1 Kings 10:29

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 the Euphrates on one side and Hamath and Damascus on the other. Their two chief cities were Carchemish and Kadesh. In the early times some Hittite settlements were made in southern Palestine, and we read of these people in the days of the patriarchs (Genesis 26:34, &c.).

and for the kings of Syria Syria (Heb. Aram) is the name given in the Old Test. to all the country north-east of Phœnicia and extending beyond the Euphrates and Tigris. Sometimes the term includes the Hittite country. Mesopotamia is distinguished (Genesis 24:10; Deuteronomy 23:5, &c.) as Aram-Naharaim(i.e. Syria of the two rivers), and is sometimes called Padan-Aram (Genesis 25:20). Other portions were known by distinctive names, as Aram-Maachah(1 Chronicles 19:6), Arambeth-Rehob(2 Samuel 10:6), Aram-Zobah(2 Samuel 10:6; 2 Samuel 10:8). It was for the princes of these districts that Solomon's merchants brought up horses and chariots from Egypt. All these small kingdoms became afterwards subject to Damascus.

by their means Literally -in their hand." That is, these merchants were the agents through whom the various princes obtained their supplies. In 2 Chronicles 9:28 it is not only from Egypt, but from all lands, that horses for Solomon's trade were brought, but 2 Chronicles 1:16-17 is word for word the same as the account in this chapter.