1 Kings 10 The queen of Sheba cometh to Jerusalem; admireth Solomon’s wisdom and glory; giveth God thanks, and Solomon presents, 1 Kings 10:1–10. His riches, 1 Kings 10:11–15; targets, ivory throne, vessels, 1 Kings 10:16–23; presents, chariots and horses, tribute, 1 Kings 10:24–29.

The queen of Sheba; either, first, Of Ethiopia, as that people by constant tradition from their ancestors affirm, which also was truly in the ends of the earth, whence she came, Matt. 12:42.

i.e. Of all the doubts and difficulties wherewith her mind was perplexed.

All her questions, Heb. all her matters; he satisfied her in all things she desired to know. There was not any thing she asked which Solomon did not both understand himself, and acquaint her with.

Or, the houses, the singular number being put for the plural, to wit, both the temple and the king’s house, in both which there were evidences of singular wisdom.

The sitting of his servants, i.e. the order and manner in which his courtiers or other subjects (who all were his servants in a general sense) sat down at meals, at several tables in his court.

I believed not the words which the reporters used concerning him; or, the things reported; they seemed incredible, and above the perfection of human nature. Prosperity; or, happiness; or, virtue; Heb. goodness.

Blessed be the Lord thy God; he deserves all blessing and praise, for delighting to honour and advance so worthy a person. To set thee on the throne of Israel; for it was God’s special act to make him king rather than his elder brother. To do judgment and justice, i.e.

Almug trees, called also (by an inversion of the letters, which is usual among the Hebrews) algum trees, 2 Chron. 2:8, 2 Chron. 9:10; whereof there were some in Lebanon, 2 Chron. 2:8, but the best sort came from Ophir, as is here said.

Which amounts to about two millions of our money. And this gold did not come from Ophir in India, or Tarshish; but from Arabia and Ethiopia, and other parts, which then were well replenished with gold, though since exhausted by the insatiable avarice of succeeding ages.

Of the merchantmen, Heb. of the searchers, or spies, i.e. either merchants, who use to inquire and search out commodities, and all advantages of trade; or rather, the publicans or gatherers of the king’s revenues, who used to search narrowly into all wares and dealings, that the king might not be…

For pomp and magnificence, and (as may be thought from the use of the brazen shields, 1 Kings 14:27–28) to be carried before him by his guard when he went abroad.

Three pound, or, three hundred shekels, as it is expressed 2 Chron. 9:16.

Overlaid it; not wholly, but in part, here and there, which made it more beautiful to the eye. Probably the main substance of it was ivory, but some cavities were left in it which were filled with gold.

Round behind; made like the half of a circle. Two lions: these and the following lions seem added, to express either the tribe from which Solomon sprung, compared to a lion, Gen.

Comparatively; such hyperbolical expressions being frequent, both in Scripture and other authors.

A navy of Tharshish; either, first, the ships of the sea, which may seem to be called Tarshish, as Ps. 48:7, Isa. 60:9, from an eminent part of the sea near Judea, so called.

All the earth, i.e. all the kings of the earth, (as it is expressed, 2 Chron. 9:23) to wit, of those parts of the earth; which synecdoche is very frequent.

Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen; like a wise prince, in deep peace providing for war. A thousand and four hundred chariots: See Poole “1 Kings 4:26”.

Sycamore trees were vile and common. See Isa. 9:10.

Horses and linen yarn; the two chief commodities of Egypt. See Prov. 7:16, Song 1:9, Isa. 3:23, Ezek. 27:7. The king’s merchants received the linen yarn for a price; Solomon received them from Pharaoh at a certain price agreed between them, and gave this privilege to his merchants, for a tribute to…

A chariot: this is not to be understood of the chariots and horses themselves, (for then all horses had been set at an equal price, which is most absurd,) but by a metonymy, for the lading of chariots and horses, which consisting of fine linen and silk, &c., were of great value; and the king’s…