The queen of Sheba comes to prove him with hard questions and finds the half was not told; the gold, the ivory throne, and the peak of Solomon's glory.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon because of the name of Hashem, she came to prove him with hard questions.
verse value 4576
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 43 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 4576 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·name·of" (לְשֵׁ֣ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·queen·of·Sheba" (וּמַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֗א, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·queen·of·Sheba" (וּמַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֗א), "fame·of" (אֶת־שֵׁ֥מַע), "to·test·him" (לְנַסֹּת֖וֹ). The root שמע appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·queen·of·Sheba" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 254x in I Kings); "Solomon" (root שלמה, 162x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: וּמַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֗א [and·queen·of·Sheba] (799) + שֹׁמַ֛עַת [heard] (810) + אֶת־שֵׁ֥מַע [fame·of] (811) + שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה [Solomon] (375) + לְשֵׁ֣ם [to·name·of] (370) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + וַתָּבֹ֥א [and·came] (409) + לְנַסֹּת֖וֹ [to·test·him] (546) + בְּחִידֽוֹת [in·riddles] (430) = 4576.
Radak
"She heard." [She] continually hears the fame of Solomon:
And she came to test him with riddles. That is to say, with matters that are obscure in wisdom. And what he said "for the sake of the Name"—because most of the magicians and sorcerers who engage in foreign wisdoms do not perform their work for the sake of the Name, whereas Solomon’s wisdom was for the sake of the Name—therefore she came to speak with him, to inquire into his wisdom, for she herself was wise.
Ralbag
“And the Queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame for the sake of the Name of the Lord.” This means that she heard of the fame of Solomon’s wisdom for the sake of the Name of the Lord, and the intention is that his wisdom came from God, as previously stated: “Behold, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there was no one like you before you.” And the intention of the phrase “for the sake of the Name of the Lord” is because of the Name of the Lord. Or, the intention here is that she heard his fame, that everything he did he did for the sake of the Name of the Lord, and for this reason he was constantly attached to it, and he excelled in wisdom because of this, for this is one of the great instruments for attaining wisdom. Or, the intention is that he possessed wondrous wisdom and did not use it except for the sake of the Name of the Lord, to perform righteousness and justice, as we find regarding the prostitutes who came before him. And the first explanation is more correct according to my opinion.
And she came to test him with riddles, to examine his wisdom: whether he would grasp the secret of those riddles, for which they were intended. For by this, wisdom would be tested—whether it is a gift from God. If indeed the matter is so, he would grasp the intention that was intended in them, even though they may bear other intentions as well.
Metzudat David
For the name of the Lord. Meaning: she heard that his wisdom was not of human nature, but it was given to him by the Lord.
To prove him with hard questions. To ask him obscure matters difficult to know; and if he would tell them, she would surely know that his wisdom was from the Lord.
Malbim
And the Queen of Sheba: The explanation of Abarbanel is that the servants of Solomon, who went in the ships of Ophir, passed on their way through the land of Sheba, the sea surrounding which connects with the Sea of Reeds on the western side. And they recounted Solomon’s wisdom, and she heard of his fame for the sake of the Name, meaning that his wisdom was divine, not natural. And she came to test him with riddles, for it is impossible through human wisdom alone to explain all riddles, whose meaning is sometimes hidden, like the riddle of Samson, which it was not possible to solve, for who would predict that he had killed a lion and that a swarm of bees and honey had formed in its carcass?
And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bore spices and gold very much, and precious stones; and when she was come to Solomon, she spoke with him of all that was in her heart.
verse value 5273
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 88 letters. Notable word values: "heavy" (כָּבֵ֣ד) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "heavy" (כָּבֵ֣ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·Jerusalem" (יְרוּשָׁלְַ֗מָה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 409: and·came, and·came. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "to·Jerusalem" (יְרוּשָׁלְַ֗מָה), "in·retinue" (בְּחַ֘יִל֮), "camels" (גְּ֠מַלִּ֠ים). The root בוא appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "all·that" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "was" (root היה, 196x in I Kings); "and·spoke" (root דבר, 191x in I Kings). First appearance of the root בשם ("spices") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'precious', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 8 words.
Ralbag
"with very great retinue." The intent is many possessions and acquisitions, as in the sense of "your wealth and all your treasures."
Metzudat David
With all that was in her heart. That she had hidden from every person and kept in her heart, not revealing it from of old, so as to determine whether the matter would be known to Solomon.
Metzudat Zion
B'chail. Wealth and possessions; like (Jeremiah 17:3) 'your wealth and all your treasures' (chilcha uchol otzarotecha):
Kaved. A matter of abundance:
Yakra. Precious:
Malbim
(2–7) The questions: Why did she choose to test him specifically with riddles, rather than with matters of wisdom and knowledge? From this we learn from the verse, "And she told him all her words," which should have read, "all her questions" or "all her riddles." And what is the meaning of the duplication in "the sitting of his servants and the standing of his attendants"? And from this we learn from the verse, "That I have heard of your words and of your wisdom," which is a redundant expression.
And she came; and even though she could have traveled by sea with the king’s ships, for her honor’s sake she traveled by way of the desert; therefore she came with a heavy force to guard her on the way.
And she spoke to him all that was in her heart. This teaches that it was from the Divine wisdom granted to Solomon's heart that he knew how to discern the inner speech of the heart from the external utterance, for the tongue is the heart's emissary and speaks on its behalf. However, the speech of the heart is explicit and orderly, whereas the tongue poses riddles and speaks in parables. Solomon understood from her external speech the inner speech that was in her heart, and therefore:
And Solomon told her all her questions; there was not any thing hid from the king which he told her not.
verse value 2326
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 48 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֦א, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·her·questions" (אֶת־כׇּל־דְּבָרֶ֑יהָ, 9 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·he·told·to·her" (וַיַּגֶּד־לָ֥הּ), "all·her·questions" (אֶת־כׇּל־דְּבָרֶ֑יהָ), "concealed" (נֶעְלָ֣ם). The root נגד appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "which" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "from·the·king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "not·was" (root היה, 196x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'all·her·questions', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַיַּגֶּד־לָ֥הּ [and·he·told·to·her] (58) + שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה [Solomon] (375) + אֶת־כׇּל־דְּבָרֶ֑יהָ [all·her·questions] (672) + לֹֽא־הָיָ֤ה [not·was] (51) + דָבָר֙ [word] (206) + נֶעְלָ֣ם [concealed] (190) + מִן־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ [from·the·king] (185) + אֲשֶׁ֧ר [which] (501) + לֹ֦א [not] (31) + הִגִּ֖יד [told] (22) + לָֽהּ [to·her] (35) = 2326.
Ralbag
And Solomon told her all her words. This means: the matters that she had in mind in those riddles.
Metzudat David
All that she asked him.
There was no word. From all the words of her riddles there was no word hidden from the king that he did not tell her; for he knew all and told her all of them.
Malbim
And Solomon told her all her words: that at the time he answered her riddle, he told her own words themselves, for he understood her essential, heart-based speech, and thereby he knew the secrets of her heart. For example, when Samson said, "Out of the strong came forth sweetness," although the external utterance was a riddle, the internal intent meant that "the strong one" was the lion and "the sweet" was the honey, and he was referring to the incident that had occurred with the lion. And this Solomon knew, because he understood the thought of the heart that is connected with the speech through the wisdom of God that was in him, and therefore nothing was hidden from the king.
And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,
verse value 3675
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 34 letters. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֥ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "queen·of·Sheba" (מַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֔א, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·saw" (וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙), "all·wise" (כׇּל־חׇכְמַ֣ת). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "and·the·house" (root בית, 191x in I Kings); "Solomon" (root שלמה, 162x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Solomon', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words.
Ralbag
“And the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, etc.” This indicates that the house which he built was constructed with wondrous wisdom; likewise, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the standing of his attendants, their garments, and his beverages which he would drink — some for nourishment and some for medicinal purposes — all were arranged with wisdom. Likewise, the ascent by which he would go up to the House of the Lord from his own house was also made with wisdom. Now, the intent of its saying “and his olato [which sounds like: his burnt offering] which he would offer up at the House of the Lord” is: his aliyato — his ascent, his staircase — and so it is written [with that spelling] in the Book of Chronicles.
Malbim
“And she saw” – in addition to this, she saw all of Solomon’s wisdom, in all kinds of wisdom, and “the house” – namely, the houses that he built.
and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his burnt-offering which he offered in the house of Hashem, there was no more spirit in her.
verse value 4862
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 77 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 4862 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "in·her" (בָ֛הּ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·their·apparel" (וּמַלְבֻּֽשֵׁיהֶם֙, 8 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·food·of" (וּמַאֲכַ֣ל), "his·table" (שֻׁלְחָנ֡וֹ), "and·seat·of" (וּמוֹשַׁ֣ב). The root עלה appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "which" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 254x in I Kings); "and·not·was" (root היה, 196x in I Kings). First appearance of the root רוח ("spirit") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 4 words.
Rashi
"And his burnt-offering which he shall offer up to the House of the Lord": [This refers to] the path of entry that he prepared from his house to the Temple, by which he would ascend to the House of the Lord:
Radak
"And his wine service." And in Chronicles: "and his wine service, and their garments," for every matter of his house was very well ordered, and the garments of every servant according to what was fitting for the service that he performed.
"And his ascent by which he would go up to the House of the Lord." The steps that he made to ascend from his house to the Temple were constructed with wisdom and craftsmanship, and similarly in Chronicles it says "his ascent." But Jonathan translated: "And his burnt offering that he brings up to the House of the Sanctuary of the Lord." And "there was no more spirit left in her"—because she was so amazed at his wisdom.
Metzudat David
And the sitting of his servants. Each in his proper place. And so was the standing of his attendants; each in his proper place for his service.
And their clothing. The fitting for each according to what he is.
And his going up. The way of his going up to the house of the Lord.
And there was not, etc. He said this in a language of exaggeration due to the great astonishment.
Malbim
And his table's food, which surpassed the tables of all kings in quantity and quality; and the seating of his servants, who ate at the king's table, whose seating was arranged in order according to their rank, each man according to his worth; and the standing positions of his attendants, who served at the king's table, each one had a specific standing position according to his service; and likewise their garments, each one had a distinctive garment of his own according to his work. The cooks had a specific standing position and garment, and likewise the perfumers and the bakers and their like, and each one knew his place and was recognizable by his garment; and his drinks, which were of many kinds and from various countries; and his ascent, which was the staircase he made from almug wood, by which he ascended from his house to the House of the Lord, as will be mentioned in verse 12, which was very precious and wondrous; and in Chronicles it says "and his aliyah [ascent]."
Cross-references: Joshua 5:1; I Kings 17:17; II Chronicles 9:4
And she said to the king: ‘It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of your acts, and of your wisdom.
verse value 3999
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 49 letters. The shortest word is "true" (אֱמֶת֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·concerning·your·wisdom" (וְעַל־חׇכְמָתֶֽךָ, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "in·my·land" (בְּאַרְצִ֑י), "of·your·acts" (עַל־דְּבָרֶ֖יךָ), "and·concerning·your·wisdom" (וְעַל־חׇכְמָתֶֽךָ). The root דבר appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "and·she·said" (root אמר, 324x in I Kings); "was" (root היה, 196x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·my·land', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ [and·she·said] (647) + אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ [to·the·king] (126) + אֱמֶת֙ [true] (441) + הָיָ֣ה [was] (20) + הַדָּבָ֔ר [the·word] (211) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [that] (501) + שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי [I·heard] (820) + בְּאַרְצִ֑י [in·my·land] (303) + עַל־דְּבָרֶ֖יךָ [of·your·acts] (336) + וְעַל־חׇכְמָתֶֽךָ [and·concerning·your·wisdom] (594) = 3999.
Malbim
It is true, for the scholar has already stated that those engaged in theoretical wisdom find it difficult to attain perfection in practical intellect as well, since the subjects of theoretical study are abstract concepts, divorced from materiality, and they do not pay attention to political and practical conduct, which is bound up with material matters. And I have heard in my land of your words, namely, your management of your household and your state, and of your wisdom in intellectual matters; therefore:
However I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it; and, behold, the half was not told me; you have wisdom and prosperity exceeding the fame which I heard.
verse value 5316
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 79 letters. The shortest word is "until" (עַ֤ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·not·I·believed" (וְלֹא־הֶאֱמַ֣נְתִּי, 9 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·not·I·believed" (וְלֹא־הֶאֱמַ֣נְתִּי), "to·the·words" (לַדְּבָרִ֗ים), "that·I·came" (אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֙אתִי֙). The root אשר appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·I·came" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "to·the·words" (root דבר, 191x in I Kings); "to·the·report" (root איל, 125x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'half', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 6 words.
Ralbag
"To the report that I have heard." The intent is regarding the report that I have heard from your wisdom and from the good that will be arranged from you, which will be added according to what I have found from you, and it is very good. Or perhaps the intent is in His saying "to the report," meaning concerning the report, and behold, the good, the judgment, and the righteousness were arranged from Him.
Metzudat David
You have exceeded. The wisdom found in you is greater than what was told to me.
Malbim
I did not believe the reports, whether on the grounds that both qualities would not be found together, or on account of the exaggeration with which they exaggerated in describing the breadth of his heart. Until I came and my eyes saw, having witnessed the extent of his wisdom, and also having seen how, alongside his theoretical wisdom, he was also complete in the conduct of the household and the state, as it is written: "And she saw all the wisdom of Solomon," which refers to theoretical wisdom, "and the house that he built, and the food of his table, etc." And behold, half had not been told to me, for natural wisdom can be said to have a limit, and the fame of a wise man spreads farther to distant places than to those nearby, for one who sees him will see that his wisdom has a limit and it is impossible for him to know all things, and also that his knowledge is not clear. But the wisdom of Solomon was divine, and his heart was like a spring flowing from the divine source within him; it increases every moment, and the source grows greater as long as they continue to draw water from its depths. And with this in mind it says, "You have added wisdom and goodness," meaning: in "wisdom" it refers to intellectual comprehension, and in "goodness" it refers to good conduct.
Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, that stand continually before you, and that hear your wisdom.
verse value 3712
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 49 letters. Notable word values: "these" (אֵ֑לֶּה) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "these" (אֵ֑לֶּה, 3 letters) and the longest is "your·wisdom" (אֶת־חׇכְמָתֶֽךָ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 511: happiness, happiness. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "your·men" (אֲנָשֶׁ֔יךָ), "continually" (תָּמִ֔יד), "that·hear" (הַשֹּׁמְעִ֖ים). The root אשר appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "happiness" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "to·your·face" (root פנים, 95x in I Kings); "your·men" (root איש, 79x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'these', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: אַשְׁרֵ֣י [happiness] (511) + אֲנָשֶׁ֔יךָ [your·men] (381) + אַשְׁרֵ֖י [happiness] (511) + עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ [your·servants] (106) + אֵ֑לֶּה [these] (36) + הָעֹמְדִ֤ים [pillar] (169) + לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ [to·your·face] (190) + תָּמִ֔יד [continually] (454) + הַשֹּׁמְעִ֖ים [that·hear] (465) + אֶת־חׇכְמָתֶֽךָ [your·wisdom] (889) = 3712.
Malbim
“Happy are they” is said in contrast to “guidance,” meaning: “Happy are your people, who are guided by you”; and “happy are your servants” is said in contrast to “wisdom,” meaning: “Happy are your servants, these who are the king’s servants, close to him, for by virtue of standing before you constantly, they hear your wisdom.”
Blessed be Hashem your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel; because Hashem loved Israel for ever, therefore made He you king, to do justice and righteousness.’
verse value 6112
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 82 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֤ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "in·you" (בְּךָ֔, 2 letters) and the longest is "Israel" (אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "to·give·you" (לְתִתְּךָ֖), "in·love·of" (בְּאַהֲבַ֨ת), "and·put·you" (וַיְשִֽׂימְךָ֣). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "who" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "to·king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 254x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Israel', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 9 words.
Metzudat David
In the love of the Lord. On account of the love of the Lord for Israel, He set you over them as king, to do with the breadth of your wisdom judgment and righteousness.
Malbim
“May the Lord, your God, be blessed” – the measure of the verse is that, in the love of the Lord for Israel forever, “He delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel.” For through the love of the Lord for Israel, He gave them a good provider like you, who will execute justice and righteousness. By this, the people will be blessed, for according to the merit of the people and the love of the Lord for them, He watches over them to give them a wise king who loves righteousness and justice.
And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones; there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.
verse value 5950
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 84 letters. Verse gematria: 5950 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "which·she·gave" (אֲשֶׁר־נָתְנָ֥ה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 120: to·the·king, to·the·king. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·gave" (וַתִּתֵּ֨ן), "as·the·spice" (כַבֹּ֨שֶׂם), "which·she·gave" (אֲשֶׁר־נָתְנָ֥ה). The root מלך appears 2 times in this verse. 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "which·she·gave" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "to·the·king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "Solomon" (root שלמה, 162x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'precious', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 10 words.
Ralbag
"There came no more such abundance of that spice." This means that such a large quantity of that particular perfume did not occur again.
"Trees of coral." Coral in the vernacular, and it is a tree that grows in certain seas.
And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of sandal-wood and precious stones.
verse value 2845
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 58 letters. Notable word values: "he·brought" (הֵבִ֨יא) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "and·also" (וְגַם֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "that·brought" (אֲשֶׁר־נָשָׂ֥א, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "that·brought" (אֲשֶׁר־נָשָׂ֥א), "from·Ophir" (מֵאוֹפִ֑יר), "from·Ophir" (מֵאֹפִ֜יר). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·brought" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "he·brought" (root בוא, 109x in I Kings); "gold" (root זהב, 44x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·Ophir', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 8 words. Full calculation: וְגַם֙ [and·also] (49) + אֳנִ֣י [navy] (61) + חִירָ֔ם [Hiram] (258) + אֲשֶׁר־נָשָׂ֥א [that·brought] (852) + זָהָ֖ב [gold] (14) + מֵאוֹפִ֑יר [from·Ophir] (337) + הֵבִ֨יא [he·brought] (18) + מֵאֹפִ֜יר [from·Ophir] (331) + עֲצֵ֧י [tree] (170) + אַלְמֻגִּ֛ים [sandal-wood] (124) + הַרְבֵּ֥ה [be or become great] (212) + מְאֹ֖ד [very] (45) + וְאֶ֥בֶן [stone] (59) + יְקָרָֽה [precious] (315) = 2845.
Rashi
“Trees of almugim”: [Rendered] “coreil” in the vernacular [Old French; i.e., coral].
Radak
"Trees of coral." And in Chronicles it says "algummim," and it is one [word], like "kevesh" and "kesev" [transposed letters], and it is the tree called "coral."
Metzudat Zion
Almogim. It is a species of precious and distinguished wood:
Malbim
The questions: Regarding what is written, "And I also, Hiram," its place is not here, but rather at the end of the preceding chapter, where he spoke about the ships; it should have been stated there.
"And I also, Hiram" – Abarbanel explains: Since it was mentioned above that he marveled at his ascent, that he was ascending by it to the House of the Lord, he comes to relate the excellence of the ascent, which was recorded so extensively, because it was entirely made of almug wood, which is extremely precious. And such [wood] had not been seen until this day, for they were extremely rare in existence. Yet they were found with him in abundance, to the extent that he made from them supports for the House of the Lord and for the King's House, as well as musical instruments, which require large trees – and this is not found at all of this species.
And the king made of the sandal-wood pillars for the house of Hashem, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for the singers; there came no such sandal-wood, nor was seen, to this day.
verse value 4609
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 89 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "for·house·of·Hashem" (לְבֵית־יְהֹוָה֙, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 95: king, king. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "trees·of" (אֶת־עֲצֵ֨י), "the·sandal-wood" (הָאַלְמֻגִּ֜ים), "support" (מִסְעָ֤ד). The root מלך appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "for·house·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 254x in I Kings); "and·for·house" (root בית, 191x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·singers', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 9 words.
Rashi
"A support for the House of the Lord." And in Chronicles II 9:11 it is written: "Highways for the House of the Lord." Therefore I say that this term "supports" (masa'ad) means flooring.
"To the princes": To the sons of Levi.
Radak
"Mas'ad" (support). And in Chronicles it is written "maslot" (supports), and its meaning is pillars for supporting the ceilings.
"And it was not seen." And in Chronicles: "and it was not seen by them formerly in the land of Judah":
Ralbag
“Supporting the House of the Lord and the King’s House.” Now, in the Book of Chronicles it is written in place of this “walkways,” and for this reason I think that in the ascent by which one would go up to the House of the Lord from the King’s House, he [Solomon] made something like a railing from coral wood, on which a person could lean during his walk on this ascent. And so is the matter with the other ascents that were in the House of the Lord and in the King’s House, for there were no steps in them, neither in the ramp of the altar nor in the ascents by which one would go up to the galleries, as has been clarified from our words. And the Torah stated, “You shall not go up by steps to My altar,” and it seems that the King arranged similarly in his house, so that a person’s nakedness would not be exposed when ascending there. And in any case, the railing served as support for the walkways on which they walked during those ascents.
"And harps and lyres for the singers." This means that he had already made harps and lyres from the almug/coral trees for the singers, as musical instruments.
“Not so came the trees of coral, nor were they seen.” I think that the intention here is that the trees of coral did not come forth large like these, so that they would be ready to make from them what Solomon made from these.
Metzudat David
Support. It is the stairway mentioned above that was for the house of the Lord and for the king's house; meaning: from this to that. And in Chronicles (II 9:11) it is called 'a path' because it was a path to walk in; and here it is called 'support,' because it had like a railing on this side and on that, so that the one ascending would lean and rest upon them.
For the singers. For the vocalists.
Never came the like. Never came from there in such great quantity and greatness as then.
And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.
verse value 6317
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 80 letters. The shortest word is "gave" (נָתַ֣ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·queen·of·Sheba" (לְמַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֗א, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 501: that, which. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "to·queen·of·Sheba" (לְמַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֗א), "all·her·desire" (אֶת־כׇּל־חֶפְצָהּ֙), "gave·to·her" (נָֽתַן־לָ֔הּ). The root מלך appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "and·the·king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "Solomon" (root שלמה, 162x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Solomon', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 5 words.
Rashi
He gave to the Queen of Sheba. This “giving” is nothing other than the teaching of wisdom:
"Every desire." (He came to her, and Nebuchadnezzar was born from her, and he destroyed the Temple, which had stood for four hundred and ten years, built with the share of all twelve tribes; from the Ari z"l.) Besides what he gave her as gifts and delicacies, which are specified here and are not specified in its place [the parallel account].
Radak
"All her desire that she asked for." In matters of wisdom:
"Besides that which he gave her." [This refers to] the produce of the land, from things that are found in the Land of Israel and are not found in her [own] land, and he gave them to her as the hand of a king gives, meaning in abundance. And in the Book of Chronicles it says, "besides that which she brought to the king." And the explanation of "besides that which he gave her" is in correspondence to what she brought to the king.
Ralbag
"And King Solomon gave the Queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what she had brought to the king." Now it is written instead of this in Chronicles, "all she desired and asked for, besides what she had brought to the king." The meaning of this is that, in addition to what the Queen of Sheba had brought to the king regarding the riddles, he gave her further all that she desired and asked of him concerning matters of wisdom and counsel. And so is the meaning here: that he gave her all that she desired and asked of him concerning matters of wisdom and counsel, in addition to what he had given her initially, which was in the possession of King Solomon, for there was no wise man at that time who could have stated this other than Solomon, because he was wiser than all men.
Metzudat David
All her desire. From the precious things that she saw in Solomon's house.
That he gave her. Besides her request.
As the hand of King Solomon. Meaning: in abundant generosity, as befits King Solomon.
Malbim
And King Solomon gave to the Queen of Sheba all her desire which she asked, from among the things she had seen in the king's treasury and desired. Besides what he gave her as a gift in return for her gift, according to the greatness of his hand he gave her precious things. And in Chronicles it is written, "Besides what the queen had brought to the king," meaning what he gave her in return for what she had brought.
And she turned and went to her land. Do not think that this queen, who traveled such a long distance, wandered about to see the various kingdoms and came to Solomon merely en route; for the primary purpose of her visit was solely to see Solomon, and she did not divert to any other place besides him. And after she had been satisfied in his presence, she turned on a straight path back to her land.
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,
verse value 4752
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 48 letters. Verse gematria: 4752 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "six" (שֵׁ֥שׁ, 2 letters) and the longest is "that·came" (אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א, 5 letters). The root זהב appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·came" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "and·it·was" (root היה, 196x in I Kings); "to·Solomon" (root שלמה, 162x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'one', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַֽיְהִי֙ [and·it·was] (31) + מִשְׁקַ֣ל [heaviness] (470) + הַזָּהָ֔ב [gold] (19) + אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א [that·came] (504) + לִשְׁלֹמֹ֖ה [to·Solomon] (405) + בְּשָׁנָ֣ה [in·year] (357) + אֶחָ֑ת [one] (409) + שֵׁ֥שׁ [six] (600) + מֵא֛וֹת [hundred] (447) + שִׁשִּׁ֥ים [sixty] (650) + וָשֵׁ֖שׁ [and·six] (606) + כִּכַּ֥ר [talent·of] (240) + זָהָֽב [gold] (14) = 4752.
Rashi
“Six hundred and sixty-six.” Hiram gave him one hundred and twenty, and the Queen of Sheba one hundred and twenty, and Tarshish brought from Ophir four hundred and twenty; this makes six hundred and sixty. As for the remaining six, I do not know from where they came. In the Book of Chronicles (II 8:18), it is written: “who brought from Ophir four hundred and fifty,” and there it does not count the one hundred and twenty of Hiram. One might therefore emend the verse, suggesting that the extra thirty were from the one hundred and twenty of Hiram, since Hiram’s servants were there with his [Solomon’s] servants.
Ralbag
"And the weight of the gold that came to Solomon in one year was..." I consider that this weight of gold was coming to him year after year, for the offerings that the kings were bringing him, they were sending them to him year after year, as it is written subsequently and in the Book of Chronicles: "And all the kings of the earth were seeking the presence of King Solomon to hear his wisdom..." and they were bringing, each man his offering: vessels of silver and vessels of gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses, and mules, a matter year after year.
Metzudat David
That came. From Ophir.
Malbim
"And it came to pass": The ultimate purpose of these narratives is to recount how the Lord's promise was fulfilled for him—whether through the gift of wisdom, through honor, or through wealth. And it relates the matter of his wealth, that each year he received a great quantity of gold, namely 666 talents. And according to what Abarbanel wrote, that the weight of the talent is twelve thousand three hundred Venetian ducats, he received each year eight million, one hundred ninety-nine thousand, eight hundred ducats.
beside that which came of the merchants, and of the traffic of the traders, and of all the kings of the mingled people and of the governors of the country.
verse value 2940
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 44 letters. Notable word values: "alone" (לְבַד֙) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "alone" (לְבַד֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·all·kings·of" (וְכׇל־מַלְכֵ֥י, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "from·men·of" (מֵאַנְשֵׁ֣י), "the·traders" (הַתָּרִ֔ים), "and·merchandise" (וּמִסְחַ֖ר). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·all·kings·of" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "from·men·of" (root איש, 79x in I Kings); "the·land" (root ארץ, 50x in I Kings). First appearance of the root ערב ("raven") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·merchants', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: לְבַד֙ [alone] (36) + מֵאַנְשֵׁ֣י [from·men·of] (401) + הַתָּרִ֔ים [the·traders] (655) + וּמִסְחַ֖ר [and·merchandise] (314) + הָרֹֽכְלִ֑ים [the·merchants] (305) + וְכׇל־מַלְכֵ֥י [and·all·kings·of] (156) + הָעֶ֖רֶב [raven] (277) + וּפַח֥וֹת [governor] (500) + הָאָֽרֶץ [the·land] (296) = 2940.
Rashi
"Except for the men of the tarim." For the merchants who traveled through the land would bring him [goods] for trade.
The merchants: those who sell spices and carry them from city to city.
"And all the kings of Arabia." Jonathan translates: "And all the kings of the Surety," a term denoting a pledge; these were the kings who were in his pledge and relied upon him, known in the vernacular as "Garantia."
Radak
"Except for the men of the *tarim*." This means, apart from what the merchants and the *tarim* used to bring. And so it says in Chronicles: "Except for the men of the *tarim* and the merchants; and all the kings of *Arav* and the governors of the land brought gold and silver." The "kings of *Arav*" are the kings of *ha-Arav* mentioned [elsewhere], "Behold." And even though in the Book of Jeremiah it appears that they are two distinct groups, as it says "and all the kings of *Arav* and all the kings of *ha-Arav*," they are similar, or perhaps both these and those brought gifts to Solomon. The meaning of *tarim* is the small merchants, those with little merchandise and business. They search extensively for purchases and sales because their business is small; therefore, they are called *tarim*. The *socharim* (merchants) are the large merchants. And the *rochelim* are sellers of spices, as in "from all the powder of the *rochel*." The phrase "me-anshei" is not a construct state (*smikhut*), but rather the word comes with the plural *yod* alone, and the *mem* is dropped. Similar examples are: "men depicted on the wall," "men, sons of Belial," "windows that are transparent," and others like them, as we have written in the book *Mikhlol*, in the first part of the book. And Jonathan translated it: "Except for the wage of the craftsmen and the merchandise of the merchants."
Ralbag
"Besides the men of the traders and the trade of the peddlers." Now, it is stated in Chronicles instead of this: "besides the men of the traders, the merchants bring [it]." And I hold that all the merchants paid taxes to King Solomon from their trade. And behold, he called the traders the great merchants, who are traders and investigators concerning matters of merchandise in the ends of the earth, from which place it would be more suitable for them to purchase or to sell. And the peddlers are those who bring spices and other things similar to them, from city to city, to sell there a little here, a little there. This is proof that what is mentioned regarding the weight of the gold that came to Solomon, it came to him year by year.
"And all the kings of the Arab lands and the governors of the land." He said: Instead of this, in Chronicles: "And all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land brought gold and silver to Solomon." Behold, this too was brought year after year, and what we have mentioned will bear witness to this.
Metzudat David
Besides the traders. Besides the gold that came to him from the traders, etc.
Metzudat Zion
Hatrim. They are small merchants who search and look for goods to buy in the cheap place; it is from the language of (Numbers 13:15) 'to explore the land' (l'tor et ha'aretz):
U'mischar haruchalim. that is to say: and from the merchant-traders; they are the perfumers; like (Song of Songs 3:6) 'from all the powder of the perfumer' (mi'chol avakhet rochel):
Malkhei ha'arav. They are the Arabs:
U'phuchot. Governors; like (Haggai 1:14) 'the governor of Judah' (pachat Yehudah):
Malbim
"Except for the men of the touring [merchants]" — they are the great merchants who travel through the lands to bring merchandise from country to country:
And the trade of the small merchants, whereby every merchandise that passed through his land paid a fixed tax to the king, and all the kings of Arabia who brought him gifts:
And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target.
verse value 3669
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 50 letters. The shortest word is "shield" (צִנָּ֖ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "something bleached white·hundred" (שֵֽׁשׁ־מֵא֣וֹת, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 14: gold, gold. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "shield" (צִנָּ֖ה), "something bleached white·hundred" (שֵֽׁשׁ־מֵא֣וֹת), "to·the·target" (עַל־הַצִּנָּ֥ה). The root מאה appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "Solomon" (root שלמה, 162x in I Kings); "and·did" (root עשה, 143x in I Kings). First appearance of the root שחט ("beaten") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'beaten', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיַּ֨עַשׂ [and·did] (386) + הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ [king] (95) + שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה [Solomon] (375) + מָאתַ֥יִם [hundred] (491) + צִנָּ֖ה [shield] (145) + זָהָ֣ב [gold] (14) + שָׁח֑וּט [beaten] (323) + שֵֽׁשׁ־מֵא֣וֹת [something bleached white·hundred] (1047) + זָהָ֔ב [gold] (14) + יַעֲלֶ֖ה [went] (115) + עַל־הַצִּנָּ֥ה [to·the·target] (250) + הָאֶחָֽת [the·one] (414) = 3669.
Rashi
Tzinnah. It surrounds a person from three of his sides, and this is what is stated in the Book of Psalms (5:13): "As a shield is Your favor" (literally: "As a tzinnah, favor, You will adorn us").
"Six hundred gold." And this is six minahs, for the gold [shekel] is the dinar.
Radak
"Six hundred [shekels of] gold." There was a gold coin among them of known weight, and one shield had gold weighing six hundred [shekels of] gold. And the sense of "shall be applied" (יעלה) refers to Solomon—that is to say, he would give six hundred [shekels of] gold for each shield.
Ralbag
"And King Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold." Now, the "target" (tzinnah) is like a shield, except that it is larger and encircles the person, as it is stated, "You surround him with favor like a shield [tzinnah]" (Psalms 5:13). And the intended meaning in saying "beaten gold," in my opinion, is that its redness was removed from it through the workmanship, and with this, some of its moisture was also removed from it, and therefore it was stronger.
"Six hundred gold." This means six hundred shekels of gold.
Metzudat David
Beaten gold. Because of his great wealth he made them of good gold, although the way is to make them of iron.
Six hundred gold. Meaning: gold dinars.
It would go up. It would enter into it.
Metzudat Zion
Tzina. An armor of metal, enclosing the whole body to protect from the blow of a sword; like (Psalms 5:13) 'You will surround him with favor as with a shield' (katzina ratzon ta'atirenu):
Schut. Drawn out; like (Jeremiah 9:7) 'a drawn arrow is their tongue' (chets shachut leshonam); I mean: fine gold drawn out like wax:
Malbim
(16-17) "Two hundred large shields (tzinah) and three hundred [smaller] shields (magen)": The large shield covers [the bearer] from three sides, and the small shield from one side. And for the large shield, six maneh were needed, for each maneh holds one hundred [shekels of] gold.
And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold: three pounds of gold went to one shield; and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
verse value 4910
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 66 letters. The shortest word is "gold" (זָהָ֣ב, 3 letters) and the longest is "three·hundred" (וּשְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֤וֹת, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 143: shields, Lebanon. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "three·hundred" (וּשְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֤וֹת), "shields" (מָֽגִנִּים֙), "pounds" (מָנִים֙). The root שלוש appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "house" (root בית, 191x in I Kings); "and·he·gave·them" (root נתן, 113x in I Kings). First appearance of the root מגן ("shields") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·one', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 5 words.
Rashi
"Gold that is beaten." It is soft and suitable for being hammered into sheets.
Radak
"Gold that is drawn out." There is no [meaning of] "shachut" except "drawn out"; and so, "their tongue is a drawn arrow" [uses the same root]. And it was very fine gold, which could be drawn out like wax. Jonathan translated it in the Targum as "good gold."
“Three minahs.” Three litras, and a litra of gold is one hundred [coins] of the gold currency that we have mentioned. And so it says in Chronicles, “three hundred gold,” and the manah is one hundred, according to the words of our Sages of blessed memory: “A virgin’s ketubah is two hundred, and a widow’s is a manah.”
On the one shield. The word "shield" can be either masculine or feminine in gender.
Ralbag
"Three minas of gold." That is to say, behold, the mina is one hundred shekels, and therefore it states in the book of Chronicles: "three hundred gold."
Metzudat David
Three minas. And in Chronicles (there, verse 16) it is said: 'three hundred gold.' For a mina is a libra, and in it are a hundred gold dinars.
Metzudat Zion
Magenim. It is the name of an implement, held in the hand during battle for protection; there is also a shield made of boiled leather, mentioned at the beginning of II Samuel (1:21):
Cross-references: Ezekiel 45:12; II Chronicles 9:16
Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the finest gold.
verse value 1299
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "gold" (זָהָ֥ב, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·he·overlaid·it" (וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "seat·tooth" (כִּסֵּא־שֵׁ֖ן), "refined" (מוּפָֽז). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "and·did" (root עשה, 143x in I Kings); "gold" (root זהב, 44x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'great', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיַּ֧עַשׂ [and·did] (386) + הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ [king] (95) + כִּסֵּא־שֵׁ֖ן [seat·tooth] (431) + גָּד֑וֹל [great] (43) + וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ [and·he·overlaid·it] (197) + זָהָ֥ב [gold] (14) + מוּפָֽז [refined] (133) = 1299.
Rashi
“Gold, refined.” It shines like a pearl.
Radak
"Refined gold [mufaz]." It is good and refined, [related to] the word "ketem paz" [pure gold]. And some say it is the name of a place. And the Targum of Jonathan translated: "good gold."
Ralbag
A great throne of ivory. This was the royal throne, and it was made from the tusk of an elephant, and in the vernacular, "vuadi".
"And it was overlaid with pure gold." They interpreted this to mean gold that is pure from its impurities. And I suspect that its meaning is related to the word "scattered" (puzar), by interchanging the letter zayin with the letter tzadi, for when they desired to purify it to the utmost degree of purity, they would scatter and crush it into fine particles, mix with it certain substances, and thereby extract its impurities.
Metzudat Zion
Shen. Ivory:
Mufaz. Fine and refined and gleaming; likewise (Song of Songs 5:11) 'fine gold' (ketem paz):
There were six steps to the throne, and the top of the throne was round behind; and there were arms on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the arms.
verse value 5438
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 72 letters. The shortest word is "six" (שֵׁ֧שׁ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·head·round" (וְרֹאשׁ־עָגֹ֤ל, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 115: throne, throne. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·head·round" (וְרֹאשׁ־עָגֹ֤ל), "and·hands" (וְיָדֹ֛ת), "Sabbath" (הַשָּׁ֑בֶת). The root כסא appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "on·this·side" (root זה, 75x in I Kings); "from·behind·it" (root אחר, 66x in I Kings); "and·two" (root שנים, 45x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Sabbath', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 5 words.
Rashi
Six steps: these were the steps by which one ascended to it, and the head of the throne was round, the place where the king sat.
“After him.” The Throne was broad, and the steps were on the side of its front; and on the side of its breadth, toward its rear, the seat was higher than the Throne, a round place.
"And arms on either side." [This refers to] leaning his arms upon them, like golden rods extending from side to side, stretched out to the right and to the left.
"And two lions." [They were] of gold, and the entire form of the throne is described in the aggadic midrash on the Scroll of Esther (Esther Rabbah 15:12; Yalkut Shimoni, Siman 1046).
Radak
Six steps for the throne, and the head is rounded for the throne. Both are written with a heh in place of an aleph:
“With handles from this side and from that side.” In the place of his sitting, there were handles from this side and from that side for the support of his arms, and there were figures of lions standing beside the handles.
Ralbag
Six steps to the throne. Behold, the form of this throne was such that when he would ascend to sit upon it, he would ascend six steps, and then he would sit in the place of sitting, which was above the sixth step. And behind the throne there was a panel on which he would lean while sitting there. And there was a rounded head in the middle of that panel, and there were armrests on this side and on that side toward the place where he would sit. And behold, the armrests were like arms, on which the king would rest his hands while sitting there. And behold, the form of a lion was at each arm, toward the front of the throne, and on that side was the face of a lion. And so too at each step of the steps of the throne, at the two ends of the step, toward the front of the throne, and on that side were the faces of the lions. Therefore, there were fourteen lions there.
Metzudat David
And a round top to cover from behind. From behind the throne, protruding from above the one sitting, a covering round, like a hat-dome.
And arms. Like arms, protruding near the place of sitting to lean upon them.
Lions. Made of gold.
Metzudat Zion
Ma'alot. Steps:
Malbim
And the top was rounded: at the place where he sat, it was rounded behind him, according to the measure of his body and head, so that his back would rest against it; and there were armrests on either side to support his hands upon them.
And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps; there was not the like made in any kingdom.
verse value 4244
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "there" (שָׁ֛ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·all·kingdoms" (לְכׇל־מַמְלָכֽוֹת, 9 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "lions" (אֲרָיִ֗ים), "upon·six" (עַל־שֵׁ֥שׁ), "the·steps" (הַֽמַּעֲל֖וֹת). The root זה appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not·was·made" (root עשה, 143x in I Kings); "upon·six" (root על, 127x in I Kings); "to·all·kingdoms" (root כל, 86x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·on·that·side', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 3 words. Full calculation: וּשְׁנֵ֧ים [and·two] (406) + עָשָׂ֣ר [ten] (570) + אֲרָיִ֗ים [lions] (261) + עֹמְדִ֥ים [standing] (164) + שָׁ֛ם [there] (340) + עַל־שֵׁ֥שׁ [upon·six] (700) + הַֽמַּעֲל֖וֹת [the·steps] (551) + מִזֶּ֣ה [on·this·side] (52) + וּמִזֶּ֑ה [and·on·that·side] (58) + לֹא־נַעֲשָׂ֥ה [not·was·made] (456) + כֵ֖ן [so] (70) + לְכׇל־מַמְלָכֽוֹת [to·all·kingdoms] (616) = 4244.
Metzudat David
The steps. Upon which they ascend to sit upon the throne.
On this side and on that. Six on this, and six on that.
Malbim
And twelve lions, for the banner of Judah was in the form of a lion, and it alluded to his twelve forefathers, either from Solomon to Judah or from David to Jacob, and to the twelve tribes. Just as the sea, which contained the waters of lovingkindness, stood upon twelve oxen, with the faces of bulls on the left side, so too the throne of judgment stood upon twelve lions, which were on the right side of the chariot, in order to include lovingkindness within judgment.
And all king Solomon’s drinking-vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver; it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
verse value 3450
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 72 letters. Verse gematria: 3450 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "house·of·forest·of" (בֵּֽית־יַ֥עַר, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 375: Solomon, Solomon. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "irrigation" (מַשְׁקֵ֨ה), "house·of·forest·of" (בֵּֽית־יַ֥עַר), "was·accounted" (נֶחְשָׁ֛ב). The root כל appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "house·of·forest·of" (root בית, 191x in I Kings); "Solomon" (root שלמה, 162x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'pure', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 7 words.
Rashi
There is no silver, meaning it is not counted. There is no silver in any one of them, for it is not counted.
Radak
Silver was not considered [of value]. All these vessels were made of solid gold; there was no silver in them, because silver was regarded as nothing in the days of Solomon due to the abundance of gold. Therefore, he made all the vessels of gold and did not make any one of them from silver.
Metzudat David
No silver. There was no vessel of silver among them; for silver was not considered as anything.
Metzudat Zion
Sagur. Sealed in a furnace, to refine it and remove the dross:
L'ma'uma. To nothing:
For the king had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram; once every three years came the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
verse value 7111
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 77 letters. Verse gematria: 7111 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "for" (כִּי֩, 2 letters) and the longest is "ivory" (שֶׁנְהַבִּ֥ים, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 1210: Tarshish, Tarshish. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "to·three" (לְשָׁלֹ֨שׁ), "will·go·in" (תָּב֣וֹא), "lifting" (נֹֽשְׂאֵת֙). The root אני appears 3 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·the·king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "will·go·in" (root בוא, 109x in I Kings); "with" (root עם, 95x in I Kings). First appearance of the root תרשיש ("Tarshish") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hiram', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 12 words.
Rashi
"Fleet of Tarshish." (Targum:) A ship of Africa.
Ivory, apes, and peacocks. (Targum:) Ivory, monkeys, and peacocks.
Radak
Tarshish. Jonathan the Targumist translates it as "Africa."
"Carrying gold and silver." With the aleph vocalized [sounded, not silent]:
"Ivory, apes, and peacocks." Jonathan translates: "The tusk of the elephant, apes, and peacocks." The tusk of the elephant is well known, and the ape is also known, for its face resembles that of a human being. The peacock is the bird known in the foreign language as "pavon."
Ralbag
"Ivories." These are the great tusks of the elephant, from which comes what is used in workmanship, [called] "ivoire" in the vernacular.
"and apes." These are the ones called "simias" in the foreign language.
And the tukiyyim. They are the peacocks in the vernacular:
Metzudat David
To the king, on the sea. The king had a ship at sea going to Tarshish, as one, together with the ship of Hiram, king of Tyre; and once every three years the ship would come from Tarshish [and it is possible that this is not the Ophir mentioned above; and to both places he sent ships].
Metzudat Zion
Shenevavim. It is ivory:
U'kapim. It is the simian species mentioned by our Sages of blessed memory (Yoma 29b); they resemble human beings in their form:
U'tuchim. They are birds very beautiful in their plumage in the changing of colors; it is the peacock:
Malbim
The questions: Why is this account placed third among the fleets, when this matter was already stated above at the end of Chapter 9 and in Chapter 10, Section 11? There it says "to go to Ophir," whereas here it says "I [will] go to Tarshish." There it implies that the fleets belonged to Solomon, and that they brought only gold, whereas here it implies that Hiram was the primary party, and that they also brought silver, and that one fleet arrived every three years.
"'For I am Tarshish'—Abarbanel calculated that Tarshish is the city of Carthage in North Africa, by the Mediterranean Sea. And therefore he was greatly astonished: how did ships go from Ezion-Geber, which is on the shore of the Sea of Reeds, to Tarshish? Is it not the case that desert strips (the land of Zippor) separate the Sea of Reeds from the Mediterranean Sea? And he sought to force an explanation that they were called 'ships of Tarshish' on account of their shape, which was made according to the pattern of these ships. But standing before him was what is stated in II Chronicles (20:37): 'And he joined with him to make ships to go to Tarshish; and they made ships in Ezion-Geber.' And how did they go from Ezion-Geber to Tarshish? This marvel filled his heart, leading him to say that Ezra the Scribe erred in what he stated regarding Jehoshaphat (I Kings 22:19) that he made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir, and he erred in that he meant ships to go to Tarshish; see there. But far be it from us to hold this view, that we would say the author of the Books of Chronicles erred, and that he did not know the plain meaning of the text in Kings, nor did he know that it is impossible to go from Ezion-Geber to Tarshish by ship. But the truth is as stated in the commentary on Isaiah (chapter 23), that Tarshish is the city of Tarsis, which is ancient Spain, where the Phoenicians traded, as the scholars of the nations have written. And it is known that when the Phoenicians came to Spain (which they called 'Oshpania,' on account of the many rabbits [hyraxes] found there), they found much refined silver on the surface of the land, so much so that they made all their vessels, and even the nails and fastenings of their ships, of silver. And they built for themselves a city of residence and trade for the nations, Tarsus. This city sits at the entrance to the Atlantic Sea, which is the Ocean Sea. And it is known that the Sea of Reeds connects to the Ocean Sea. And according to this, on the ships he built in Ezion-Geber, he could go both to Ophir and to Tarshish.
And above (9:27) it relates that he sent [ships] from there to Ophir, and Hiram sent his servants with the servants of Solomon, for the servants of Solomon were the primary agents in this journey, and they took gold there, not silver, for silver is not found in Ophir, for in hot lands silver does not grow, only gold, and the place of silver is in cold lands. And here it relates the reason why silver was not counted among Solomon's wealth, for he also had a fleet of Tarshish along with the fleet of Hiram, meaning a ship going to Spain, where Hiram's base was, for it was under his authority. And the fleet of Tarshish would come once every three years, and it carried silver as well, for it is known that there was very much of it there, as it is stated: 'Silver hammered out of Tarshish shall come.' And they also brought from there ivory, apes, and peacocks, which were found there. And what is stated below (22:49) that Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir, but he did not go, for the ships broke apart in Ezion-Geber—this means that the ships were designated to go to Tarshish, therefore they were called 'ships of Tarshish,' and it was his intention to go also to Ophir. And because they broke apart in Ezion-Geber, near the shore, he did not go even to Tarshish, and all the more so not to Ophir. And this very thing Ezra wrote in the Books of Chronicles. And far be it that something contradicting reality should appear in the Writings."
Cross-references: Isaiah 2:16; Ezekiel 27:25; II Chronicles 9:21
So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.
verse value 1718
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 34 letters. The shortest word is "from·all" (מִכֹּ֖ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·to·wisdom" (וּלְחׇכְמָֽה, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·to·wisdom" (וּלְחׇכְמָֽה). The root מלך appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "Solomon" (root שלמה, 162x in I Kings); "from·all" (root כל, 86x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·land', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיִּגְדַּל֙ [and·grew] (53) + הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ [king] (95) + שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה [Solomon] (375) + מִכֹּ֖ל [from·all] (90) + מַלְכֵ֣י [kings·of] (100) + הָאָ֑רֶץ [the·land] (296) + לְעֹ֖שֶׁר [to·riches] (600) + וּלְחׇכְמָֽה [and·to·wisdom] (109) = 1718.
Malbim
"And he grew" – that is to say, from all the narratives mentioned, it is clear how he grew beyond all the kings of the land, both in wealth and in wisdom. And not only that, but his wisdom was the cause of his wealth, for through it:
Cross-references: Psalms 72:10; II Chronicles 9:22
And all the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
verse value 4202
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 48 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֖ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "Solomon" (שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·all·the·earth" (וְכׇ֨ל־הָאָ֔רֶץ, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·all·the·earth" (וְכׇ֨ל־הָאָ֔רֶץ), "seeking" (מְבַקְשִׁ֖ים). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "which·he·put" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "Solomon" (root שלמה, 162x in I Kings); "God" (root אלהים, 99x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Solomon', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְכׇ֨ל־הָאָ֔רֶץ [and·all·the·earth] (352) + מְבַקְשִׁ֖ים [seeking] (492) + אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י [presence·of] (541) + שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה [Solomon] (375) + לִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ [to·hear] (440) + אֶת־חׇכְמָת֔וֹ [his·wisdom] (875) + אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן [which·he·put] (1001) + אֱלֹהִ֖ים [God] (86) + בְּלִבּֽוֹ [in·his·heart] (40) = 4202.
Metzudat David
Seeking , etc. They desired to see the face of Solomon.
Malbim
That all the earth sought the presence of Solomon on account of his wisdom; thereby he also became wealthy, for thereby:
Cross-references: Psalms 72:11; II Chronicles 9:23
And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
verse value 4334
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 67 letters. The shortest word is "man" (אִ֣ישׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·raiment" (וּשְׂלָמוֹת֙, 6 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "his·present" (מִנְחָת֡וֹ), "and·vessels·of" (וּכְלֵ֨י), "and·raiment" (וּשְׂלָמוֹת֙). The root כלי appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "matter·of·year" (root דבר, 191x in I Kings); "and·raiment" (root שלמה, 162x in I Kings); "bringing" (root בוא, 109x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·mules', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 2 words.
Rashi
"And weapons." Instruments of war.
Ralbag
"And weapons." They are instruments of war.
Metzudat David
A matter year by year. A custom year by year; for so was the time of their coming, once a year.
Metzudat Zion
Ushalimot. And garments:
Unashak. Weapons; like (Isaiah 22:8) 'the armor of the forest house' (nashak beit ha'ya'ar):
Malbim
And they each bring him his offering, as was the custom when coming to behold the face of a great king:
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen; and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.
verse value 5655
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 82 letters. Verse gematria: 5655 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "chariots" (רֶ֣כֶב, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·four·hundred" (וְאַרְבַּע־מֵאוֹת֙, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 222: chariots, chariots. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·he·gathered" (וַיֶּאֱסֹ֣ף), "and·four·hundred" (וְאַרְבַּע־מֵאוֹת֙), "and·placed·them" (וַיַּנְחֵם֙). The root רכב appears 3 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·with·the·king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "and·he·had" (root היה, 196x in I Kings); "Solomon" (root שלמה, 162x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'horsemen', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 5 words.
Rashi
"One thousand four hundred chariots." And in Chronicles (2 Chronicles 1:14) it is written: 'One thousand seven hundred.' And I say: One thousand four hundred were in the chariot cities, and three hundred were with the king in Jerusalem. And so is its interpretation in Chronicles: 'He stationed them in the chariot cities,' and there was still one more chariot contingent with the king in Jerusalem. And here is its interpretation: 'He stationed them in the chariot cities,' and some of them were with the king in Jerusalem.
"And he led them." And he guided them.
Radak
"And he settled them in the cities of chariots, and with the king in Jerusalem." The word "vayanchem" is from the Hif'il conjugation, like "asher hinchani" ("who guided me") [Genesis 24:48]. And in Chronicles it is written "vayanichem," from [the root] "heniach" (to give rest/leave). Jonathan the Targumist rendered it in the sense of "vayanchem" as "va'ashrinun" (and he settled them). And one may explain it according to its plain meaning: after he gathered them all in Jerusalem, he settled them in the cities of chariots, so that they would be there, and some of them remained with the king in Jerusalem. Jonathan the Targumist translated: "bar mid'havu im malka bi-Yerushalem" (except for those who were with the king in Jerusalem). That is, these were in the cities of chariots, besides those who were with the king in Jerusalem. And therefore they were called "cities of chariots," because the horses and chariots were there.
Ralbag
"And he had a thousand and four hundred chariots." Behold, it is written in Chronicles at this place: "four thousand stalls," and in what preceded it is written: "forty thousand stalls for horses for his chariots." And we already resolved this difficulty in what preceded, when we said that of the forty thousand, four thousand were those in which there were horses and chariots, and in the remainder there were horses without chariots. If so, he had at least four thousand chariots. How then does it say here that he had a thousand and four hundred chariots alone? And what appears to me is that these thousand and four hundred chariots Solomon gathered from many places, to choose the most select. And perhaps he gathered them from the horses that were brought to him as gifts, for they were certainly select. And these were the select ones among the chariots of Solomon. And he stationed them in the chariot cities that were his, in which there were stalls to maintain them there. And some of them he left with the king in Jerusalem, so that they would be closer to him.
Metzudat David
And Solomon gathered. From the gifts that they brought him, besides what he already had from before, as mentioned above.
And he placed them. Some he placed in the chariot cities, and some remained with the king in Jerusalem.
Metzudat Zion
Vinacham. From the term of placement [i.e., stationing them]:
Malbim
The questions: What is written that he had fourteen hundred chariots contradicts what is written above:
And Solomon gathered together: Above, it was stated that he had forty thousand stalls for horses; and here the text speaks of chariots, namely iron chariots in which they fought against the enemy, as it is written, “And he had nine hundred chariots of iron” (Judges 4:3). He had one thousand and four hundred [chariots]. Some of them were stationed in the chariot cities, and some were with the king to guard him, both within the palace and without. That is to say, in addition to the fact that kings served him out of love because of his wisdom, they also served him out of fear, for he had horses ready for the day of battle, along with chariots and horsemen.
Cross-references: II Chronicles 1:14; II Chronicles 9:25
And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore-trees that are in the Lowland, for abundance.
verse value 4668
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 56 letters. The shortest word is "and·(object marker)" (וְאֵ֣ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "that·in·the·Lowland" (אֲשֶׁר־בַּשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "stone" (כָּאֲבָנִ֑ים), "the·cedars" (הָאֲרָזִ֗ים), "sycamore·tree" (כַּשִּׁקְמִ֥ים). The root נתן appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "and·gave" (root נתן, 113x in I Kings); "in·Jerusalem" (root ירושלם, 26x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'stone', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיִּתֵּ֨ן [and·gave] (466) + הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ [king] (95) + אֶת־הַכֶּ֛סֶף [the·silver] (566) + בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם [in·Jerusalem] (588) + כָּאֲבָנִ֑ים [stone] (123) + וְאֵ֣ת [and·(object marker)] (407) + הָאֲרָזִ֗ים [the·cedars] (263) + נָתַ֛ן [gave] (500) + כַּשִּׁקְמִ֥ים [sycamore·tree] (510) + אֲשֶׁר־בַּשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה [that·in·the·Lowland] (918) + לָרֹֽב [to·abundance] (232) = 4668.
Rashi
"Like stones." And above (verse 21) it says "to nothing." Our Sages explained (Sanhedrin 21b): Here [it refers to the time] before Solomon married Pharaoh’s daughter; there [it refers to the time] after Solomon married Pharaoh’s daughter.
Radak
“Like stones.” This is an expression of hyperbole and exaggeration, due to the vast amount of money that was in Jerusalem. And in the midrashic interpretation: “Like stones, and they were not stolen,” Rabbi Yose said: There were stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits.
Metzudat David
And the king set , etc. Like stones. He placed them in the street of the city like stones; and because they were heavy in weight, it was not possible to steal them and take them.
That are in the Shephelah. That grow in the Shephelah very much.
Metzudat Zion
Kshekacim. The name of an inferior and lowly tree; like (Isaiah 9:10) 'the sycamine trees are cut down' (shekacim gada'u):
B'shphela. In the lowland:
Malbim
"And the king gave" — not only was there great wealth for the king himself, but also the inhabitants of Jerusalem became exceedingly wealthy due to the multitude of people who came there, and due to the abundance of commerce as many nations gathered into it. Every one of the wealthy men of Jerusalem built for himself a house of cedars, until the cedars became as common as sycamore trees.
And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt; also out of Keveh, the king’s merchants buying them of the men of Keveh at a price.
verse value 2715
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 51 letters. The shortest word is "which" (אֲשֶׁ֥ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·horses" (הַסּוּסִ֛ים, 6 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·source·of" (וּמוֹצָ֧א), "the·horses" (הַסּוּסִ֛ים), "and·from·Keveh" (וּמִקְוֵ֕ה). The root קוה appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "which" (root אשר, 375x in I Kings); "king" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "to·Solomon" (root שלמה, 162x in I Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·Egypt', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: וּמוֹצָ֧א [and·source·of] (143) + הַסּוּסִ֛ים [the·horses] (181) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [which] (501) + לִשְׁלֹמֹ֖ה [to·Solomon] (405) + מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם [from·Egypt] (420) + וּמִקְוֵ֕ה [and·from·Keveh] (157) + סֹחֲרֵ֣י [merchants·of] (278) + הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ [king] (95) + יִקְח֥וּ [they·will·take] (124) + מִקְוֵ֖ה [from·Keveh] (151) + בִּמְחִֽיר [in·price] (260) = 2715.
Rashi
"And the source of the horses which were Solomon's." It was from Egypt:
"And a pool" (u-mikveh). This refers to the gathering of horse merchants in Egypt. King Solomon’s merchants would purchase them from the Egyptian king at a set price, since no one was permitted to export horses from there except through them. This is what I have heard. Therefore, the word "u-mikveh" is accented with a Zaqef Gadol, to teach that the word stands independently and is not connected to the following word.
Radak
"And the source of the horses." Jonathan's Targum translates the verse thus: "And the horses that were Solomon's would be brought out from Egypt, and the king's merchants would buy a collection at a price." And some say that "pool" (mikveh) relates to the sense of "the hope of the crimson thread" [Joshua 2:18], meaning that these two things came to Solomon from Egypt: the horses and the linen thread, for it is the finest in the land of Egypt, as it is written, "fine linen with rich embroidery from Egypt" (Ezekiel 27:7), "striped cloths of Egyptian linen" (Proverbs 7:16). And those things the king's merchants would purchase in Egypt for the price of other goods that they brought from Jerusalem to Egypt. My father, of blessed memory, explained that Pharaoh gave to Solomon the "source" (motza) of the horses. This means that horses were not exported from Egypt except by the king's permission, and those who exported them paid money to the king for the export of the horses. And Pharaoh gave that export right to Solomon, and Solomon would sell it to the merchants for a year at a known price. They would take from the king a "pool" (mikveh) of the export right, meaning a collection of the entire export together. And they were in Egypt, and they would collect the price of the export gradually, just as the kings of the lands would export horses from Egypt. And this is what it says, "they would export by their own agency," for the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram, who exported from Egypt through the king's merchants, would export.
Ralbag
“And the going out of the horses that were to Solomon from Egypt” – this refers to the fact that, according to my understanding of what was mentioned above, namely that they brought each man his tribute, vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and the other items mentioned that came to Solomon year by year, the meaning here is that the export of horses from Egypt also belonged to Solomon. That is to say, whoever exported a horse from Egypt would give a known sum to Solomon, for no horse left Egypt except by the king’s permission. And Pharaoh had granted this right to Solomon.
And the king’s merchants would purchase linen cloth at a price. Now, the intent of “linen cloth” is fine linen garments, for just as the thread is called “t’kuah,” so too is the fabric woven from the threads called “miqvah.” Now, in Egypt, linen garments were of great value, as is well known. And they did not export them except by the king’s permission. That authority Pharaoh granted to Solomon. And due to the abundance of horses and linen in Egypt, a person was not permitted to ride a horse or wear linen garments unless by the king’s permission, so that distinction could be made between the nobles and the slaves. Now, the intent here is that the source of the horses and the source of the linen cloth were all Solomon’s. He mentions that the king’s merchants—Solomon’s merchants—would purchase linen cloth at a price from Egypt, because the source belonged to Solomon. Therefore, those who wished to export it from there would purchase it from the king’s merchants. From this, great benefit accrued to Solomon, namely, from the horses and the linen cloth, for the king’s merchants would purchase this source from him for a large sum, both for the horses and for the linen cloth. Now, the verse is concise, for the king’s merchants would also purchase the horses there, and from them anyone who wished to export them from Egypt would acquire them.
Metzudat David
The export of horses. The place of export of horses that was for Solomon was from Egypt; for they exported the horses from their place to bring to Solomon; for he had with them a known and fixed purchase; and as he will say in the following Scripture.
And from Kue. Behold, the Targum did not translate the word 'u-mikveh' [ומקוה]. And it appears from this the opinion of the Targum that there was a district called 'Kue'; and the Mem is in place of Min; and he means: and also from Kue he bought horses; but not in the manner that he bought from Egypt; but he sent his merchants and they would take from the district of Kue at a price; meaning: at the value fitting for the worth, not at a known and fixed purchase.
Metzudat Zion
B'machir. A matter of value and worth; like (II Samuel 24:24) 'I will buy from you for a price' (akene me'otecha b'machir):
Malbim
"And the source of the horses" — the horses of Solomon, their source was from Egypt, for there were the choicest horses. Moreover, he had a "makveh" (pool/gathering-place), a place where horses are raised, and where many horses are gathered. And it explains that the king's merchants would purchase the "makveh" at a price; they did not buy individual horses, but rather bought all the horses in Egypt — the entire "makveh" and collection of horses belonged to Solomon's merchants. And all the horses born there in that "makveh" were theirs, and it was in their power to raise the price. And therefore:
Cross-references: II Kings 7:6; II Chronicles 9:28
And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty; and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Aram, did they bring them out by their means.
verse value 4747
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 76 letters. The shortest word is "for·six" (בְּשֵׁ֣שׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·all·kings·of" (לְכׇל־מַלְכֵ֧י, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Kings. Unique to this verse in I Kings (hapax): "and·went·out" (וַתֵּצֵ֨א), "chariot" (מֶרְכָּבָ֤ה), "for·six" (בְּשֵׁ֣שׁ). The root יצא appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·all·kings·of" (root מלך, 341x in I Kings); "and·went·up" (root עלה, 60x in I Kings); "and·went·out" (root יצא, 42x in I Kings). First appearance of the root ארם ("Aram") in I Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·hundred', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 7 words.
Rashi
And a horse for one hundred and fifty [shekels]. We learned that the chariot [is drawn] by four horses, and similarly at these prices for all the kings of the Hittites and for the kings of Aram.
“in their hand.” The merchants of Solomon, who go out from Egypt:
Radak
"be-yadam" – just as "bi-reshutam" (in their authority), as it is written, "and he took all his land from his hand" (Numbers 21:26), and as the Targum of Jonathan renders it: "be-yadam" – "bir'utehon" (according to their will), meaning in their will and in their authority.
"And a horse at one hundred and fifty." From here we learned that the chariot consists of four horses:
Ralbag
“And a chariot went up and came out from Egypt.” This means that when the chariots were brought up from Egypt to the Land of Israel, and exported, they gave six hundred silver shekels to Solomon; and for the export of a horse, they gave one hundred and fifty silver shekels, for a chariot consists of four horses. And likewise, what was exported from the horses to the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram, they exported them by permission of the king’s merchants, and they took this sum from them for each horse and chariot. And it is possible to say that the intention in the phrase “and a supply” is that the export of the horses which belonged to Solomon from Egypt also yielded a supply for Solomon, namely, fine linen garments, which are royal garments. And this is because the king’s merchants took a supply at the price of what was fitting to be given to Solomon from the export, and the sum that was fitting for Solomon from the export was six hundred silver shekels for a chariot, and one hundred and fifty for a horse. And it is also possible that the intention in the phrase “and likewise for all the kings of the Hittites and for the kings of Aram, by their hand they exported” is that whatever went out from their land, the export [toll] was given to Solomon, and by the hand of the king’s merchants and with permission they exported what went out from there.
Metzudat David
And it went up and went out. Meaning: export from Egypt and they brought up to him a chariot; and they are four horses; on account of the price of six hundred shekels of silver; for so was the purchase fixed between them.
And a horse at a hundred and fifty. And from this we hear that the chariot is four horses.
And so for all the kings of the Hittites. Also to them the men of Egypt sold at this fixed price; although they were close to them and they did not have a great distance to bring the horses.
In their hand they export. The men of Egypt themselves exported the horses in their hand, to bring them to the place of the one buying them. Or perhaps 'in their hand they export' refers to the kings of the Hittites, etc., that they export in their hand. And he means: although they too gave the fixed value of Solomon, nevertheless in bringing to their place they did not have the same authorization [power of attorney] that Solomon had.
Malbim
“And a chariot came up and went out”—this means that the price rose to very high costs, until the price of a chariot of four horses was six hundred shekels of silver. Consequently, the kings of the Hittites and Aram, who desired to purchase horses, were forced to buy from Solomon’s merchants, for the horses of Egypt were theirs. From this, the Israelites also became wealthy, for all the trade in Egyptian horses was under their control.
Radak
Ralbag
Metzudat David
Malbim