2 Chronicles 1:14

HIS STRENGTH AND WEALTH. (Ch2 1:14-17)

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 (Ch2 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; Kg1 10:28).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2Ch 1:14 And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

Ver. 14. And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen.] This is here added to show how God made good to Solomon that other part of his promise also concerning riches and honours. And here the lawgiver might dispense with that law of his, {Deu 17:16} by a singular privilege to this king of Israel. See on 1Ki 4:26.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ch 1:14. And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen, which he placed in the chariot-cities, and with the king at Jerusalem — Of this and the three following verses, see the notes on 1Ki 10:26, &c.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 Kg1 3:16-28 a narrative of Solomon's wise judgment, then in 2 Chron 4 an account of his public officers; and in Ch2 5:1-14 the royal magnificence, glory, and wisdom of his reign is further portrayed. In our Chronicle, on the contrary, we have in Ch2 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 Kg1 10:26-29, in the concluding remarks on the riches and splendour of Solomon's reign; while in the parallel passage, 2 Chron 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 Kg1 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 (Ch2 9:25-26) does not at all agree with Kg1 10:26, but coincides with the statement in Kg1 5:6-7.)

For the commentary on this section, see on Kg1 10:26-28.

Ch2 1:14-15

Ch2 1:14, Ch2 1:15, with the exception of one divergence in form and one in matter, correspond word for word to Kg1 10:26 and Kg1 10:27. Instead of ויּנחם, he led them (Kings), there stands in Ch2 1:15, as in Ch2 9:25, the more expressive word ויּנּיהם, "he laid them" in the chariot cities; and in Ch2 1:15 ואת־הזּהב is added to את־הכּסף, while it is omitted from both Kg1 10:27 and also Ch2 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.

Ch2 1:16-17

Ch2 1:16, Ch2 1:17 coincide with Kg1 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 Kg1 10:28.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

1:14-17 The illustration of Solomon’s wealth and power (expanded on in 9:25-28) comes from the summary of his kingdom in 1 Kgs 10:26-29. In Kings, the summary of Solomon’s wealth provided a transition to the negative aspects of Solomon’s rule (1 Kgs 11). Here, Solomon’s amassing of wealth showed the fulfillment of God’s promise (2 Chr 1:12).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Which were cities appointed to keep and maintain the chariots.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 14. He had a thousand and four hundred chariots] For these numbers, see the notes on 1Kg 4:26.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(14) And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen.—Word for word as in 1Ki_10:26; see the Notes there.

Which he placed.—And he placed, or bestowed them (wayyanhîhem) (2Ch_9:25). Kings 50100 reads, “and he brought them into the chariot cities” (wayyanhem). The difference turns on the pointing only, and the versions there support our text; LXX., “he put; “Vulg., disposuit; Targum, ’ashrinnûn, “he lodged them;” Syriac, “he left them.” The chariots (rekeb; see 1Ch_18:4; 1Ch_19:6) and horsemen were, of course, military. The “chariot cities” probably lay in the south towards Egypt. The Simeonite Beth-marcaboth (house of chariots), and Hazar-susim (court of horses) may have been included amongst them. (See 1Ch_4:31.)

(14-17) Solomon’s “riches, and wealth, and honour” illustrated (comp. 1Ki_10:26-29). In the parallel passage of Kings, this short section closes the account of Solomon’s wealth and glory. 2Ch_9:25-28 is very similar; a fact which will not surprise those who bear in mind that the chronicler is careless of repetition.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14–17 (= 1Ki_10:26-29). Solomon’s Horses and Chariots

14. the chariot cities] The greater part of Palestine is unsuitable for the evolutions of chariots, but flat country is found along the coast of the Mediterranean, in the plain of Esdrelon, and east of Jordan, and in these three districts the chariot cities were probably situated. Cp. G. A. Smith, Hist. Geography, p. 667, Appendix V.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Chariots. See 3 Kings iv. 26. No king of Israel kept such a multitude of horses. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Of this and the three following verses, See Poole "1Ki 10:26", &c.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The attraction to Jerusalem of the signs of wealth chariots, horses, etc. on the part of Solomon. The excitement attending the great sacrifices at Gibeon, and before the ark in Jerusalem, had now subsided. And we obtain just a glimpse of the range of thought and purpose present to the mind of the reigning king. The largo expenditure of money would infer without fail the show of brilliant prosperity in the grand city for the time. Whether this would last, and whether it would not infer oppressive taxation somewhere or other (1Ki_9:15, 1Ki_9:21, 22 10:25) among the people, time would show. Had this expenditure been all to record, none could suppose the commencing of the practical part of the king"s reign either sound or auspicious. But, of course, it is to be qualified by other things that were transpiring, with which the parallel acquaints us (1Ki_3:16-28) only in different order. We now, however,begin a rapid and self-contained sketch of the reign of Solomon to his very death (ch. 9.) the sketch one of marked characteristics, and in consistent keeping with the presumable objects of this work. For it is very much monopolized by the account of the temple. The contents of this and the following three verses are identical with the parrallel 1Ki_10:26-29, except that the words, "and gold," of our ver. 15 (2Ch_9:20) are not found there. The position of these four verses in the parallel, towards the close of the account of Solomon, would seem more natural than their position here, which has somewhat the appearance of a fragment interpolated, as on the other hand the account of the harlot-mothers there. Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. The chariot was no institution of Israel, (so Deu_20:1) neither of their earliest ancestors, nor of those more proximate. The earliest occasions of the mention of it (Gen_41:43 Gen_46:29 Gen_50:9) are in connection with Egypt, and almost all subsequent occasions for a long stretch of time show it in connection with some foreign nation, till we read (2Sa_8:4; 1Ch_18:4) of David "reserving horses" unhoughed "for a hundred chariots," apparently also "reserved" out of the very much larger number which he had taken in battle from Hadadezer King of Zobah. The very genius of the character of God"s people, a pilgrim -genius, as well as their long-time pilgrim-life, quite accounts for the "chariot," though it be a war-chariot, having never ranked among their treasures. (Deu_17:16; 1Sa_8:11) Now, however, Solomon thinks it the time to make it a feature of the nation"s power and splendour. He gives the large order for fourteen hundred chariots apparently to Egypt, (ver. 17; also 1Ch_9:28) the appropriate number of horses to which would be probably four thousand. (2Ch_9:25; comp. 1Ki_4:26, where note the corrupt numeral forty thousand, 10:26) Solomon"s fourteen hundred chariots were probably intended to exceed the numbers of the Egyptian king (2Ch_12:3; comp., 2Ch_14:6) of Hadadezer"s (2Sa_8:4; 1Ch_18:4) and of the Syrians. (2Sa_10:18) But, on the other hand, see 1Sa_13:5 and 1Ch_19:7, unless, as seems very probable, the numerals in these places are again incorrect. Dr. Smith"s "Dictionary of the Bible" contains an interesting article on the chariot (vol. 1:295). For significant allusions to the horsemen, reference may be made to 1Sa_8:11; 1Ki_20:20; 2Ki_2:12; Isa_21:7. Twelve thousand horsemen. These probably purport what we should call horse-soldiers, or cavalry. And. it is likely that they come to designate these in virtue of the Hebrew word here used ( meaning horses of the cavalry sort (see Gesenius, "Lexicon," sub voce). The chariot cities. In 2Ch_8:5, 6 we are expressly told that Solomon "built" purposely these cities, for the chariots and for the horsemen, just as he built the "store" cities. (see also 1Ki_9:17-19; Xenoph., "Anab.," 1:4.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1,400 chariots

"one thousand four hundred chariots" (See: Numbers)

twelve thousand horsemen

"12,000 horsemen" (See: Numbers)

in the chariot cities

This is a reference to cities which stored his chariots.

The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as the stones

The narrator uses exaggeration to emphasize the great amount of silver that was in Jerusalem. AT: "The king had so much silver in Jerusalem, it was like there was as much silver as there was stones on the ground" (See: Hyperbole and Generalization)

the sycamore trees

This is a tree that grows fruit that looks like figs. (See: Translate Unknowns)

translationWords

chariot

horseman

silver

gold

cedar

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

and he left them in the chariot cities He left some of those horsemen and chariots in the chariot cities; since the king’s chariots were there, those cities were called the chariot cities, and some of them he left with him in Jerusalem.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.