2 Chronicles 9:15

And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(15) And king Solomon made.—Word for word as 1Kings 10:16.

Beaten gold.—Rather, according to Gesenius, mixed or alloyed gold. But the word (shahût, i.e., shatûah) seems to mean gold beaten out, gold-leaf. So LXX., ἐλατούς.

Went to.—He put on, i.e., he plated the “targets,” which were large oblong shields, with gold. (Comp. Amos 8:10, “And I will put upon all loins sackcloth.”) So in 2Chronicles 9:16.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:13-31 The imports here mentioned, would show that prosperity drew the minds of Solomon and his subjects to the love of things curious and uncommon, though useless in themselves. True wisdom and happiness are always united together; but no such alliance exists between wealth and the enjoyment of the things of this life. Let us then acquaint ourselves with the Saviour, that we may find rest for our souls. Here is Solomon reigning in wealth and power, in ease and fulness, the like of which could never since be found; for the most known of the great princes of the earth were famed for their wars; whereas Solomon reigned forty years in profound peace. The promise was fulfilled, that God would give him riches and honour, such as no kings have had or shall have. The lustre wherein he appeared, was typical of the spiritual glory of the kingdom of the Messiah, and but a faint representation of His throne, which is above every throne. Here is Solomon dying, and leaving all his wealth and power to one who he knew would be a fool! Ec 2:18,19. This was not only vanity, but vexation of spirit. Neither power, wealth, nor wisdom, can ward off or prepare for the stroke of death. But thanks be to God who giveth the victory to the true believer, even over this dreaded enemy, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Comparing 1 Kings 10:16-17, it follows from the two passages together that the "pound of gold" was equal to 100 shekels.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2Ch 9:13-28. His Riches.

13. Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year—(See on [429]1Ki 10:14-29).

six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold—The sum named is equal to £3,646,350; and if we take the proportion of silver (2Ch 9:14), which is not taken into consideration, at one to nine, there would be about £200,000, making a yearly supply of nearly £6,000,000, being a vast amount for an infant effort in maritime commerce [Napier].

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

See Chapter Introduction

Geneva Study Bible

And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: {g} six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target.

(g) Which amounts to 2400 crowns of the sun.

(h) Or pounds, called mina, of which every one seemed to make a hundred shekels.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

15. targets] Heb. çinnâh, a word meaning a large shield; cp. 1 Samuel 17:7. On the other hand in 2 Chronicles 9:16 (Heb. mâgçn) small shields are meant. The English renderings should be transposed so as to be “shields” in 2 Chronicles 9:15 and “targets” in 2 Chronicles 9:16.

went to one target] Render (also in 2 Chronicles 9:16) were spread upon one target.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 15, 16. - Targets... shields. The Authorized Version "target" is unfortunate, though it may with somewhat grim truth represent fact. It was a very large solid shield, originally made of some common material, as basketwork or wood, and covered with leather; these with a plate of gold. The absence of the word "shekel" in each clause, both here and in Kings, leaves it open to us to suppose that the beka, or half-shekel, may be the right word. Now, the maneh (see 1 Kings 10:17), or pound, meant 100 bekas, i.e. 50 shekels. Thus the targets, or shields, had six manehs of gold to their plating each, and the lesser bucklers (as we may perhaps call them) three manehs each. On the estimate that the shekel weighed 9 dwt. 3 gr., since the maneh weighed fifty shekels (100 bekas, or half-shekels), the gold to a shield (target) may be put at something over 11 lbs. troy. The house of the forest of Lebanon; i.e. an armoury (see 1 Kings 7:2-5; 2 Samuel 8:7; Song of Solomon 4:4; Isaiah 22:8). Shishak took these when he conquered Jerusalem (1 Kings 14:26). 2 Chronicles 9:15

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Solomon's revenue in gold, and the use he made of it. Cf. 1 Kings 10:14-22, and the commentary there on this section, which is identical in both narratives, with the exception of some trifling differences. Before מביאים והסּחרים the relative pronoun is to be supplied: "and what the merchants brought." As to the derivation of the word פּחות, which comes from the Aramaic form פּחה, governor (2 Chronicles 9:14), see on Haggai 1:1. - תּרשׁישׁ הלכות אניּות, in 2 Chronicles 9:21, ships going to Tarshish, is an erroneous paraphrase of תּרשׁישׁ אניּות, Tarshish-ships, i.e., ships built for long sea voyages; for the fleet did not go to Tartessus in Spain, but to Ophir in Southern Arabia (see on 1 Kings 9:26.). All the rest has been explained in the commentary on 1 Kings 10.