9:20 All of King Solomon’s cups were made of gold, and all the household items in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest were made of pure gold. There were no silver items, for silver was not considered very valuable in Solomon’s time. 1 9:21 The king had a fleet of large merchant ships 2 manned by Huram’s men 3 that sailed the sea. Once every three years the fleet 4 came into port with cargoes of 5 gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. 6
9:22 King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth. 7
1 tn Heb “there was no silver, it was not regarded as anything in the days of Solomon.”
2 tn Heb “for ships belonging to the king were going [to] Tarshish with the servants of Huram.” This probably refers to large ships either made in or capable of traveling to the distant western port of Tarshish.
3 tn Heb “servants.”
4 tn Heb “the fleet of Tarshish [ships].”
5 tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish came carrying.”
6 tn The meaning of this word is unclear; some suggest it refers to “baboons.” NEB has “monkeys,” NASB, NRSV “peacocks,” and NIV “baboons.”
7 tn Heb “King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth with respect to wealth and wisdom.”