The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 82

1. 10, 11; Josh. ix. 1, &c.; of the east in tll.1/i1".l!.< for il.ll~"'.1~)- For (1) in the Num. xxii. 1; xxxii. 82; "and even in the parallel p1.18sage in Chronicles the number same chapter is used first of one and then is stated as 4000. (2) 4000 agrees, and of the other Dent. iii. 8, 20, 25 " (Spk. 40,000 does not, with the other numbers Comm. on Dent. i. 1), and that it was sub- here given. The chariots, e.g., numbered sequently applied, with similar variations of 1400; the horsemen 12,000. Now for 1400 meaning, to the Euphrates. See Introduc- chariots the proper allowance of horses tion, sect. v.J from Tiphsah [cf. 2 Kings would be a.bout 4000. We see from the xv. 16, apparently the town on the west monuments that it was customary to yoke bank of the Euphrates, known to the Greeks two horses (seldom three) to a chariot ; bat as Thapsacus. It derived its name from a third or supemtlIIlerary horse was pro- the fact that the river at that point was vided to meet emergencies or accidents. fordable ni;,,=passover; i1Q~T:l = crossing. 4000 horses would hence be a liberal pro- A bridge of boats was maintaiued here by vision for Solomon's chariots, and it would the Persians. It was here that the river also agree well with the number of his was forded by Cyrus and the Ten Thous!l.nd, cavalry. 12,000 cavalry and 40,000 chariot and was crossed by the armies of Darius horses are out of all proportion. As to stalls, Codomannns and Alexander] to Azza.h [i.e., it seems clear that in ancient, as in modern Gaza, now called Guzzeh, the southern.most tinles, each horse had a separate crib (V ege- city of Philistia, ten miles from the Medi- tius in Boche.rt, quoted by Keil). Gesenius, terranean, and the lo.st town in Palestine however, understands by nf')~, not stalls, on the Egyptian frontier. Cf. ver. 21], over but teams, or pairs] for his. chariots [or aJl the kings on this side the river [" Petty chariotnJ : the word is singular o.nd col- kings were numerous at this time in all the lective] and twelve hundred horsemen countries dependent upon Judma" (Rawlin- [rather, horses, i.e., riding or cavo.lry, o.s son). Cf. 1 Sam. vi. 16 ; 2 Sam. viii. 8-10 ; distinguished from chariot-horses above. 1 Kings xx. 1. The "kings on this side the See note on eh. i. 5. It has been supposeu river" were those of Syria (2 Sam. viii. 6. that this warlike provision is mentioneu to Cf. x. 19) conquered by David, and of account for the peace (" si vis pacem, para Philistia, 2 Sam. viii. 1]: and he had bellum ") of Solomon's reign, o.nd was c.e- peace on aJl sides [Heh. from all his signed to overawe the tributary kings. But servants] round about him [in fulfilment it is more probable that the ideo. of the of 1 Chron. xxii. !J. The objection of historian wo.s, partly to exhibit the pomp Thenius that this statement contradicts and circumstance of Israel's greatest king, that of eh. xi. 23, sqq., is hardly deserving and partly to record a contravention of the of se1ious notice. The reign of Solomon, on law (Dent. xvii. 16), which was one of tho the whole, was undoubtedly a peaceful one. precursors of his fall] . Ver. 25.-And Judah and Israel [here we Ver. 27.-And those [rather, these, i.e., the ho.ve the copula, the absence of which in officers mentioned vv. 7-19] officers provtded ver. 20 suggests 1.1 corruption or confusion of Victual for [Heb. nourished] king Solomon the text] dwelt safely [Heh. confidently. and for aJl that came unto king Solomon's Cf. Judges viii. 11; 1 Sam. xii. 11], every table [we can hardly see here (with Keil) man under his vine and under his ftg tree. " 1.1 further proof of the blessings of peace." [A proverbio.l expression (see 2 Kings xv iii. The words were probably suggested by the 81, where it is used by Ro.bshakeh ; Mien.Ii mental wonder how the cavalry, &c., could iv. 4 ; Zech, iii. 10) to denote rest and the be mo.into.ined, o.nd so the author states thnt undisturbed enjoyment of the fruits of the this great number of horses o.nd hor~cmen earth, not necesso.rily, as Keil, " the most dependeil on the twelve purveyors for their costly products of the lo.nd." In invasions, food] every man 1n his month; they lacked raids, &c., it is still the custom of the East nothing [rather, s-1tfferedrwthing to be lack- to out and carry off o.ll the crops, and ing. So Gesen. ; and the context seems to fruits. Wordsworth notices that the vine require it]. often " clustered on the walls of houses ( Pso.. Ver. 28.-Barley also [the food of horses cxxviii. 8), or around and over the court- at the present day in the East, where oo.ts yo.rds "J, from Dan even to Beersheba [i.e., a.re not grown. (Cf. Hom. II. v. l!J6)] a.ncl from the extreme northem to the extreme straw for the horses and dromedaries southern (not en.stern, o.s the American [marg. mules or swift beasts. Coursers, or translator of Biihr) boundary, Judg. xx. l; 1 fi!)et horses of superior breed are intended. Sam. iii. 20 ; 2 Sam. iii. 10]. ~:,-, ., ... = Germ. Renner. These coursers were Ver. 26.-Alld Solomon had forty thou- for the use of the king's messengers or posts. sand stalls of horses [40,000 is certs.inly a Sec Esther viii 10, 14] brought they unto olerioal error, probably for 4000 (i.e., the place where tll,e omcera were[" oflicers" 70 THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. [cH. IV. 20-84,