John Gill's Exposition on 1 Kings 10:11

A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.

Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.

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 trees, by transposition of letters, (<140910>2 Chronicles 9:10,11), which some of the Jewish writers f230 take to be coral, which is not likely; others Brasil, rather ebony, which was peculiar to India, as both Solinus f231 and Virgil f232 say; Strabo f233 makes mention of strange trees in India: and precious stones; of which there is great variety and plenty in that country, as related by Dionysius f234, as diamonds, beryls, jaspers, topazes, and amethysts, and by Curtius f235, Solinus f236, and others.

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