1 Kings 10:22-28

22 He had a fleet of ocean-going ships sailing with Hiram's fleet. Every three years his fleet would return, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys.

23 King Solomon was richer and wiser than any other king,

24 and the whole world wanted to come and listen to the wisdom that God had given him.

25 Everyone who came brought him a gift - articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. This continued year after year.

26 Solomon built up a force of fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand cavalry horses. Some of them he kept in Jerusalem and the rest he stationed in various other cities. ¹

27 During his reign silver was as common in Jerusalem as stone, and cedar was as plentiful as ordinary sycamore in the foothills of Judah. ²

28 The king's agents controlled the export of horses from Musri and Cilicia, ³

1 Kings 10:22-28 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 10

This chapter contains an account of the queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon to her great satisfaction, 1Ki 10:1-13, of Solomon's merchandise and riches, and the magnificence of his court, 1Ki 10:14-23, of the rich presents sent to him, and of the purchase of chariots and horses, and other things, he made, 1Ki 10:24-29.

Cross References

• 1. 10.26 1 Kings 4.26.
• 2. 10.27Deuteronomy 17.17.
• 3. 10.28Deuteronomy 17.16.

Footnotes

• [a]. [Probable text] Musri; [Hebrew] Egypt.
• [b]. musri and cilicia: [Two ancient countries in what is now southeast Turkey which were centers of horse breeding in Solomon's time.]