Bible Commentaries

The narrative here is parallel with that in marginal reference, from which it varies but little, and to which it adds nothing.

2 Chronicles 9:11

Terraces - Rather, as in the margin, “stairs” (see the 1 Kings 10:12 note).

2 Chronicles 9:12

Beside that which she had brought unto the king - It is difficult to assign any sense to these words as they now stand in the Hebrew text. A slight alteration will give the meaning: “Beside that which the king had brought for her;” which is in conformity with 1 Kings 10:13.

The narrative here is parallel with that in marginal reference, from which it varies but little, and to which it adds nothing.

2 Chronicles 9:11

Terraces - Rather, as in the margin, “stairs” (see the 1 Kings 10:12 note).

2 Chronicles 9:12

Beside that which she had brought unto the king - It is difficult to assign any sense to these words as they now stand in the Hebrew text. A slight alteration will give the meaning: “Beside that which the king had brought for her;” which is in conformity with 1 Kings 10:13.

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

The footstool (not mentioned in Kings) was an essential appendage to an Oriental throne; it appears everywhere in the Egyptian, Assyrian, and Persian sculptures.

All the kings of the earth - Rather, “all the kings of the land:” all the monarchs, that is, whose dominions were included in So omon‘s empire (see 1 Kings 4:21).

And out of all lands - An addition to the words in Kings. The principal countries would no doubt be Arabia and Armenia - the former always famous for its excellent breed; the latter mentioned in Ezekiel Ezekiel 27:14 as trading with horses in the fairs of Tyre.

The book of Nathan … - On the “books” here mentioned, see the introduction to Chronicles, the second note.

We hear nothing of Iddo in Kings: but he is mentioned below twice 2 Chronicles 12:15; 2 Chronicles 13:22. In the latter of these passages he is called not “the seer,” but “the prophet.” He seems to have been the author of three works:

(1) Visions against Jeroboam;

(2) A book of genealogies; and

(3) A commentary or history.

According to some, he was identical with Oded, the father of Azariah, who prophesied in the reign of Asa (see the 2 Chronicles 15:1 note).