2 Chronicles 9:15

15. targets] Heb. çinnâh, a word meaning a large shield; cp. 1Sa_17:7. On the other hand in 2Ch_9:16 (Heb. mâgçn) small shields are meant. The English renderings should be transposed so as to be “shields” in 2Ch_9:15 and “targets” in 2Ch_9:16.

went to one target] Render (also in 2Ch_9:16) were spread upon one target.

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.

9:15-16 Ornamental and ceremonial shields were common in ancient Syria and Assyria. Large shields were full-body length and possibly three-sided; small shields, worn on the arm, provided light protection. Guards displayed their shields as the king went up to the Temple.

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

Which sum mounteth to 2400 crowns of the sun, Budeus De Asse.

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

Verse 15. And King Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold] For a more correct valuation of these targets and shields than that in 1Kg 10:17, see at the end of the chapter. 2Ch 9:29.

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

(15) And king Solomon made.—Word for word as 1Ki_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. Amo_8:10, “And I will put upon all loins sackcloth.”) So in 2Ch_9:16.

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

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

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

Vers. 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 It was a very large solid shield, originally made of some common material, as basketwork or wood, and covered with leather; these with a plate of gold.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 1Ki_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 1Ki_7:2-5; 2Sa_8:7 Son_4:4; Isa_22:8) Shishak took these when he conquered Jerusalem. (1Ki_14:26)

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

King Solomon made

The author writes about Solomon having his workers make the shields as if he himself had made them. AT: "King Solomon had his workers make" or "King Solomon's workers made" (See: Metonymy)

two hundred large shields

"200 large shields" (See: Numbers)

beaten gold

"gold that people had beaten into thin sheets"

Six hundred shekels of gold went into each one

Here the phrase "went into" represents being made with. Possible meanings are 1) the shields were covered with sheets of gold. AT: "They covered each shield with six hundred shekels of gold" or 2) the shields were made of gold. AT: "They made each shield out of six hundred shekels of gold"

Six hundred shekels of gold

A shekel is a unit of weight equal to about 11 grams. You may convert this to a modern measure. AT: "Six and one half kilograms of gold" (See: Biblical Weight)

Six hundred shekels

The word "shekels" does not appear here in the Hebrew text. Some modern versions assume instead the unit called bekah, which was equivalent to only a half shekel. Any version making this assumption would signal a metric equivalent of about three kilograms.

He also made

The author writes about Solomon having his workers make the shields as if he himself had made them. AT: "King Solomon had his workers also make" or "His workers also made"(See: Metonymy)

three hundred shields

"300 shields" (See: Numbers)

Three minas of gold went into each shield

Here the phrase "went into" represents being made with. Possible meanings are 1) the shields were covered with sheets of gold. AT: "They covered each shield with three minas of gold" or 2) the shields were made of gold. AT: "They made each shield out of three minas of gold"

Three minas of gold

A mina is about 600 grams. You may convert this to a modern measure. AT: "One and three-quarters kilograms of gold" (See: Biblical Weight)

the king put them

The author writes about Solomon having his workers put the shields in the palace as if he himself had put them there. AT: "King Solomon had his workers put them" or "King Solomon's workers put them" (See: Metonymy)

the House of the Forest of Lebanon

Solomon's palace was built of trees from Lebanon. Possible meanings are 1) this was the name of a large room in the palace. AT: "the Hall of the Forest of Lebanon" or 2) this was the name of his whole palace. (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

Lebanon

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

two hundred shields צִנָּה which encompasses the person from his three sides, as is written (Ps. 5: 13): “As a shield You encompass him with favor” (כַּצִּנָּה).

malleable gold gold that is soft and easily flattened out. It had great value because it could be spun like a thread.

six hundred gold pieces Six hundred zehubim, the equivalent of six manehs, for the zahab is the dinar.

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.