2 Paralipomenon viii.
Notes & Commentary:
Ver. 1. After. Septuagint, “in which.”
Ver. 2. Given back (Tirinus) as he refused to accept of the present. Some think that (Calmet) Hiram gave these cities in exchange for the others. (Salien) (Menochius)
Ver. 3. Emath, or Emesa, on the Orontes. This city had belonged to Thou, who cultivated the friendship of David, 2 Kings viii. 9. But after the death of these princes, it had given some offence to Solomon, who took it, as well as Palmira, or Thadmor, though not perhaps in person.
Ver. 4. Strong. Hebrew, “the cities of tents,” Exodus i. 11. (Calmet) — Protestants, “store-cities,” (Haydock) for corn, &c.
Ver. 8. Tributaries. Hebrew also, “to work,” at cutting stones, &c., 1 Paralipomenon xxii. 2. Some of their descendants returned from captivity, 1 Paralipomenon ix. 2.
Ver. 10. Fifty. These were different from the 550 overseers, 3 Kings ix. 23.
Ver. 11. Into it. It was deemed improper for a pagan woman to reside in the same place. (Calmet) — She had perhaps pretended, at first, to be converted, but had lately given some signs of relapse. (Salien) — Solomon was as yet far from communicating with infidels. (Worthington)
Ver. 14. And gate, at their respective posts. See 1 Paralipomenon xxvi. (Haydock)
Ver. 15. Treasures. The regulations of David were exactly observed. (Calmet)
Ver. 17. Asiongaber, which was called Bernice, (Josephus, [Antiquities?] viii. 2.) and now Suez. (Tirinus)
Ver. 18. Ships; not perhaps from Tyre, but from the Red Sea. (Calmet) — Others think that he sent them by a canal, which opened a communication between the Mediterranean and Suez, (Huet) the distance of about ninety miles. (Pliny, [Natural History?] ii. 68.) — But this canal seems to have been made after the age of Solomon. Hence others imagine that the ships were taken in pieces, or conveyed by land, as has been sometimes done. Mahomet II transported ships across the isthmus of Corinth. Alexander the Great conveyed on chariots the ships which had been used to cross the Indus, as far as the Hydaspes. (Arrian vii.) (Calmet) — Skilful mariners. They were the most expert, and the inventers of navigation. Prima ratem ventis tradere docta Tyrus. (Tibul.) See Wisdom xiv. 6. — Ophir, the kingdom of Pegu, in the East Indies, (Tirinus) or some other distant land. (Haydock) — Fifty. Thirty are omitted, 3 Kings ix. 28., as they were expended in the voyage. (Calmet) — Yet the Hebrew letters for twenty and fifty are extremely similar. (Du Hamel)
Bible Text & Cross-references:
Solomon’s buildings and other acts.
1 And *at the end of twenty years after Solomon had built the house of the Lord, and his own house:
2 He built the cities which Hiram had given to Solomon, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.
3 He went also into Emath Suba, and possessed it.
4 And he built Palmira, in the desert, and he built other strong cities in Emath.
5 And he built Bethhoron the upper, and Bethhoron the nether, walled cities, with gates, and bars, and locks.
6 Balaath also, and all the strong cities that were Solomon’s, and all the cities of the chariots, and the cities of the horsemen. All that Solomon had a mind, and designed, he built in Jerusalem, and in Libanus, and in all the land of his dominion.
7 All the people that were left of the Hethites, and the Amorrhites, and the Pherezites, and the Hevites, and the Jebusites, that were not of the stock of Israel:
8 Of their children, and of the posterity, whom the children of Israel had not slain, Solomon made to be the tributaries, unto this day.
9 But of the children of Israel he set none to serve in the king’s works: for they were men of war, and chief captains, and rulers of his chariots and horsemen.
10 And all the chief captains of king Solomon’s army were two hundred and fifty, who taught the people.
11 And he removed the daughter of Pharao from the city of* David, to the house which he had built for her. For the king said: My wife shall not dwell in the house of David, king of Israel: for it is sanctified: because the ark of the Lord came into it.
12 Then Solomon offered holocausts to the Lord upon the altar of the Lord, which he had built before the porch,
13 That every day an offering might be made on it, according to the ordinance of Moses, in the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the festival days three times a year, that is to say, in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.
14 And he appointed, according to the order of David, his father, the offices of the priests in their ministries: and the Levites in their order, to give praise, and minister before the priests, according to the duty of every day: and the porters, in their divisions, by gate and gate: for so David, the man of God, had commanded.
15 And the priests and Levites departed not from the king’s commandments, as to any thing that he had commanded, and as to the keeping of the treasures.
16 Solomon had all charges prepared, from the day that he founded the house of the Lord, until the day wherein he finished it.
17 Then Solomon went to Asiongaber, and to Ailath, on the coast of the Red Sea, which is in the land of Edom.
18 And Hiram sent him ships by the hands of his servants, and skilful mariners; and they went with Solomon’s servants to Ophir, and they took thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought it to king Solomon.
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*
1: Year of the World 3012, Year before Christ 992.; 3 Kings ix. 10.
11: 3 Kings iii. 1.