Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 8:18

"And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they came with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and fetched from thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon." — 2 Chronicles 8:18 (ASV)

And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships. — When Solomon began to show an interest in maritime affairs, his Tyrian ally presented him with a number of vessels and their crews of trained seamen. It is not expressly stated to what port the vessels were sent. They probably put in at Joppa (2 Chronicles 2:16). Others assume the meaning to be that the ships were sent from Tyre to Ezion-geber, and then ask whether they were dragged across the desert that divides the Mediterranean from the Gulf of Aqaba, or whether they circumnavigated Africa. The dilemma is only apparent.

The Greek historians of later times often speak of the transport of ships overland, and the galleys of Solomon’s age were probably small. Even the circumnavigation of Africa was achieved by a Phoenician expedition sent out by Necho about four centuries later (Herodotus 4.42). But neither alternative seems necessary. If Huram provided Solomon with skilled mariners, they would naturally sail from Tyre to Joppa in their own ships. The Tyrian vessels may have been left at Joppa, while a portion of their crews proceeded, by Solomon’s order, to Ezion-geber. In short, “ships and servants” means “ships with servants,” or “ships conveying servants.”

And they went. — Huram’s mariners. Compare 1 Kings 9:27: And Huram sent in the fleet (which Solomon had built) his servants, men of ships that had knowledge of the sea. So the Syriac and Arabic versions read here.

To Ophir. — See 1 Kings 9:28. The Septuagint has Sophira.

Fifty. — In Kings, it is twenty. The difference may be due to a scribe’s error, the letter kaf being confused with nun.