Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Kings 10:11

"And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug-trees and precious stones." — 1 Kings 10:11 (ASV)

The navy of Hiram — that is, Solomon’s navy in the Red Sea, which was chiefly manned by subjects of Hiram (see the marginal reference).

Almug-trees — These were probably the sandalwood tree (pterocarpus santalinus). The wood is very heavy, hard, and fine-grained, and has a beautiful garnet color, which, according to the rabbinical writers, was the color of the algum. One of the names for red sandalwood in its native country of India is “valguka,” a word from which “algum” is a natural corruption.