Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 9:14
And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
Hiram sent sixscore talents of gold – Apparently, to show that, although disappointed, he was not offended. The sum sent was very large – above a million and a quarter of our money, according to one estimate of the weight of the Hebrew gold talent; or about 720,000 according to the estimate adopted in Exo 38:24-29 note. At any rate, it was more than equal to a sixth part of Solomons regular revenue 1Ki 10:14.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 14. Sixscore talents of gold.] This was the sum which Hiram had lent, and in order to pay this Solomon had laid a tax upon his people, as we afterward learn. The whole is very darkly expressed.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Or rather, for Hiram had sent. And this seems to be here added, both to declare the quantity of the gold sent, which had been only named before, 1Ki 9:11, and as the reason why he resented Solomons action so ill, because so great a sum required a better recompence.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Hiram sent to the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold. Not after the cities had been given him, but before; and it may be rendered “had sent” m, and is the sum of the gold he furnished him with for the temple, 1Ki 9:11 which, according to Brerewood n, was 540,000 pounds of our money; and, according to another o writer, it amounted to 1,466,400 ducats of gold, taking a talent at 12,220 ducats.
m “miserat”, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. n De Ponderibus & Pretiis, Vet. Num. c. 5. o Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. vol. 3. p. 571.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(14) Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.The payment, on any calculation, was a large one, though little more than a sixth of Solomons yearly revenue. (See 1Ki. 10:14.) How it is connected with the previous verses is matter of conjecture. It may possibly be a note referring back to 1Ki. 9:11, and explaining the amount of gold which Hiram had sent. If this is not so, it would then seem to be a payment in acknowledgment of the cession of the cities, as being of greater value than the debt which it was meant to discharge. Hirams depreciation of the cities need not imply that he did not care to keep them. It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth. (Pro. 20:14). Josephus (Ant. viii. 5, 3), has a quaint story in connection with this intercourse between Hiram and Solomon (quoted from Dios), declaring that a contest in riddles took place between these kings, and that, when Hiram could not solve the riddles of Solomon, he paid a large sum of money for his fine, but adds that he afterwards retaliated on Solomon, by aid of Abdemon of Tyre. It appears by 2Ch. 7:2, that the cities were afterwards restored to Israelhow, and why, we know not.
(15 28) The rest of the chapter consists of brief historical notes, partly referring back to the previous records. Thus, 1Ki. 9:15 refers back to 1Ki. 5:13; 1Ki. 9:20-22 to 1Ki. 5:15; 1Ki. 9:24 to 1Ki. 7:8; 1Ki. 9:25 is a note connected with the history of the dedication of the Temple. The style is markedly different from the graphic and picturesque style of the passages preceding and following it.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. Hiram sent gold Probably not as a present, but as a loan; and the verse may be regarded as a fuller statement of his furnishing Solomon with gold, which is more briefly noticed in 1Ki 9:11. In view of the vast profusion of gold with which Solomon adorned the temple and the palace, and other works throughout his whole kingdom, we need not wonder that he gathered gold from all possible quarters.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ki 9:14 And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
Ver. 14. And Hiram sent to the king. ] Miserat autem, so Vatablus rendereth it, And Hiram had sent. &c., sc., before the offer of those twenty cities.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
sent: referring to 1Ki 9:11. Perhaps this was an advance for which the cities of 1Ki 9:11 were the security.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
1Ki 9:11, 1Ki 9:28, 1Ki 10:10, 1Ki 10:14, 1Ki 10:21
Reciprocal: 2Ch 9:9 – she gave 2Ch 9:24 – every man Ecc 2:8 – silver
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9:14 And Hiram sent to the king {d} sixscore {e} talents of gold.
(d) For his tribute toward the building.
(e) The common talent was about 60 pound weight.