14 And the weight of the gold that hath come to Solomon in one year is six hundred sixty and six talents of gold, 15 apart from 'that of' the tourists, and of the traffic of the merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the land. 16 And king Solomon maketh two hundred targets of alloyed gold—six hundred of gold go up on the one target; 17 and three hundred shields of alloyed gold—three pounds of gold go up on the one shield; and the king putteth them 'in' the house of the forest of Lebanon. 18 And the king maketh a great throne of ivory, and overlayeth it with refined gold; 19 six steps hath the throne, and a round top 'is' to the throne behind it, and hands 'are' on this 'side' and on that, unto the place of the sitting, and two lions are standing near the hands, 20 and twelve lions are standing there on the six steps, on this 'side' and on that; it hath not been made so for any kingdom. 21 And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon 'are' of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon 'are' of refined gold—there are none of silver; it was not reckoned in the days of Solomon for anything, 22 for a navy of Tarshish hath the king at sea with a navy of Hiram; once in three years cometh the navy of Tarshish, bearing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. 23 And king Solomon is greater than any of the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom, 24 and all the earth is seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom that God hath put into his heart, 25 and they are bringing each his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, the matter of a year in a year.
26 And Solomon gathereth chariots, and horsemen, and he hath a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, and he placeth them in the cities of the chariot, and with the king in Jerusalem. 27 And the king maketh the silver in Jerusalem as stones, and the cedars he hath made as the sycamores that 'are' in the low country, for abundance. 28 And the outgoing of the horses that king Solomon hath 'is' from Egypt, and from Keveh; merchants of the king take from Keveh at a price; 29 and a chariot cometh up and cometh out of Egypt for six hundred silverlings, and a horse for fifty and a hundred, and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Aram; by their hand they bring out.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 10:14-29
Commentary on 1 Kings 10:14-29
(Read 1 Kings 10:14-29)
Solomon increased his wealth. Silver was nothing accounted of. Such is the nature of worldly wealth, plenty of it makes it the less valuable; much more should the enjoyment of spiritual riches lessen our esteem of all earthly possessions. If gold in abundance makes silver to be despised, shall not wisdom, and grace, and the foretastes of heaven, which are far better than gold, make gold to be lightly esteemed? See in Solomon's greatness the performance of God's promise, and let it encourage us to seek first the righteousness of God's kingdom. This was he, who, having tasted all earthly enjoyments, wrote a book, to show the vanity of all worldly things, the vexation of spirit that attends them, and the folly of setting our hearts upon them: and to recommend serious godliness, as that which will do unspeakably more to make us happy, that all the wealth and power he was master of; and, through the grace of God, it is within our reach.