2 Chronicles 1:15

And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the vale for abundance.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(15) Silver and gold . . . stones . . . cedar trees.—Each of these words has the definite article in the Hebrew.

And gold.—Not in 1Kings 10:27, with which the rest of the verse coincides; nor in 2Chronicles 9:27. The Syriac omits it here also, but the other versions have it, and the phrase is a natural heightening of the hyperbole.

The sycomore trees that are in the vale.—(Comp. 1Chronicles 27:28.) The Syriac reads instead. “As the sand which is on the seashore.”

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:1-17 Solomon's choice of wisdom, His strength and wealth. - SOLOMON began his reign with a pious, public visit to God's altar. Those that pursue present things most eagerly, are likely to be disappointed; while those that refer themselves to the providence of God, if they have not the most, have the most comfort. Those that make this world their end, come short of the other, and are disappointed in this also; but those that make the other world their end, shall not only obtain that, and full satisfaction in it, but shall have as much of this world as is good for them, in their way. Let us then be contented, without those great things which men generally covet, but which commonly prove fatal snares to the soul.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This passage is very nearly identical with 1 Kings 10:26-29.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2Ch 1:14-17. His Strength and Wealth.

14. Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen—His passion for horses was greater than that of any Israelitish monarch before or after him. His stud comprised fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses. This was a prohibited indulgence, whether as an instrument of luxury or power. But it was not merely for his own use that he imported the horses of Egypt. The immense equestrian establishment he erected was not for show merely, but also for profit. The Egyptian breed of horses was highly valued; and being as fine as the Arabian, but larger and more powerful, they were well fitted for being yoked in chariots. These were light but compact and solid vehicles, without springs. From the price stated (2Ch 1:17) as given for a chariot and a horse, it appears that the chariot cost four times the value of a horse. A horse brought a 150 shekels, which, estimating the shekels at 2s. 3d. or 2s. 6d., amount to £17 2s. or £18 15s., while a chariot brought 600 shekels, equal to £68 9s. or £75; and as an Egyptian chariot was usually drawn by two horses, a chariot and pair would cost £112 sterling. As the Syrians, who were fond of the Egyptian breed of horses, could import them into their own country only through Judea, Solomon early perceived the commercial advantages to be derived from this trade, and established a monopoly. His factors or agents purchased them in the markets or fairs of Egypt and brought them to the "chariot cities," the depots and stables he had erected on the frontiers of his kingdom, such as Bethmarcaboth, "the house of chariots," and Hazarsusah, "the village of horses" (Jos 19:5; 1Ki 10:28).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then Solomon came from his journey to the high place that was at Gibeon,.... Or rather without the supplement, the words may be read as in the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions:

Solomon came from the high places; having sacrificed there, so Vatablus; being put for as R. Jonah observes (b); but the Targum agrees with us, he"came to the high place which is in Gibeon, and from thence to Jerusalem;''and to the same purpose Kimchi; having been there, he came to Jerusalem:

from before the tabernacle of the congregation; which was at Gibeon, where he had been sacrificing:

and reigned over Israel in great splendour and prosperity. From hence, to the end of the chapter, the same things are said as in 1 Kings 10:26. See Gill on 1 Kings 10:26, 1 Kings 10:27, 1 Kings 10:28, 1 Kings 10:29.

(b) Apud Kimchium. in loc.

Geneva Study Bible

And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as {i} stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the vale for abundance.

(i) He caused so great plenty that it was valued no more than stones.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

15. at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones] R.V. to be at Jerusalem as stones. In Kings this is asserted of silver only. Jerusalem is one of the stoniest places in the world.

the sycomore trees] LXX. συκαμίνους (but Luke 19:4 συκομορέα). See 1 Chronicles 27:28, note.

vale] R.V. lowland, i.e. the stretch of low hills separating the maritime plain from the hill country of Judah. Cp. G. A. Smith, Hist. Geography, Chap. 10, “The Shephelah.”

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 15. - And gold. The omission of these words in the parallel (1 Kings 10:27) is remarkable in the light of what we read in 2 Chronicles 9:20. We find the contents of this verse again in 2 Chronicles 9:27; as also in the parallel (1 Kings 10:27), just quoted with the exception already named. Cedar trees. The meaning is felled trunks of cedar (1 Chronicles 22:4) (אֲרָזִים). Whether the wood intended is the cedar of Lebanon (Pinus cedrus, or Cedrus conifera), "tall" (Isaiah 2:13; Isaiah 37:24; Amos 2:9), "widespreading" (Ezekiel 31:3), odoriferous, with very few knots, and wonderfully resisting decay, is considered by authorities on such subjects still uncertain. Gesenius, in his 'Lexicon,' sub voc., may be consulted, and the various Bible dictionaries, especially Dr. Smith's, under "Cedar;" and Dr. Kitto's 'Cyclopaedia,' under "Eres." The writer in Dr. Smith's 'Dictionary' suggests that under the one word "cedar," the Pinus cedrus, Pinus deodara, Yew, Taxus baccata, and Pinus sylvestris (Scotch pine) were referred to popularly, and were employed when building purposes are in question. That the said variety was employed is likely enough, but that we are intended to understand this when the word "cedar" is used seems unlikely (see for further indication of this unlikeliness, the instancing of "firs" occasionally with "cedars," 1 Kings 5:10; 1 Kings 9:11; 2 Chronicles 2:8). Sycomore trees (שִׁקְמִים). This word is found always in its present masc. plur. form except once, Psalm 78:47, where the plur. fem. form is found. The Greek equivalent in the Septuagint is always συκάμινος; but in the New Testament, and in the same treatise, i.e. the Gospel according to St. Luke, we find both συκάμινος and συκομωρέα (Luke 17:6 and Luke 19:4 respectively). Now, the former of these trees is the well. known mulberry tree. But the latter is what is called the fig-mulberry, or the sycamore-fig; and this is the tree of the Old Testament. Its fruit resembles the fig, grows on sprigs shooting out of the thick stems themselves of the tree, and each fruit needs to be punctured a few days before gathering, if it is to be acceptable eating (Amos 7:14; Isaiah 9:10). In the vale; i.e. in the lowland country, called the Shefelah. This is the middle one of the three divisions in which Judaea is sometimes described - mountain, lowland, and valley. This lowland was really the lowhills, between mountains and plain, near Lydda and Daroma (the "dry," 1.q. Negeb, Deuteronomy 34:13), while the valley was the valley of Jordan, from Jericho to Engedi (Conder's 'Handbook to the Bible,' pp. 302, 309, 2nd edit.). 2 Chronicles 1:15

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Solomon's chariots, horses, and riches. - In order to prove by facts the fulfilment of the divine promise which Solomon received in answer to his prayer at Gibeon, we have in 1 Kings 3:16-28 a narrative of Solomon's wise judgment, then in 2 Chronicles 4 an account of his public officers; and in 2 Chronicles 5:1-14 the royal magnificence, glory, and wisdom of his reign is further portrayed. In our Chronicle, on the contrary, we have in 2 Chronicles 1:14-17 only a short statement as to his chariots and horses, and the wealth in silver and gold to be found in the land, merely for the purpose of showing how God had given him riches and possessions. This statement recurs verbally in 1 Kings 10:26-29, in the concluding remarks on the riches and splendour of Solomon's reign; while in the parallel passage, 2 Chronicles 9:13-28, it is repeated in an abridged form, and interwoven with other statements. From this we see in how free and peculiar a manner the author of the Chronicle has made use of his authorities, and how he has arranged the material derived from them according to his own special plan.

(Note: The assertion of Thenius on 1 Kings 10:26., that he found this section in his authorities in two different places and in different connections, copied them mechanically, and only towards the end of the second passage remarked the repetition and then abridged the statement, is at once refuted by observing, that in the supposed repetition the first half (2 Chronicles 9:25-26) does not at all agree with 1 Kings 10:26, but coincides with the statement in 1 Kings 5:6-7.)

For the commentary on this section, see on 1 Kings 10:26-28.

2 Chronicles 1:14-15

2 Chronicles 1:14, 2 Chronicles 1:15, with the exception of one divergence in form and one in matter, correspond word for word to 1 Kings 10:26 and 1 Kings 10:27. Instead of ויּנחם, he led them (Kings), there stands in 2 Chronicles 1:15, as in 2 Chronicles 9:25, the more expressive word ויּנּיהם, "he laid them" in the chariot cities; and in 2 Chronicles 1:15 ואת־הזּהב is added to את־הכּסף, while it is omitted from both 1 Kings 10:27 and also 2 Chronicles 9:27. It is, however, very suitable in this connection, since the comparison "like stones" has reference to quantity, and Solomon had collected not only silver, but also gold, in quantity.