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- Chapter 9
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Introduction
The queen of Sheba visits Solomon, and is sumptuously entertained by him, Ch2 9:1-12. His great riches, Ch2 9:13, Ch2 9:14. He makes targets and shields of beaten gold, and a magnificent ivory throne, and various utensils of gold, Ch2 9:15-20. His navigation to Tarshish, and the commodities brought thence, Ch2 9:21. His magnificence and political connections, Ch2 9:22-28. The writers of his life, Ch2 9:29. He reigns forty years, and is succeeded by his son Rehoboam, Ch2 9:30, Ch2 9:31.
Verse 1
The queen of Sheba - See all the particulars of this royal visit distinctly marked and explained in the notes on Kg1 10:1-10 (note). The Targum calls her queen of Zemargad.
Verse 12
Beside that which she had brought unto the king - In Kg1 10:13 it is stated that Solomon gave her all she asked, besides that which he gave her of his royal bounty. It is not at all likely that he gave her back the presents which she brought to him, and which he had accepted. She had, no doubt, asked for several things which were peculiar to the land of Judea, and would be curiosities in her own kingdom; and besides these, he gave her other valuable presents.
Verse 14
The kings of Arabia - "The kings of Sistevantha." - Targum.
Verse 15
And King Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold - For a more correct valuation of these targets and shields than that in Kg1 10:17 (note), see at the end of the chapter.
Verse 17
Made a great throne of ivory - For a very curious description of the throne of Solomon, see at the end of the chapter, Ch2 9:29 (note).
Verse 21
The king's ships went to Tarshish - "Went to Africa." - Targum.
Verse 25
Four thousand stalls for horses - See the note on Kg1 4:26, where the different numbers in these two books are considered. The Targum, instead of four thousand, has ארבע מאה arba meah, four hundred.
Verse 29
Nathan the prophet - These books are all lost. See the account of Solomon, his character, and a review of his works, at the end of Kg1 11:43 (note). I. By the kindness of a learned friend, who has made this kind of subjects his particular study, I am able to give a more correct view of the value of the talent of gold and the talent of silver than that which I have quoted Kg1 10:17, from Mr. Reynold's State of the Greatest King. 1. To find the equivalent in British standard to an ounce troy of pure gold, valued at eighty shillings, and to a talent of the same which weighs one thousand eight hundred ounces troy. The ounce contains four hundred and eighty grains, and the guinea weighs one hundred and twenty-nine grains, or five pennyweights and nine grains. (1) As 129 grains: 21 shillings:: 480, the number of grains in an ounce: 78.1395348s. or 3l. 18s. 1d. 2.69767q.; the equivalent in our silver coin to one ounce of standard gold. (2) As 78.1395348 shillings, the value of an ounce of standard gold,: 80 shillings, the value of an ounce troy of pure gold,:: 80 shillings: 81.9047619 shillings, the equivalent in British standard to one ounce of pure gold. Instead of the preceding, the following proportions may be used: - (1) As 21.5 shillings: 21 shillings:: 80 shillings: 78.1395348 shillings. This multiplied by 1800, the number of troy ounces in a Hebrew talent, gives 140651.16264s. or 7032l. 11s. 1d. 3.8q., the equivalent to one talent of standard gold. (2) As 21 standard: 21.5 pure:: 80 pure: 81.9047619 standard. This multiplied by 1800 gives 147428.67142s. or 7371l. 8s. 6d. 3.4q., the equivalent to one talent of pure gold. 2. To find the equivalent in British standard to a talent of pure silver, which is valued at four hundred and fifty pounds sterling, or five shillings the ounce troy. The pound troy is 240 pennyweights; and our silver coin has 18 pennyweights of alloy in the pound. From 240 pennyweights take 18, and there will remain 222 pennyweights, the pure silver in the pound. Now as 240 pennyweights: 222 pennyweights:: 20 pennyweights, the weight of a crown piece,: 18 1/2 pennyweights, the weight of the pure silver in the crown. Then, as 18.5 pennyweights: 6 shillings:: 36000, the number of dwts. in a talent,: 9729.729729729729 shillings, or 486 9s. 8 3/4d., the equivalent in our coin to a talent of pure silver. Example 1. To find the equivalent in British standard to the one hundred and twenty talents of gold which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon, Ch2 9:9. 147428.57142 s. equivalent to one talent of pure gold, 120 number of talents [as found above]. 17691428.5704 = 884,571 8 s. 6 3/4 d., the equivalent to 120 talents. Example 2. To find the equivalent in British standard to Solomon's two hundred targets of beaten gold, each six hundred shekels; and to his three hundred shields, each three hundred shekels, Ch2 9:15, Ch2 9:16. A talent is three thousand shekels; therefore six hundred shekels are one-fifth, and three hundred are one-tenth of a talent. -