Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 9:14

"besides that which the traders and merchants brought: and all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon." — 2 Chronicles 9:14 (ASV)

Besides that which traders and merchants brought.—The Hebrew is difficult and probably corrupt. Literally, it seems to run, besides the men of the itinerants (a strange phrase), and that which the merchants were bringing; or, perhaps, apart from the men of the itinerants and the merchants bringing. The last word may be a clerical error, as it occurs again directly.

The conjecture of Thenius on 1 Kings 10:15 seems to be supported by the ancient Versions. Instead of ’anshê ha-târîm, “men of the travellers,” he would read ‘onshê ha-r’dûyîm, “fines or tributes of the subjects.” The Syriac of Chronicles has “tributes of the cities.” Perhaps, therefore, the true original reading was ‘onshê he‘arîm. The Vulgate renders it “envoys of various peoples,” but the Septuagint has “men of the subjected (states).”

For the second half of the phrase, Kings has, and the merchandise of the peddlers.

The kings of Arabia.—Kings, the kings of the mixed tribes; that is, the Bêdâwîs, bordering on and mingling with Israel. (Compare to Exodus 12:38.) The difference depends on the vowel pointing only. (Compare to Jeremiah 25:24, where both words occur, and Ezekiel 30:5.)

Governors.—Pachôth, i.e., pashas. Thenius is wrong in assuming this word to be an indication of the “later composition of the section.” (See Note on 2 Kings 18:24.)

Brought.—Were bringing = used to bring. (Compare to 2 Chronicles 9:23–24.)