1 Kings 10:16

_AND KING SOLOMON MADE TWO HUNDRED TARGETS OF BEATEN GOLD: SIX HUNDRED SHEKELS OF GOLD WENT TO ONE TARGET._ Two hundred targets ... six hundred shekels. These defensive arms were anciently made of wood, and covered with leather: Solomon's were covered with fine gold. 600 shekels were used in the gilding of each target; 200 targets had 300 shields, having three pounds of gold in one shield. The targets were circular, perhaps with an umbo or convex protuberance in the center, designed to be fastened on the person for the protection of the breast. The shields, which were only half the weight of the targets, were made probably in the form of upright bucklers borne by an armour-bearer (cf. 'Nineveh and Babylon,' p. 194). They were intended for the state armoury of the palace (see the notes at 1 Kings 14:26). They were ranged on the walls of the armoury ...

14-29 Solomon increased his wealth. Silver was nothing accounted of. Such is the nature of worldly wealth, plenty of it makes it the less valuable; much more should the enjoyment of spiritual riches lessen our esteem of all earthly possessions. If gold in abundance makes silver to be despised, shall not wisdom, and grace, and the foretastes of heaven, which are far better than gold, make gold to be lightly esteemed? See in Solomon's greatness the performance of God's promise, and let it encourage us to seek first the righteousness of God's kingdom. This was he, who, having tasted all earthly enjoyments, wrote a book, to show the vanity of all worldly things, the vexation of spirit that attends them, and the folly of setting our hearts upon them: and to recommend serious godliness, as that which will do unspeakably more to make us happy, that all the wealth and power he was master of; and...

Verse 1 Kings 10:16. _SOLOMON MADE TWO HUNDRED TARGETS OF BEATEN GOLD_] I have already conjectured that the צנה _tsinnah_ might resemble the Highland targe or target, with a dagger projecting from the UMBO or centre....

The “targets” seem to have been long shields protecting the whole body, while the “shields” of the next verse were bucklers of a smaller size, probably round, and much lighter. They may be compared with the Assyrian long shield, and the ordinary Assyrian round shield. As the amount of gold used in each of the larger shields was only 600 shekels - worth from 650 to 700 of our money - and that used in the smaller ones was only half as much it is evident that the metal did not form the substance of the shields, but was laid as a coating or plating over them....

EXPOSITION SOLOMON'S WEALTH, POMP, AND POWER. The visit of the Queen of Sheba, in itself a striking proof of the fame and greatness of Solomon, is followed by a description of his revenues, his throne, and various other particulars of his wealth and magnificence, some of which are related here because they were the products of the voyages of that same fleet which had been the means of acquainting the queen with Solomon and his glory. 1 KINGS 10:14 NOW THE WEIGHT OF GOLD THAT CAME TO SOLOMON IN ONE YEAR [probably one particular and exceptional year, probably also the year of the queen's visit, not year by year (Wordsworth, _al_.),_ _as the Vulgate (_per singulos annos_)._ _One fleet only came home from

AND KING SOLOMON MADE TWO HUNDRED TARGETS OF BEATEN GOLD,.... Which were a larger sort of shields, which covered the whole body; and these were made of gold beaten with the hammer, or drawn into plates, being melted like wax; so the Poeni or Carthaginians made shields of gold m: SIX HUNDRED SHEKELS OF GOLD WENT TO ONE TARGET; which is to be understood not of the weight, but of the price or value of them, which amounted to four hundred and fifty pounds of our money; so Brerewood n. m Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 35. 3. n Ut supra. (De Ponder. Pret. c. 5.)...

6. SOLOMON AND THE QUEEN OF SHEBA: HIS GREAT RICHES AND SPLENDOUR CHAPTER 10 _ 1. The visit of the Queen (1 Kings 10:1)_ 2. Solomon's enormous wealth (1 Kings 10:14) 3. the targets and shields (1 Kings 10:16) 4. The ivory throne (1 Kings 10:18) 5. The abundance of gold and the depreciation of silver (1 Kings 10:21) 6. The greatest living monarch (1 Kings 10:23) 7. His chariots and hors

1 KINGS 10. VISIT OF THE QUEEN OF SHEBA. By Sheba or Saba a district in S. Arabia is meant. The Sabæ ans were known to the Israelites as exporters of gold (Isaiah 60:6; Psalms 72:15); Ezekiel (Ezekiel 27:23) says that they dealt extensively with Tyre. In Job (Job 1:15; Job 6:19), they are represented as marauders. The civilisation of Arabia was considerable, and much light has been thrown on it by scholars like Hommel and Glaser. Our Lord calls the queen of Sheba the queen of the south (Mat

_two hundred targets_of _beaten gold_ The -targets" here spoken of appear, from the gold consumed in them, to have been much larger than the -shields" mentioned in the next verse. Both the names imply -protection," -covering," but give us no clue to their form. The LXX. makes these -targets" three hundred in number, and gives three hundred shekels of gold to each. _six hundred_shekels _of gold_ It was not unusual in Hebrew where it was well known what word ought to be supplied to omit the word -shekels" as is done here. So Genesis 24:22; Exodus 30:23. No Englishman misunderstands such an expression as -three hundred a year....

III. INDICATIONS OF SOLOMON'S GLORY 10:14-29 The account of the visit of the queen of Sheba is followed by a description of Solomon's revenues, his throne, and various other particulars of his wealth and magnificence. These notices are a continuation of 1 Kings 9:23-28 from which they have been separated by the queen of Sheba narrative. There is no inkling of criticism in these notices. On the contrary, it was probably the intent of the author to emphasize the fulfillment of the promise to Solomon (1 Kings 3:13) that he would be given riches and honor in addition to wisdom. In this section the author discusses (1) Solomon's enormous gold revenues (1 Kings 10:14-21); and (2) his wealth in substance ot