6 Howbeit I believed H539 not their words, H1697 until I came, H935 and mine eyes H5869 had seen H7200 it: and, behold, the one half H2677 of the greatness H4768 of thy wisdom H2451 was not told H5046 me: for thou exceedest H3254 the fame H8052 that I heard. H8085
What is thy beloved H1730 more than another beloved, H1730 O thou fairest H3303 among women? H802 what is thy beloved H1730 more than another beloved, H1730 that thou H3602 dost so charge H7650 us? My beloved H1730 is white H6703 and ruddy, H122 the chiefest H1713 among ten thousand. H7233 His head H7218 is as the most H3800 fine gold, H6337 his locks H6977 are bushy, H8534 and black H7838 as a raven. H6158 His eyes H5869 are as the eyes of doves H3123 by the rivers H650 of waters, H4325 washed H7364 with milk, H2461 and fitly set. H3427 H4402 His cheeks H3895 are as a bed H6170 of spices, H1314 as sweet H4840 flowers: H4026 his lips H8193 like lilies, H7799 dropping H5197 sweet smelling H5674 myrrh. H4753 His hands H3027 are as gold H2091 rings H1550 set H4390 with the beryl: H8658 his belly H4578 is as bright H6247 ivory H8127 overlaid H5968 with sapphires. H5601 His legs H7785 are as pillars H5982 of marble, H8336 set H3245 upon sockets H134 of fine gold: H6337 his countenance H4758 is as Lebanon, H3844 excellent H977 as the cedars. H730 His mouth H2441 is most sweet: H4477 yea, he is altogether lovely. H4261 This is my beloved, H1730 and this is my friend, H7453 O daughters H1323 of Jerusalem. H3389
The other G243 disciples G3101 therefore G3767 said G3004 unto him, G846 We have seen G3708 the Lord. G2962 But G1161 he said G2036 unto them, G846 Except G3362 I shall see G1492 in G1722 his G846 hands G5495 the print G5179 of the nails, G2247 and G2532 put G906 my G3450 finger G1147 into G1519 the print G5179 of the nails, G2247 and G2532 thrust G906 my G3450 hand G5495 into G1519 his G846 side, G4125 I will G4100 not G3364 believe. G4100 And G2532 after G3326 eight G3638 days G2250 again G3825 his G846 disciples G3101 were G2258 within, G2080 and G2532 Thomas G2381 with G3326 them: G846 then came G2064 Jesus, G2424 the doors G2374 being shut, G2808 and G2532 stood G2476 in G1519 the midst, G3319 and G2532 said, G2036 Peace G1515 be unto you. G5213 Then G1534 saith he G3004 to Thomas, G2381 Reach G5342 hither G5602 thy G4675 finger, G1147 and G2532 behold G1492 my G3450 hands; G5495 and G2532 reach hither G5342 thy G4675 hand, G5495 and G2532 thrust G906 it into G1519 my G3450 side: G4125 and G2532 be G1096 not G3361 faithless, G571 but G235 believing. G4103 And G2532 Thomas G2381 answered G611 and G2532 said G2036 unto him, G846 My G3450 Lord G2962 and G2532 my G3450 God. G2316 Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto him, G846 Thomas, G2381 because G3754 thou hast seen G3708 me, G3165 thou hast believed: G4100 blessed G3107 are they that have not G3361 seen, G1492 and G2532 yet have believed. G4100
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.