1 Kings 10:29

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 10:29. _A CHARIOT CAME UP - FOR SIX HUNDRED_ SHEKELS] This was the ordinary price of a _chariot_, as _a hundred and fifty shekels_ were for a _horse_. _KINGS OF THE HITTITES_] These must have been the remains of the original inhabitants of Canaan, who had gone to some other country, probably Syria, and formed themselves into a principality there. It seems that neither horses nor chariots came out of Egypt but by means of Solomon's servants. MR. BRUCE'S ACCOUNT OF SOLOMON'S VOYAGE TO OPHIR "WE are not to wonder, if the prodigious hurry and flow of business, and the immensely valuable transactions they had with each other, had greatly familiarized the Tyrians and Jews with their correspondents, the Cushites and shepherds, on the coast of Africa. This had gone so far a

Taking the shekel at about three shillings of our money, six hundred silver shekels would be equal to about 90; and 150 shekels to 22 British pounds and 10 shillings. “Average” price seems to be in each case intended; and we may account for the comparatively high price of the chariot by supposing that by “chariot” is intended the entire equipage, including car, harness, and trained horses, of which there would be two at least, if not three. The “horses” mentioned separately from the chariots are not chariot-horses, but chargers for the cavalry. THE KINGS OF THE HITTITES - See 2 Kings 7:6 note. The kings intended were probably Solomon’s vassals, whose armies were at his disposal if he required their aid....

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 A CHARIOT CAME UP AND WENT OUT OF EGYPT FOR SIX HUNDRED SHEKELS OF SILVER,.... Which, reckoning at two shillings and six pence a shekel, amounted to seventy five pounds; but a shekel was not worth more than two shillings and four pence farthing: AND AN HORSE FOR ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY; and this being the fourth part of the above sum, the Jews gather from hence that there were four horses in a chariot; the horses must be reckoned one with another, the whole collection of them, or otherwise no doubt but one horse was better than another; and it was a pretty large price to give for a horse in those times; which, taking a shekel at the lowest rate, must be upwards of ten pounds; and which is too great a sum still for a custom or tribute to be paid for them, whether to Pharaoh or Solomon, as some understand it: AND SO FOR ALL THE KINGS OF THE HITTITES; perhaps the same with the kings of...

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

KINGS OF THE HITTITES. Compare 1 Samuel 26:6; 2 Kings 7:6. These passages alleged to be unhistoric! but they are confirmed by the discoveries made in 1874 throughout Asia Minor and North Syria, which identify them with the "sons of Heth" (Genesis 23:3; Genesis 23:5; Genesis 23:7; Genesis 25:10; Genesis 27:46; Ge

_And a chariot_ The word is used (Exodus 14:25; Joshua 11:6; Joshua 11:9, &c.) for a -chariot employed in war," and that is probably the sense here. These also Solomon's merchants supplied from Egypt, and in this verse we have the notice of their retail trade. It may be that these traders did not pay to the king according to their profits, but paid him a duty for the privilege of trading; but this does not appear. The Hebrew word for -shekels" is omitted here as in 1 Kings 10:16 above. See note there. _for all the kings of the Hittites_ The Hittites were divided into numerous small kingdoms, situated in the country between th

AND A CHARIOT CAME UP AND WENT OUT OF EGYPT, &C.— The Egyptian horses were highly acceptable to the Syrian princes, who, it seems, had them brought out of that country by the means of Solomon, at a considerable expence. What made them prize the Egyptian horses so highly, is not easy to determine. It cannot be imagined that they were animals peculiar to Egypt, or not known in that part of Asia, which made them so desirous to transplant such an useful creature into their countries; for we read of great numbers of them in Syria before the time of Solomon. (See 1 Samuel 13:5. 2 Samuel 10:18.) They might be supposed, however, much more useful in war, to which the prophet Isaiah may possibly refer, Isaiah 31:3 when he tells