Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Kings 10:28

"And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt; and the king`s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price." — 1 Kings 10:28 (ASV)

The word translated “linen yarn” is now thought by Hebraists to mean “a troop” or “company.” If this reading is retained, the passage would be translated: “Regarding the transport of Solomon’s horses out of Egypt, a company of the king’s merchants acquired a troop of horses at a set price.” However, the reading is very uncertain.

The Septuagint translators evidently had a different Hebrew text before them, which they render as “and from Tekoa.” Tekoa, the hometown of the prophet Amos (Amos 1:1), was a small town on the route from Egypt to Jerusalem, through which the horses would have naturally passed.

Monuments from the 18th and later dynasties make it clear that the horse, though introduced from abroad, became very abundant in Egypt. Throughout the entire period of Egyptian prosperity, the chariot corps formed a large and effective part of the army.

The abundance of horses in Egypt at the time of the Exodus is evident from several passages (Exodus 9:3; 14:9, 23, 28; Deuteronomy 17:16). That they remained numerous in later times is also apparent from frequent allusions in both the Historical Books and the Prophets, such as in 2 Kings 7:6; 18:24; Isaiah 36:9; and Ezekiel 17:15.

Furthermore, the monuments show that the horse was used by the Egyptians in times of peace as much as in war, with private individuals often depicted visiting their friends in chariots.