Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 10:17
And [he made] three hundred shields [of] beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
17. three pound of gold went to one shield ] The word rendered pound here is ‘maneh,’ and according to the parallel passage (2Ch 9:16) is equal to ‘one hundred shekels.’ There is no sufficient data for settling the value of these weights in terms of our English standards, but such computations as seem most trustworthy make the maneh equal to about 2 lbs. The addition of three such maneh of gold to a shield need not make it unwieldy. Of course the gold was only the external covering, not the whole fabric of the shields, though Josephus says the king cast ( ) these targets and shields of the precious metal.
in the house of the forest of Lebanon ] On this see above 1Ki 7:2. These golden shields were probably only used on grand occasions, and when not in use were suspended against the numerous pillars in the royal armoury, for which purpose the house of the forest of Lebanon appears to have been built. The shields were carried away in the succeeding reign by Shishak king of Egypt (1Ki 14:26) and brazen ones were made by Rehoboam to be put in their place.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
These shields, together with the 500 taken by David from Hadadezer 2Sa 8:7 were hung round the outer walls of a building, reckoned as belonging to the house of the Forest of Lebanon, but separate from it, and called sometimes the Tower of David Son 4:4, or from its use the armoury Son 4:4; Isa 22:8. The practice of hanging shields outside walls for ornamentation seems to have existed at Tyre Eze 27:10-11, Rome, Athens, and elsewhere. Traces of it are thought to be found in the Assyrian sculptures.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 17. He made three hundred shields] The magen was a large shield by which the whole body was protected.
Mr. Reynolds computes that the two hundred targets, on each of which were employed three hundred shekels of gold, were worth 28,131 16s. 9 1/2d.
And the three hundred shields, in forming each of which three pounds of gold were employed, were worth 210,976 7s. 7d.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Three pound, or, three hundred shekels, as it is expressed 2Ch 9:16.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold,…. Which were a lesser sort:
three pounds of gold went to one shield; or three hundred shekels, as in 2Ch 9:16 a hundred shekels made one pound; so that these were but half the value of the former, and one of them was worth but two hundred and twenty five pounds: Eupolemus o, an Heathen writer, makes mention of those golden shields Solomon made, and which were made for show, and not for war, as follows:
and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon; one part of which was made an armoury of, see So 4:4.
o Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 34.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(17) Poundthat is, maneh, equal (see 2Ch. 10:16) to one hundred shekels.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. Shields Ordinary shields, such as were carried on the arm.
Three pounds Three mina. 2Ch 9:16 reads three hundred shekels; according to which these shields were half the weight of the targets or long shields described in the previous verse; that is, about nine pounds. Both the greater and smaller shields were probably made of wood and overlaid with gold, and were designed more for ornament than for use. They were hung up in one of the great halls of Solomon’s palace, (see note on 1Ki 7:2,) whence they were subsequently carried away by Shishak king of Egypt. 1Ki 14:25-26.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ki 10:17 And [he made] three hundred shields [of] beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
Ver. 17. And he made three hundred shields. ] Nothing so big as those targets, 1Ki 10:16 but lost with them.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
shields. Taken away by Shishak in the reign of Rehoboam (1Ki 14:26).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
in the house: 1Ki 7:2
Reciprocal: Exo 25:36 – beaten 2Sa 8:7 – shields 1Ki 10:21 – the house 1Ki 14:26 – the shields of gold 1Ch 18:7 – shields 2Ch 9:15 – two 2Ch 12:9 – the shields Isa 22:8 – the armour