circumnavigation of Africa was understood in that ancient time, as we have assumed in note on 1 Kings 10:22, then this building of ships at Ezion-geber to go to Tartessus need not seem strange at all. Besides, the former friendly relations between the courts of Jerusalem and Tyre probably no longer existed; and as the Phenicians were masters of the Mediterranean Sea, Jehoshaphat thought his commerce with Tartessus would be safer and easier by way of the Red Sea and the coast of Africa. Keil, however, supposes that this fleet was to be transported from Ezion-geber access the Isthmus of Suez, where Cleopatra afterwards sought to transport her fleet a supposition hardly probable if the route around Africa were known.

The ships were broken Probably by a storm, and because the boats were not well-built, and the Jewish sailors had not the proper knowledge of the sea and of the management of ships. In Solomon’s time the Hebrews had the aid of Phenician shipmen both in building and managing their fleets; (1 Kings 9:27;) but now, for want of these, they suffered loss.

Ezion-geber See note on 1 Kings 9:26.