29 Now the rest H7605 of the acts H1697 of Solomon, H8010 first H7223 and last, H314 are they not written H3789 in the book H1697 of Nathan H5416 the prophet, H5030 and in the prophecy H5016 of Ahijah H281 the Shilonite, H7888 and in the visions H2378 of Iddo H3260 the seer H2374 against Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat? H5028
And the rest H3499 of the acts H1697 of Solomon, H8010 and all that he did, H6213 and his wisdom, H2451 are they not written H3789 in the book H5612 of the acts H1697 of Solomon? H8010 And the time H3117 that Solomon H8010 reigned H4427 in Jerusalem H3389 over all Israel H3478 was forty H705 years. H8141 And Solomon H8010 slept H7901 with his fathers, H1 and was buried H6912 in the city H5892 of David H1732 his father: H1 and Rehoboam H7346 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.
And it came to pass, when the king H4428 sat H3427 in his house, H1004 and the LORD H3068 had given him rest H5117 round about H5439 from all his enemies; H341 That the king H4428 said H559 unto Nathan H5416 the prophet, H5030 See H7200 now, I dwell H3427 in an house H1004 of cedar, H730 but the ark H727 of God H430 dwelleth H3427 within H8432 curtains. H3407 And Nathan H5416 said H559 to the king, H4428 Go, H3212 do H6213 all that is in thine heart; H3824 for the LORD H3068 is with thee.
But Nathan H5416 the prophet, H5030 and Benaiah, H1141 and the mighty men, H1368 and Solomon H8010 his brother, H251 he called H7121 not. Wherefore Nathan H5416 spake H559 unto Bathsheba H1339 the mother H517 of Solomon, H8010 saying, H559 Hast thou not heard H8085 that Adonijah H138 the son H1121 of Haggith H2294 doth reign, H4427 and David H1732 our lord H113 knoweth H3045 it not?
And, lo, while she yet talked H1696 with the king, H4428 Nathan H5416 the prophet H5030 also came in. H935 And they told H5046 the king, H4428 saying, H559 Behold Nathan H5416 the prophet. H5030 And when he was come in H935 before H6440 the king, H4428 he bowed H7812 himself before the king H4428 with his face H639 to the ground. H776 And Nathan H5416 said, H559 My lord, H113 O king, H4428 hast thou said, H559 Adonijah H138 shall reign H4427 after H310 me, and he shall sit H3427 upon my throne? H3678 For he is gone down H3381 this day, H3117 and hath slain H2076 oxen H7794 and fat cattle H4806 and sheep H6629 in abundance, H7230 and hath called H7121 all the king's H4428 sons, H1121 and the captains H8269 of the host, H6635 and Abiathar H54 the priest; H3548 and, behold, they eat H398 and drink H8354 before H6440 him, and say, H559 God save H2421 king H4428 Adonijah. H138 But me, even me thy servant, H5650 and Zadok H6659 the priest, H3548 and Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada, H3077 and thy servant H5650 Solomon, H8010 hath he not called. H7121 Is this thing H1697 done H1961 by my lord H113 the king, H4428 and thou hast not shewed H3045 it unto thy servant, H5650 who should sit H3427 on the throne H3678 of my lord H113 the king H4428 after H310 him?
And king H4428 David H1732 said, H559 Call H7121 me Zadok H6659 the priest, H3548 and Nathan H5416 the prophet, H5030 and Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada. H3077 And they came H935 before H6440 the king. H4428 The king H4428 also said H559 unto them, Take H3947 with you the servants H5650 of your lord, H113 and cause Solomon H8010 my son H1121 to ride H7392 upon mine own mule, H6506 and bring him down H3381 to Gihon: H1521 And let Zadok H6659 the priest H3548 and Nathan H5416 the prophet H5030 anoint H4886 him there king H4428 over Israel: H3478 and blow H8628 ye with the trumpet, H7782 and say, H559 God save H2421 king H4428 Solomon. H8010 Then ye shall come up H5927 after H310 him, that he may come H935 and sit H3427 upon my throne; H3678 for he shall be king H4427 in my stead: and I have appointed H6680 him to be ruler H5057 over Israel H3478 and over Judah. H3063 And Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada H3077 answered H6030 the king, H4428 and said, H559 Amen: H543 the LORD H3068 God H430 of my lord H113 the king H4428 say H559 so too. As the LORD H3068 hath been with my lord H113 the king, H4428 even so be he with Solomon, H8010 and make H1431 his throne H3678 greater H1431 than the throne H3678 of my lord H113 king H4428 David. H1732 So Zadok H6659 the priest, H3548 and Nathan H5416 the prophet, H5030 and Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada, H3077 and the Cherethites, H3774 and the Pelethites, H6432 went down, H3381 and caused Solomon H8010 to ride H7392 upon king H4428 David's H1732 mule, H6506 and brought H3212 him to Gihon. H1521
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 9
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 9
2Ch 9:1-12. The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon; She Admires His Wisdom and Magnificence.
1-4. when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon—(See on 1Ki 10:1-13). It is said that among the things in Jerusalem which drew forth the admiration of Solomon's royal visitor was "his ascent by which he went up into the house of the Lord." This was the arched viaduct that crossed the valley from Mount Zion to the opposite hill. In the commentary on the passage quoted above, allusion was made to the recent discovery of its remains. Here we give a full account of what, for boldness of conceptions for structure and magnificence, was one of the greatest wonders in Jerusalem. "During our first visit to the southwest corner of the area of the mosque, we observed several of the large stones jutting out from the western wall, which at first seemed to be the effect of a bursting of the wall from some mighty shock or earthquake. We paid little regard to this at the moment; but on mentioning the fact not long after to a circle of our friends, the remark was incidentally dropped that the stones had the appearance of having once belonged to a large arch. At this remark, a train of thought flashed across my mind, which I hardly dared to follow out until I had again repaired to the spot, in order to satisfy myself with my own eyes as to the truth or falsehood of the suggestion. I found it even so. The courses of these immense stones occupy their original position; their external surface is hewn to a regular curve; and, being fitted one upon another, they form the commencement or foot of an immense arch which once sprung out from this western wall in a direction towards Mount Zion, across the Tyropœon valley. This arch could only have belonged to the bridge, which, according to Josephus, led from this part of the temple to the Xystus (covered colonnade) on Zion; and it proves incontestably the antiquity of that portion from which it springs" [Robinson]. The distance from this point to the steep rock of Zion Robinson calculates to be about three hundred and fifty feet, the probable length of this ancient viaduct. Another writer adds, that "the arch of this bridge, if its curve be calculated with an approximation to the truth, would measure sixty feet, and must have been one of five sustaining the viaduct (allowing for the abutments on either side), and that the piers supporting the center arch of this bridge must have been of great altitude—not less, perhaps, than one hundred and thirty feet. The whole structure, when seen from the southern extremity of the Tyropœon, must have had an aspect of grandeur, especially as connected with the lofty and sumptuous edifices of the temple, and of Zion to the right and to the left" [Isaac Taylor's Edition of Traill's Josephus].
2Ch 9:13-28. His Riches.
13. Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year—(See on 1Ki 10:14-29).
six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold—The sum named is equal to £3,646,350; and if we take the proportion of silver (2Ch 9:14), which is not taken into consideration, at one to nine, there would be about £200,000, making a yearly supply of nearly £6,000,000, being a vast amount for an infant effort in maritime commerce [Napier].
21. the king's ships went to Tarshish—rather, "the king's ships of Tarshish went" with the servants of Huram.
ships of Tarshish—that is, in burden and construction like the large vessels built for or used at Tarshish [Calmet, Fragments].
25. Solomon had four thousand stalls—It has been conjectured [Gesenius, Hebrew Lexicon] that the original term may signify not only stall or stable, but a number of horses occupying the same number of stalls. Supposing that ten were put together in one part, this would make forty thousand. According to this theory of explanation, the historian in Kings refers to horses [see 1Ki 10:26]; while the historian in Chronicles speaks of the stalls in which they were kept. But more recent critics reject this mode of solving the difficulty, and, regarding the four thousand stalls as in keeping with the general magnificence of Solomon's establishments, are agreed in considering the text in Kings as corrupt, through the error of some copyist.
28. they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt—(See on 2Ch 1:14). Solomon undoubtedly carried the Hebrew kingdom to its highest pitch of worldly glory. His completion of the grand work, the centralizing of the national worship at Jerusalem, whither the natives went up three times a year, has given his name a prominent place in the history of the ancient church. But his reign had a disastrous influence upon "the peculiar people," and the example of his deplorable idolatries, the connections he formed with foreign princes, the commercial speculations he entered into, and the luxuries introduced into the land, seem in a great measure to have altered and deteriorated the Jewish character.