1 Kings 10:27

27 And he made silver to be as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones: and cedars to be as common as sycamores which grow in the plains.

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 every one brought him presents, vessels of silver and of gold, garments, and armour, and spices, and horses, and mules, every year.
26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen, and he had a thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen: and he bestowed them in fenced cities, and with the king in Jerusalem.
27 And he made silver to be as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones: and cedars to be as common as sycamores which grow in the plains.
28 And horses were brought for Solomon out of Egypt, and Coa: for the king’s merchants bought them out of Coa, and brought them at a set price.
29 And a chariot of four horses came out of Egypt, for six hundred sicles of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. And after this manner did all the kings of the Hethites, and of Syria, sell horses.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.