Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he kept in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and cedars as common as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland. The horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt. The king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price. A chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty shekels; and so they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites, and to the kings of Syria.
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The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir, also brought in from Ophir great quantities of almug trees and precious stones. The king made of the almug trees pillars for Yahweh’s house, and for the king’s house, harps also and stringed instruments for the singers; no such almug trees came or were seen, to this day. King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, in addition to that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own land, she and her servants. Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold, in addition to that which the traders brought, and the traffic of the merchants, and of all the kings of the mixed people, and of the governors of the country. King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went to one buckler. he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went to one shield; and the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the finest gold. There were six steps to the throne, and the top of the throne was round behind; and there were armrests on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests. Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps. Nothing like it was made in any kingdom. All king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were of silver, because it was considered of little value in the days of Solomon. For the king had a fleet of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet. Once every three years the fleet of Tarshish came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. All the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. Year after year, every man brought his tribute, vessels of silver, vessels of gold, clothing, armor, spices, horses, and mules. Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he kept in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and cedars as common as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland. The horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt. The king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price. A chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty shekels; and so they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites, and to the kings of Syria.
Parallel Translations
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Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he kept in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem.
The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and cedars as common as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland.
The horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt. The king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price.
A chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty shekels; and so they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites, and to the kings of Syria.
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And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.
And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.
And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.
And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.
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And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen; and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.
And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore-trees that are in the Lowland, for abundance.
And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt; also out of Keveh, the king's merchants buying them of the men of Keveh at a price.
And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty; and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Aram, did they bring them out by their means.
Cross-references (23)
- Deuteronomy 17:16 (vv26, 28) Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he may multiply horses; because…
- 2 Chronicles 9:25 (v26) Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he stationed in the chariot cities, and with…
- 2 Chronicles 9:28 (v28) They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt and out of all lands.
- 1 Kings 4:26 (v26) Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
- Isaiah 31:1-3 (v28) Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they…
Show all 22 cross-references
- Isaiah 36:9 (v28) How then can you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust on Egypt for chariots and for…
- Joshua 1:4 (v29) From the wilderness and this Lebanon even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the great sea…
- 1 Kings 9:19 (v26) all the storage cities that Solomon had, the cities for his chariots, the cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build…
- 2 Kings 7:6-7 (v29) For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians to hear the sound of chariots, and the sound of horses, even the noise of a great army; and…
- 2 Chronicles 1:16-17 (v28) The horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt and from Kue. The king’s merchants purchased them from Kue. They brought up and…
- Proverbs 7:16 (v28) I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
- Genesis 41:42 (v28) Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain…
- Deuteronomy 17:17 (v27) He shall not multiply wives to himself, that his heart not turn away. He shall not greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
- 2 Chronicles 1:14-17 (v26) Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. He had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen that he placed in the…
- 2 Chronicles 1:15-17 (v27) The king made silver and gold to be as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars to be as common as the sycamore trees that are in…
- 2 Chronicles 9:27 (v27) The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars to be as abundant as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland.
- Job 22:24-25 (v27) Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks. The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to…
- Isaiah 2:7 (v26) Their land is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures. Their land also is full of horses, neither is there any…
- Isaiah 19:9 (v28) Moreover those who work in combed flax, and those who weave white cloth, will be confounded.
- Ezekiel 27:7 (v28) Your sail was of fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt, that it might be to you for a banner. Blue and purple from the islands of…
- Hosea 12:10 (v29) I have also spoken to the prophets, and I have multiplied visions; and by the ministry of the prophets I have used parables.
- Malachi 1:1 (v29) A revelation, Yahweh’s word to Israel by Malachi.
22 distinct cross-references across this passage (23 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (16 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv27–29 Or, he made silver as plenteous as stones.
Or, he made silver as plenteous as stones.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv26–29 1Ki 10:26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen:…
1Ki 10:26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.
Ver. 26. And Solomon gathered.] This he did contrary to the law, {Deu 17:16} wherefore also he and his family soon after suffered a change: Gloria enim eius mox facta est ingloria, et fama infamia, ac opulentia paupertas. {a}
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{a} Sic transit gloria mundi.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv26–29 Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen; like a wise…
Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen; like a wise prince, in deep peace providing for war.
A thousand and four hundred chariots: See Poole "1Ki 4:26".
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv26–28 And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem…
And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones,.... By the vast quantity he received from Tarshish; this is an hyperbolical expression:
and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are the vale for abundance; not by the growth of them, but by the importation of them from the dominion of Hiram; this is said in the same figurative way; of the sycamore trees, Rauwolff says (g), they are what the Moors and Arabians calls "mumeitz"; which he describes to be as large and as high as white mulberry trees, and having almost the same leaves, but rounder, and their fruit not unlike our figs, only sweeter, and no little seeds within, and not so good; and are therefore not esteemed, and are commonly sold to the poorer sort, and that they grow in all fields and grounds; of which See Gill on Amo 7:14.
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(g) Travels, par. 1. c. 4. p. 37.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv28–29 Horses, &c. - The two chief commodities of Egypt.…
Horses, &c. - The two chief commodities of Egypt. Price - Solomon received them from Pharaoh at a price agreed between them, and gave this privilege to his merchants, for a tribute to be paid out of it.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv26–29 Verse 26. He had a thousand and four hundred…
Verse 26. He had a thousand and four hundred chariots] 1Kg 4:26.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv26, 27, 29 1Ki 10:26. Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen —…
1Ki 10:26. Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen — Ah! what availed thy boasted wisdom, Solomon, when thou forsookest the only true wisdom, obedience to the commandment of the Lord! Ah! what availed it that thou wast wiser than all the children of the east; that thou couldst speak of trees, from the cedar-tree that was in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop — and of beasts, and of fowls, and of creeping things; when thou forgottest the beginning and the end of wisdom, the fear of the Lord? God had commanded that the kings of Israel should not multiply horses, (Deu 17:16,) and here we find the wisest of their kings multiplying them to a vast extent! Nor did he stop here, but having disobeyed in one point, he soon proceeded to transgress in another. Contrary to the divine prohibition, he also multiplied wives, and the consequence was, as the Lord predicted it would be in such a case, his wives turned away his heart after their gods. And, shameful to tell! the wise Solomon, who not long before had professed that there was no god in heaven above or in the earth beneath, but the God of Israel, is persuaded by his wives to erect altars to Ashtaroth, to Milcom, to Chemosh, and to Molech, and other abominable idols of the heathen, and that even in the hill before Jerusalem, the city of God, the holy city, joining the altars of devils to the altars of the TRUE and ONLY GOD! O sad change! and shameful stupidity! O shocking blindness! and this found in one of the wisest men! Alas! what is man! and what his best wisdom, when he forsakes the word of the Lord! Jer 8:9. What a striking example have we here, that a wilful departing from the commandments of God even in the smallest point at the beginning, may, and probably will, by degrees, lead into the greatest errors, the foulest crimes, and consequently the greatest misery!
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv26–29 See 1Ki 4:26 note. Until the time of Solomon,…
See 1Ki 4:26 note. Until the time of Solomon, war-chariots had not been in use among the Jews, except to a very small extent 1Ch 18:4. Hence, it was necessary for him to put himself on an equality in this respect with neighboring powers.
Cities for chariots - They were probably fortresses upon the borders of his territory, in which he maintained the standing army necessary for the support of his dominion.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv26–29 Hunderd chariots. Paralipomenon, forty thousand horses, in the stables,…
Hunderd chariots. Paralipomenon, forty thousand horses, in the stables, and 12,000 chariots and horsemen; though the chariots may be referred to the former number, conformably to the Hebrew, and to chap. iv. 26. (Menochius) --- Many of the horses were not employed in the chariots, (Salien) which were 1400 in number, 2 Paralipomenon i. 14. (Menochius)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v26 --(See on Ch2 1:14 [and Ch2 9:25].)
--(See on Ch2 1:14 [and Ch2 9:25].)
Next: 1 Kings Chapter 11
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv27–29 27. Cedars made he to be as the sycamore…
27. Cedars made he to be as the sycamore — That is, he imported so much of this valuable wood for building purposes that it lost its rarity in the eyes of the people, and became as common to sight as the sycamore trees that grew so abundantly in the lowlands and valleys.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv26–29 26. And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen] By…
26. And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen] By reason, as Josephus tells us, of the great number of horses which were brought to him in these yearly offerings. The word פרשׁ (parash) here rendered ‘horsemen’ means both the horse for riding and the rider. Just as we speak of so many hundred ‘horse’. סוס (sus) on the other hand was the draught horse.
Here we find the first institution of cavalry in Israel in defiance of the Deuteronomic law. If this book was compiled after Deuteronomy was written we should expect some reference to this violation. There is such a reference about another matter in 1Ki_11:2.
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a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen] The LXX. gives for the first clause ‘four thousand mares for his chariots,’ which agrees as far as the number is concerned with 2Ch_9:25, ‘four thousand stalls for horses and chariots’: though in 2Ch_1:14 we have precisely the same number both of chariots and horsemen specified as is given here.
at Jerusalem] After this the LXX. adds ‘and he was chief over all the kings from the River even unto the land of the Philistines and to the borders of Egypt.’
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv26–29 (26) Gathered together chariots.—See above, 1Ki_4:26. This gathering of…
(26) Gathered together chariots.—See above, 1Ki_4:26. This gathering of chariots—the sign of military conquest and extended empire—is evidently noticed here in connection with the growth of commerce and wealth, as one of the powers which held Solomon’s kingdom together. Josephus (Ant. viii. 7, 4), in mentioning them, gives a vivid description of the use of these chariots and horsemen for progresses of royal magnificence and pleasure. But their chief use was. no doubt, military. The “chariot cities” would be the fortified posts, in the various parts of Solomon’s own dominions and in the tributary countries.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv26–29 And Solomon gathered together his chariots and horsemen, and…
And Solomon gathered together his chariots and horsemen, and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots these words have an important bearing on, 1Ki_4:26, where see note and twelve thousand horsemen. The question may suggest itself here, why did Solomon, who was a "man of peace," maintain such a formidable array of chariots and horsemen? For not only was it in contravention of Deu_17:16 (cf., 1Sa_8:11) but it was entirely unnecessary, especially for a nation inhabiting a hilly country like that of Israel. We find, consequently, that David, when he took a thousand chariots from Hadarezer, (1Ch_18:4) only reserved for his own use one hundred of them, though he was at the time engaged in war. It may perhaps be said that this force was necessary to keep the tributary kings in due subjection. But it seems quite as likely that it was maintained largely for the sake of pomp and display. Solomon seems to have determined in every way, and at any cost, to rival and surpass all contemporary kings. The maintenance of this large force of cavalry is another token of declension, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, (1Ki_9:19) and with the king at Jerusalem.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv26, 28 1,400 chariots and twelve thousand horsemen
1,400 chariots and twelve thousand horsemen
"one thousand four hundred chariots and 12,000 horsemen" (See: Numbers)
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The king had silver in Jerusalem, as much as the stones on the ground
The narrator uses exaggeration to emphasize the great amount of silver that was in Jerusalem. AT: "The king had so much silver in Jerusalem, it was like there was as much silver as there was stones on the ground" (See: Hyperbole and Generalization)
translationWords
chariot
horseman
Jerusalem
cedar
fig
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv26, 28 10:26 1,400 chariots: Prior to Solomon, chariots were not…
10:26 1,400 chariots: Prior to Solomon, chariots were not a significant part of Israel’s army. In fact, Deut 17:16 condemns kings for accumulating horses rather than relying on God. Although archaeological confirmation of the presence of chariots in Solomon’s day is debated, his chariot cities are commonly identified as Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer (1 Kgs 9:15, 19). The Assyrian king Shalmaneser III reported facing a heavy contingent of enemy chariots at the Battle of Qarqar (853 BC), 2,000 of which were supplied by King Ahab of Israel.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.