1 Kings 10:22

Verse 22. To Tharsis. This word in Hebrew signifies, “the sea.” Isaiah 2:16 and 23:10. Menochius.—But when it signifies some particular place, ( Bible.) it probably refers to Tarsus of Cilicia, which was once the most famous mart on the Mediterranean, though not perhaps in the days of Solomon, but after it had been embellished by the Assyrian kings. “Ships of Tharsis,” often denote such as were fit for a long voyage; and of this description were the fleets of Solomon and of Hiram, which sailed from Asiongaber to Ophir, and touched at various ports, where they procured what they wanted. Calmet.—Hebrew “the king had at sea a navy of Tharsis … once in three years: the navy of Tharsis came, bringing gold,” and so forth Bible.—Teeth. Hebrew Shenhabim. The latter word is commonly rendered elephants, k being lost at the beginning. Bochart,—Syriac and Arab. intimate, that the elephants were brought alive. Perhaps n may be dropped after b; so that we should read, ebnim, as Ezekiel 27:15, and translate ivory and ebony; the one being remarkable for its white, and the other for is black colour. Both might be procured on the coasts of Ethiopia, by which the fleet passed. The Persians, and Sesostris, required the people of the country to pay both for tribute. Pliny xii. 14. Diod. i.—Apes. Hebrew Kophim. Greek Κηπος. There was a peculiar species in Ethiopia, which the Egyptians adored at Babylon, near Memphis, and was exhibited by Julius Cæsar, in the public shews. Solin. Bochart.—Peacocks is not expressed in the Septuagint Calmet.—The Roman edition, instead of elephants, and so forth inserts, “stones” and so forth intended for the various edifices and towns, which Solomon fortified, to keep under the nations of Chanaan, whom he forced to labour, and so forth But the Alexandrian copy has, ταωνων, “peacocks,” as thuciim is rendered ( Bible.) by the Chal. Syr. and so forth Calmet.—Huet observes, that these birds were scarcely known in the time of Alexander, and would therefore understand, psittacos, “parrots.” D.—But peacocks were called, “birds of Media,” as they were very common in that country, ( Calmet.) and about Babylon. Diod. ii.—The fleet of Solomon might advance as far as the confines of Media. Josephus adds, that it brought home Ethiopian slaves, who were in high esteem in a country where eunuchs were employed to guard the women, ( Calmet.) as there would be less danger of too great familiarity. Bible.