The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought in from Ophir great quantities of almug trees and precious stones.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 11. Thyine. Pliny (iii. 16.) mentions a species of tall and incorruptible trees, called thya. The wood was odoriferous, and very costly. Citri et mensarum insania, quas feminæ viris contra margaritas regerunt. B. xiii. and xv. 16. Calypso burnt it, to perfume her whole island. Homer.—It ws used as a sort of incense in sacrifices, and thence received its name. Bible.—Septuagint translate, “plained;” and elsewhere, pine-trees, which is adopted by S. Jerom. 2 Chronicles 2:8. Calmet.—Hebrew reads almuggim in one place, and algumin in the other, the letters being transposed; “for I suppose, says Kennicott, it will hardly be said that these trees were both almug and algum.” Bible.—One word might be the Ethiopian pronunciation. Huet.—Yet Kimchi observes, that such transpositions of letter are very common among the Hebrews. D.—Solomon had desired Hiram to send him some algum, or “gum bearing” wood: but as there was not sufficient, or so fine, in Libanus as in Ophir, or in foreign parts, he procured more from those countries. The wood might probably resemble that of settim, or of black acacia, (Exodus 25:5) whence the gum of Arabia is extracted. Acanthos, in Thebais, was celebrated for its fine thorn-trees, and for its gum. Strabo xvii. Calmet.—It is placed near Memphis. Plin. iv 10.—The Rabbins commonly understand the Hebrew to mean, “coral,” which is not fit for instruments, much less for architecture. Others translate ebony, or Brazil wood, but without reason. Calmet. Tirinus.
possibly an Indian sandalwood, with nice grain and a pleasant scent, and good for woodworking