1 Kings 10:17

three poundof gold went to one shield The word rendered pound here is -maneh," and according to the parallel passage (2 Chronicles 9:16) is equal to -one hundred shekels." There is no sufficient data for settling the value of these weights in terms of our English standards, but such computations as seem most trustworthy make the manehequal to about 2½ lbs. The addition of three such maneh of gold to a shield need not make it unwieldy. Of course the gold was only the external covering, not the whole fabric of the shields, though Josephus says the king cast(ἐχώνευσε) these targets and shields of the precious metal.

in the house of the forest of Lebanon On this see above 1 Kings 7:2. These golden shields were probably only used on grand occasions, and when not in use were suspended against the numerous pillars in the royal armoury, for which purpose the house of the forest of Lebanon appears to have been built. The shields were carried away in the succeeding reign by Shishak king of Egypt (1 Kings 14:26) and brazen ones were made by Rehoboam to be put in their place.