1 Kings 10:11

“And the navy also of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir, etc.] This perhaps was before Solomon was concerned with Hiram in navigation and merchandise; though in (<140910>2 Chronicles 9:10) both their servants are said to bring it; and it is here inserted perhaps to show that Solomon had not his gold, at least all of it, from the queen of Sheba; but much from Hiram, who fetched it from Ophir; and as this was in India, as observed on (<110928>1 Kings 9:28), many writers make mention of gold in that part of the world, as Diodorus Siculus f225, Strabo f2226, Dionysius f227, Curtius f228, Pliny , and others: and this navy also f229 brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees: or algum…”

“almug trees--Parenthetically, along with the valuable presents of the queen of Sheba, is mentioned a foreign wood, which was brought in the Ophir ships. It is thought by some to be the sandalwood; by others, to be the deodar--a species of fragrant fir, much used in India for sacred and important works. Solomon used it for stairs in his temple and palace (Ch2 9:11), but chiefly for musical instruments.”

“The navy of Hiram - i. e., Solomon’s navy in the Red Sea, which was chiefly manned by subjects of Hiram. (see the marginal reference). Almug-trees - Probably the sandal-wood tree (pterocarpus santalinus). The wood is very heavy, hard, and fine grained, and of a beautiful garnet color, which, according to the rabbinical writers, was the color of the algum. One of the names of the red sandal-wood, in its own native country (India) is “valguka,” a word of which “algum” is a natural corruption. return to 'Top of Page'”

“10:11 Sandalwood is a reddish-brown wood native to India and valued for its aromatic essential oil. Cuneiform tablets found at Ras Shamra and Alalakh also indicate its value for making fine furniture and musical instruments.”

“from Ophir: Kg1 9:27, Kg1 9:28; Ch2 8:18; Psa 45:9 almug: Ch2 2:8, Ch2 9:10, Ch2 9:11, algum trees 3 Kings (1 Kings) 10:12”