1 And when the queen H4436 of Sheba H7614 heard H8085 of the fame H8088 of Solomon, H8010 she came H935 to prove H5254 Solomon H8010 with hard questions H2420 at Jerusalem, H3389 with a very H3966 great H3515 company, H2428 and camels H1581 that bare H5375 spices, H1314 and gold H2091 in abundance, H7230 and precious H3368 stones: H68 and when she was come H935 to Solomon, H8010 she communed H1696 with him of all that was in her heart. H3824
2 And Solomon H8010 told H5046 her all her questions: H1697 and there was nothing hid H5956 from Solomon H8010 which he told H5046 her not.
3 And when the queen H4436 of Sheba H7614 had seen H7200 the wisdom H2451 of Solomon, H8010 and the house H1004 that he had built, H1129
4 And the meat H3978 of his table, H7979 and the sitting H4186 of his servants, H5650 and the attendance H4612 of his ministers, H8334 and their apparel; H4403 his cupbearers H8248 also, and their apparel; H4403 and his ascent H5944 by which he went up H5927 into the house H1004 of the LORD; H3068 there was no more spirit H7307 in her.
5 And she said H559 to the king, H4428 It was a true H571 report H1697 which I heard H8085 in mine own land H776 of thine acts, H1697 and of thy wisdom: H2451
6 Howbeit I believed H539 not their words, H1697 until I came, H935 and mine eyes H5869 had seen H7200 it: and, behold, the one half H2677 of the greatness H4768 of thy wisdom H2451 was not told H5046 me: for thou exceedest H3254 the fame H8052 that I heard. H8085
7 Happy H835 are thy men, H582 and happy H835 are these thy servants, H5650 which stand H5975 continually H8548 before H6440 thee, and hear H8085 thy wisdom. H2451
8 Blessed H1288 be the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 which delighted H2654 in thee to set H5414 thee on his throne, H3678 to be king H4428 for the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 because thy God H430 loved H160 Israel, H3478 to establish H5975 them for ever, H5769 therefore made H5414 he thee king H4428 over them, to do H6213 judgment H4941 and justice. H6666
9 And she gave H5414 the king H4428 an hundred H3967 and twenty H6242 talents H3603 of gold, H2091 and of spices H1314 great H3966 abundance, H7230 and precious H3368 stones: H68 neither was there any such spice H1314 as the queen H4436 of Sheba H7614 gave H5414 king H4428 Solomon. H8010
10 And the servants H5650 also of Huram, H2361 and the servants H5650 of Solomon, H8010 which brought H935 gold H2091 from Ophir, H211 brought H935 algum H418 trees H6086 and precious H3368 stones. H68
11 And the king H4428 made H6213 of the algum H418 trees H6086 terraces H4546 to the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and to the king's H4428 palace, H1004 and harps H3658 and psalteries H5035 for singers: H7891 and there were none such H1992 seen H7200 before H6440 in the land H776 of Judah. H3063
12 And king H4428 Solomon H8010 gave H5414 to the queen H4436 of Sheba H7614 all her desire, H2656 whatsoever she asked, H7592 beside that which she had brought H935 unto the king. H4428 So she turned, H2015 and went away H3212 to her own land, H776 she and her servants. H5650
13 Now the weight H4948 of gold H2091 that came H935 to Solomon H8010 in one H259 year H8141 was six H8337 hundred H3967 and threescore H8346 and six H8337 talents H3603 of gold; H2091
14 Beside that which chapmen H582 H8446 and merchants H5503 brought. H935 And all the kings H4428 of Arabia H6152 and governors H6346 of the country H776 brought H935 gold H2091 and silver H3701 to Solomon. H8010
15 And king H4428 Solomon H8010 made H6213 two hundred H3967 targets H6793 of beaten H7820 gold: H2091 six H8337 hundred H3967 shekels of beaten H7820 gold H2091 went H5927 to one H259 target. H6793
16 And three H7969 hundred H3967 shields H4043 made he of beaten H7820 gold: H2091 three H7969 hundred H3967 shekels of gold H2091 went H5927 to one H259 shield. H4043 And the king H4428 put H5414 them in the house H1004 of the forest H3293 of Lebanon. H3844
17 Moreover the king H4428 made H6213 a great H1419 throne H3678 of ivory, H8127 and overlaid H6823 it with pure H2889 gold. H2091
18 And there were six H8337 steps H4609 to the throne, H3678 with a footstool H3534 of gold, H2091 which were fastened H270 to the throne, H3678 and stays H3027 on each side of the sitting H3427 place, H4725 and two H8147 lions H738 standing H5975 by H681 the stays: H3027
19 And twelve H8147 H6240 lions H738 stood H5975 there on the one side and on the other upon the six H8337 steps. H4609 There was not the like made H6213 in any kingdom. H4467
20 And all the drinking H4945 vessels H3627 of king H4428 Solomon H8010 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 not any H3972 thing accounted H2803 of in the days H3117 of Solomon. H8010
21 For the king's H4428 ships H591 went H1980 to Tarshish H8659 with the servants H5650 of Huram: H2361 every three H7969 years H8141 once H259 came H935 the ships H591 of Tarshish H8659 bringing H5375 gold, H2091 and silver, H3701 ivory, H8143 and apes, H6971 and peacocks. H8500
22 And king H4428 Solomon H8010 passed H1431 all the kings H4428 of the earth H776 in riches H6239 and wisdom. H2451
23 And all the kings H4428 of the earth H776 sought H1245 the presence H6440 of Solomon, H8010 to hear H8085 his wisdom, H2451 that God H430 had put H5414 in his heart. H3820
24 And they brought H935 every man H376 his present, H4503 vessels H3627 of silver, H3701 and vessels H3627 of gold, H2091 and raiment, H8008 harness, H5402 and spices, H1314 horses, H5483 and mules, H6505 a rate H1697 year H8141 by year. H8141
25 And Solomon H8010 had four H702 thousand H505 stalls H723 for horses H5483 and chariots, H4818 and twelve H8147 H6240 thousand H505 horsemen; H6571 whom he bestowed H3240 in the chariot H7393 cities, H5892 and with the king H4428 at Jerusalem. H3389
26 And he reigned H4910 over all the kings H4428 from the river H5104 even unto the land H776 of the Philistines, H6430 and to the border H1366 of Egypt. H4714
27 And the king H4428 made H5414 silver H3701 in Jerusalem H3389 as stones, H68 and cedar trees H730 made H5414 he as the sycomore trees H8256 that are in the low plains H8219 in abundance. H7230
28 And they brought H3318 unto Solomon H8010 horses H5483 out of Egypt, H4714 and out of all lands. H776
29 Now the rest H7605 of the acts H1697 of Solomon, H8010 first H7223 and last, H314 are they not written H3789 in the book H1697 of Nathan H5416 the prophet, H5030 and in the prophecy H5016 of Ahijah H281 the Shilonite, H7888 and in the visions H2378 of Iddo H3260 the seer H2374 against Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat? H5028
30 And Solomon H8010 reigned H4427 in Jerusalem H3389 over all Israel H3478 forty H705 years. H8141
31 And Solomon H8010 slept H7901 with his fathers, H1 and he was buried H6912 in the city H5892 of David H1732 his father: H1 and Rehoboam H7346 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 9
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 9
2Ch 9:1-12. The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon; She Admires His Wisdom and Magnificence.
1-4. when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon—(See on 1Ki 10:1-13). It is said that among the things in Jerusalem which drew forth the admiration of Solomon's royal visitor was "his ascent by which he went up into the house of the Lord." This was the arched viaduct that crossed the valley from Mount Zion to the opposite hill. In the commentary on the passage quoted above, allusion was made to the recent discovery of its remains. Here we give a full account of what, for boldness of conceptions for structure and magnificence, was one of the greatest wonders in Jerusalem. "During our first visit to the southwest corner of the area of the mosque, we observed several of the large stones jutting out from the western wall, which at first seemed to be the effect of a bursting of the wall from some mighty shock or earthquake. We paid little regard to this at the moment; but on mentioning the fact not long after to a circle of our friends, the remark was incidentally dropped that the stones had the appearance of having once belonged to a large arch. At this remark, a train of thought flashed across my mind, which I hardly dared to follow out until I had again repaired to the spot, in order to satisfy myself with my own eyes as to the truth or falsehood of the suggestion. I found it even so. The courses of these immense stones occupy their original position; their external surface is hewn to a regular curve; and, being fitted one upon another, they form the commencement or foot of an immense arch which once sprung out from this western wall in a direction towards Mount Zion, across the Tyropœon valley. This arch could only have belonged to the bridge, which, according to Josephus, led from this part of the temple to the Xystus (covered colonnade) on Zion; and it proves incontestably the antiquity of that portion from which it springs" [Robinson]. The distance from this point to the steep rock of Zion Robinson calculates to be about three hundred and fifty feet, the probable length of this ancient viaduct. Another writer adds, that "the arch of this bridge, if its curve be calculated with an approximation to the truth, would measure sixty feet, and must have been one of five sustaining the viaduct (allowing for the abutments on either side), and that the piers supporting the center arch of this bridge must have been of great altitude—not less, perhaps, than one hundred and thirty feet. The whole structure, when seen from the southern extremity of the Tyropœon, must have had an aspect of grandeur, especially as connected with the lofty and sumptuous edifices of the temple, and of Zion to the right and to the left" [Isaac Taylor's Edition of Traill's Josephus].
2Ch 9:13-28. His Riches.
13. Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year—(See on 1Ki 10:14-29).
six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold—The sum named is equal to £3,646,350; and if we take the proportion of silver (2Ch 9:14), which is not taken into consideration, at one to nine, there would be about £200,000, making a yearly supply of nearly £6,000,000, being a vast amount for an infant effort in maritime commerce [Napier].
21. the king's ships went to Tarshish—rather, "the king's ships of Tarshish went" with the servants of Huram.
ships of Tarshish—that is, in burden and construction like the large vessels built for or used at Tarshish [Calmet, Fragments].
25. Solomon had four thousand stalls—It has been conjectured [Gesenius, Hebrew Lexicon] that the original term may signify not only stall or stable, but a number of horses occupying the same number of stalls. Supposing that ten were put together in one part, this would make forty thousand. According to this theory of explanation, the historian in Kings refers to horses [see 1Ki 10:26]; while the historian in Chronicles speaks of the stalls in which they were kept. But more recent critics reject this mode of solving the difficulty, and, regarding the four thousand stalls as in keeping with the general magnificence of Solomon's establishments, are agreed in considering the text in Kings as corrupt, through the error of some copyist.
28. they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt—(See on 2Ch 1:14). Solomon undoubtedly carried the Hebrew kingdom to its highest pitch of worldly glory. His completion of the grand work, the centralizing of the national worship at Jerusalem, whither the natives went up three times a year, has given his name a prominent place in the history of the ancient church. But his reign had a disastrous influence upon "the peculiar people," and the example of his deplorable idolatries, the connections he formed with foreign princes, the commercial speculations he entered into, and the luxuries introduced into the land, seem in a great measure to have altered and deteriorated the Jewish character.