2 Chronicles 1:16

And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) And Solomon had horses brought out . . .—Rather, And the outcome (export) of horses for Solomon was from Egypt, and the company of the king’s merchants—a company (of horses) they would fetch at a price. The same is read in Kings, only that the word company (miqwē) is there spelt in the ancient fashion (miqwēh), and two words are transposed (“they would fetch a company”). Miqweh means gathering, collection (Genesis 1:10 [of the waters]). The repetition of this term constitutes a kind of artless play on words, such as is common in the Old Testament. (Comp. Genesis 15:2; Judges 15:16.) Both here and in Kings the Vulg. renders the word as a proper name, “from Coa.” So also the LXX. in Kings “from Thekkoue” (Tekoa); and the Syriac of Chronicles, “from the city of the Aphelāvē.” These variations only prove that the text was felt to be obscure. The “linen yarn” of the Authorised version is a guess based upon the likeness of the word miqweh to qaw, “rope,” and tiqwāh, “line” (Joshua 2:18), and upon the fact that much linen was made in Egypt.

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 Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: {k} the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.

(k) Read 1Ki 20:28.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16. And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt] R.V. And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt. Egypt is an agricultural not a pastoral country; it lacks the broad plains suitable for the rearing of large numbers of horses. Egypt was therefore probably only the market; the raising ground was elsewhere.

and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price] R.V. the king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price. “Linen yarn” is a mistranslation of a word which perhaps means “drove.” The whole verse refers to traffic in horses. According to a third view the Heb. “miḳvê” means neither “yarn” nor “drove,” but conceals a proper name, known to us from Assyrian inscriptions, Ku‘i or Kuë (= Cilicia). In this case the horses would be brought in the first place from eastern Asia Minor and Armenia, since Cilicia itself is not a horse-breeding country. We then translate, And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt and out of Cilicia; the king’s merchants received them from Cilicia at a price. The further supposition that “Egypt” (Mizraim) is a mistake for “Musri” (a land supposed to lie N.E. of Cilicia) may be true but is difficult to prove.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 16. - Horses brought.., out of Egypt. Later on we read that horses were imported from other countries as well (2 Chronicles 9:24, 28), as, for instance, from Arabia and Armenia (Ezekiel 27:14). Linen yarn. The words are without doubt wrong here. But it is impossible to say with any certainty what should be in their place. The Vulgate shows here from Coa, presumably meaning Tekoa, a small place on the road from Egypt to Jerusalem. It might not have been easy to surmise, however, so much as this, but for the fact that the Septuagint shows in the parallel place, "And from Tekoa" (Amos 1:1). The Septuagint, however, has for the present place, Καὶ ἡ τιμὴ τῶν ἐμπόρωντοῦ βασίλεως πορεύεσθαι καὶ ἠγόραζον The Hebrew word here translated "linen yarn" is מִקְואֵ (i.q. מִקְוֶה niph. of קָוָה, "to be gathered together").' Gesenius, followed by De Wette (and others), and himself following Piscator (born tire. 1480) and Vatablus (born circ. 1546), would translate the word "company," and read, "a company of the king's merchants took a company (of horses) at a price." Others would translate the word "import;" and read, "the import of the king's merchants was an import at a price," i.e. in money. Neither of these renderings can be considered really satisfactory. Some slight corruption of text still baulks us, therefore. 2 Chronicles 1:16

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

2 Chronicles 1:16, 2 Chronicles 1:17 coincide with 1 Kings 10:28-29, except that מקרא is used for hw'q;mi, and ותּצא ותּעלה is altered into ויּוציאוּ ויּעלוּ. For the commentary on these verses, see 1 Kings 10:28.