21 And all king H4428 Solomon's H8010 drinking H4945 vessels H3627 were of gold, H2091 and all the vessels H3627 of the house H1004 of the forest H3293 of Lebanon H3844 were of pure H5462 gold; H2091 none were of silver: H3701 it was nothing H3972 accounted H2803 of in the days H3117 of Solomon. H8010
22 For the king H4428 had at sea H3220 a navy H590 of Tharshish H8659 with the navy H590 of Hiram: H2438 once H259 in three H7969 years H8141 came H935 the navy H590 of Tharshish, H8659 bringing H5375 gold, H2091 and silver, H3701 ivory, H8143 and apes, H6971 and peacocks. H8500
23 So king H4428 Solomon H8010 exceeded H1431 all the kings H4428 of the earth H776 for riches H6239 and for wisdom. H2451
24 And all the earth H776 sought H1245 to H6440 Solomon, H8010 to hear H8085 his wisdom, H2451 which God H430 had put H5414 in his heart. H3820
25 And they brought H935 every man H376 his present, H4503 vessels H3627 of silver, H3701 and vessels H3627 of gold, H2091 and garments, H8008 and armour, H5402 and spices, H1314 horses, H5483 and mules, H6505 a rate H1697 year H8141 by year. H8141
26 And Solomon H8010 gathered together H622 chariots H7393 and horsemen: H6571 and he had a thousand H505 and four H702 hundred H3967 chariots, H7393 and twelve H8147 H6240 thousand H505 horsemen, H6571 whom he bestowed H5148 in the cities H5892 for chariots, H7393 and with the king H4428 at Jerusalem. H3389
27 And the king H4428 made H5414 silver H3701 to be in Jerusalem H3389 as stones, H68 and cedars H730 made H5414 he to be as the sycomore trees H8256 that are in the vale, H8219 for abundance. H7230
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Kings 10
Commentary on 1 Kings 10 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 10
Still Solomon looks great, and every thing in this chapter adds to his magnificence. We read nothing indeed of his charity, of no hospitals he built, or alms-houses; he made his kingdom so rich that it did not need them; yet, no question, many poor were relieved from the abundance of his table. A church he had built, never to be equalled; schools or colleges he need not build any, his own palace is an academy, and his court a rendezvous of wise and learned men, as well as the centre of all the circulating riches of that part of the world.
1Ki 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 happy. It should seem she was a queen regent, sovereign of her country. Many a kingdom would have been deprived of its greatest blessings if a Salique law had been admitted into its constitution. Observe,
1Ki 10:14-29
We have here a further account of Solomon's prosperity.
Lastly, Well, thus rich, thus great, was Solomon, and thus did he exceed all the kings of the earth, v. 23. Now let us remember,