Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Chronicles 9
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Chronicles 9
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Chronicles 9
"And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great train, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. And Solomon told her all her questions; and there was not anything hid from Solomon which he told her not. And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, his cupbearers also, and their apparel, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of Jehovah; there was no more spirit in her. And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it; and, behold, the half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: thou exceedest the fame that I heard. Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, that stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom. Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on his throne, to be king for Jehovah thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do justice and righteousness. And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, that brought gold from Ophir, brought algum-trees and precious stones. And the king made of the algum-trees terraces for the house of Jehovah, and for the king`s house, and harps and psalteries for the singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah. And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, besides that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants." — 2 Chronicles 9:1-12 (ASV)
The narrative here is parallel with the one in the marginal reference, from which it varies only slightly and to which it adds nothing.
Terraces — Rather, as in the margin, “stairs” (see the note on 1 Kings 10:12).
Besides what she had brought to the king — It is difficult to make sense of these words as they currently stand in the Hebrew text. A slight alteration will yield the meaning, “Besides what the king had brought for her,” which agrees with 1 Kings 10:13.
"And king Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred [shekels] of beaten gold went to one buckler. And [he made] three hundred shields of beaten gold; three hundred [shekels] of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon." — 2 Chronicles 9:15-16 (ASV)
By comparing 1 Kings 10:16–17, it follows from the two passages together that the “pound of gold” was equal to 100 shekels.
"nd there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the stays." — 2 Chronicles 9:18 (ASV)
The footstool (not mentioned in Kings) was an essential appendage to an Eastern throne; it appears everywhere in Egyptian, Assyrian, and Persian sculptures.
"And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart." — 2 Chronicles 9:23 (ASV)
All the kings of the earth - Rather, “all the kings of the land:” all the monarchs, that is, whose dominions were included in Solomon’s empire (see 1 Kings 4:21).
"And they brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt, and out of all lands." — 2 Chronicles 9:28 (ASV)
And out of all lands - This is an addition to the words in Kings. The principal countries would no doubt be Arabia and Armenia—the former always famous for its excellent breed, the latter mentioned in Ezekiel 27:14 as trading with horses in the markets of Tyre.
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