2 Chronicles 9:21

_FOR THE KING'S SHIPS WENT TO TARSHISH WITH THE SERVANTS OF HURAM: EVERY THREE YEARS ONCE CAME THE SHIPS OF TARSHISH BRINGING GOLD, AND SILVER, IVORY, AND APES, AND PEACOCKS._ The king's ships went to Tarshish - rather, 'the king's ships of Tarhish went' with the servants of Huram. SHIPS OF TARSHISH - i:e., in burden and construction like the large vessels built for or used at Tarshish....

13-31 The imports here mentioned, would show that prosperity drew the minds of Solomon and his subjects to the love of things curious and uncommon, though useless in themselves. True wisdom and happiness are always united together; but no such alliance exists between wealth and the enjoyment of the things of this life. Let us then acquaint ourselves with the Saviour, that we may find rest for our souls. Here is Solomon reigning in wealth and power, in ease and fulness, the like of which could never since be found; for the most known of the great princes of the earth were famed for their wars; whereas Solomon reigned forty years in profound peace. The promise was fulfilled, that God would give him riches and honour, such as no kings have had or shall have. The lustre wherein he appeared, was typical of the spiritual glory of the kingdom of the Messiah, and but a faint representation of H...

Verse 2 Chronicles 9:21. _THE KING'S SHIPS WENT TO TARSHISH_] "Went to _Africa_." - _Targum_....

EXPOSITION The writer is about to take his leave of Solomon and the glowing memories of his golden reign; and, whether he designed it or not, he has done so in a most dramatically successful manner in this chapter, and especially in the episode, that narrates the ever-memorable visit of the Queen of Sheba, contained in the first twelve verses of this chapter (parallel, 1 Kings 10:1). 2 CHRONICLES 9:1 The parallel shows very little variation on this narrative. In its first verse it adds the words (Authorized Version), "concerning the Name of the Lord" (_i.e._ "to the glory of God"), after the words, THE FAME OF SOLOMON. SHEBA. This was the name of a descendant of Cush, a Hamite ...

1 Kings 10:22....

6. THE QUEEN OF SHEBA, SOLOMON'S RICHES AND HONORS, AND SOLOMON'S DEATH CHAPTER 9 _ 1. The visit of the Queen (2 Chronicles 9:1)_ 2. The riches of Solomon (2 Chronicles 9:13) 3. The ivory throne (2 Chronicles 9:17) 4. Further riches and honors of Solomon (2 Chronicles 9:20) 5. The death of Solomon (2 Chronicles 9:30) The account of the visit of the Queen of Sheba is the same as it appears in...

THE VISIT OF THE QUEEN OF SHEBA; SOLOMON'S WEALTH; HIS DEATH (see notes on 1 Kings 10:1; 1 Kings 11:41). The variations between the two records are unimportant....

THE. No article in the Hebrew here....

_For the king's ships went_to _Tarshish_ R.V. FOR THE KING HAD SHIPS THAT WENT TO TARSHISH. Here the Chronicler misunderstands the parallel passage (1 Kings 10:22, "For the king had at sea _a navy of Tarshish_"). "Navy (or -ships") of Tarshish" is a phrase meaning _large ships fit for long voyages_; cp. Psalms 48:7. The merchandise mentioned in this verse doubtless came from the East and not from Tarshish (Tartessus in Spain). _every three years once_ R.V. ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS. _apes_ These animals were much sought after; they appear e.g. pictured in relief on the Black Obelisk (in the British Museum) among the tribute received by Shalmaneser II. of Assyria....

THE SHIPS OF TARSHISH— That this was some place in the East Indies, appears, as Bochart thinks, from the commodities, _elephants' teeth, apes,_ and _peacocks,_ brought from thence; and because the ships sent thither were built at Ezion-geber, on the Red Sea. He is of opinion, that this Tarshish was properly the promontory _Cory,_ on the north of the island of _Ceylon,_ which, according to him, was the land of Ophir, whither the ships of Solomon went. If this opinion be admitted, _Tarshish_ may seem to have been so called from being the farthest place then known eastward, as _Tarshish_ in Spain was westward; just as we from the _East Indies_ call part of America, since discovered, the _West Indies._ But, after all that Bochart has written on this subject, I must not omit to observe, that another very ingenious writer is of opinion, that the Tarshish to which Solomon's fleet sailed, was no...