1 Kings 10:27

27 The king made silver as common as rocks and cedar as common as the fig trees in the lowland hills.

1 Kings 10:27 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 10:27

And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones
By the vast quantity he received from Tarshish; this is an hyperbolical expression:

and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are the vale for
abundance;
not by the growth of them, but by the importation of them from the dominion of Hiram; this is said in the same figurative way; of the sycamore trees, Rauwolff says F7, they are what the Moors and Arabians calls "mumeitz"; which he describes to be as large and as high as white mulberry trees, and having almost the same leaves, but rounder, and their fruit not unlike our figs, only sweeter, and no little seeds within, and not so good; and are therefore not esteemed, and are commonly sold to the poorer sort, and that they grow in all fields and grounds; of which (See Gill on Amos 7:14).


FOOTNOTES:

F7 Travels, par. 1. c. 4. p. 37.

1 Kings 10:27 In-Context

25 And everyone who came brought gifts - artifacts of gold and silver, fashionable robes and gowns, the latest in weapons, exotic spices, and horses and mules - parades of visitors, year after year.
26 Solomon collected chariots and horses: fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses! He stabled them in the special chariot cities as well as in Jerusalem.
27 The king made silver as common as rocks and cedar as common as the fig trees in the lowland hills.
28 His horses were brought in from Egypt and Cilicia, specially acquired by the king's agents.
29 Chariots from Egypt went for fifteen pounds of silver and a horse for about three and three-quarter pounds of silver. Solomon carried on a brisk horse-trading business with the Hittite and Aramean royal houses.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.