2 Chronicles 1:16 kjv
And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.
2 Chronicles 1:16 nkjv
And Solomon had horses imported from Egypt and Keveh; the king's merchants bought them in Keveh at the current price.
2 Chronicles 1:16 niv
Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue?the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price.
2 Chronicles 1:16 esv
And Solomon's import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king's traders would buy them from Kue for a price.
2 Chronicles 1:16 nlt
Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from Cilicia ; the king's traders acquired them from Cilicia at the standard price.
2 Chronicles 1 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 17:16 | "Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt... that he not multiply horses." | Direct prohibition against multiplying horses, especially from Egypt, for the king. |
| 1 Kgs 10:28-29 | "And Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue... bringing them out for a price." | Parallel passage, confirms horse trade from Egypt and Kue. |
| Isa 31:1 | "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots... but do not look to the Holy One of Israel." | Warning against trusting in Egypt and horses instead of God. |
| Psa 20:7 | "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." | Contrasts human military might with divine trust. |
| Deut 17:14-17 | The Law concerning the King: prohibiting many horses, many wives, and much silver/gold. | Broader context of Mosaic commands to the king that Solomon disobeys. |
| Isa 2:7 | "Their land is full of horses; their chariots are without end. Their land is full of idols." | Associating abundance of horses with idol worship and worldly reliance. |
| Zech 9:10 | "He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off..." | Prophecy of Messiah's peaceful kingdom, where reliance on military power ends. |
| Psa 33:17 | "The war horse is a false hope for deliverance, and by its great might it cannot rescue." | Explicit statement on the futility of relying on military strength. |
| Jer 46:17 | "Pharaoh king of Egypt is a loud noise who has let the appointed time pass!" | Egypt portrayed as an unreliable and proud ally. |
| Ezra 8:22 | "For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us... because we had told the king, 'The hand of our God is over all.'" | Example of spiritual leaders choosing to trust God's protection over human military aid. |
| Psa 147:10-11 | "His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor His pleasure in the legs of a man... but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him." | God's preference for piety and fear over physical might. |
| Prov 21:31 | "The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord." | Acknowledges the preparation but asserts God's ultimate sovereignty. |
| 2 Kgs 18:21 | "Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff..." | Highlighting Egypt as a symbol of unreliable foreign aid. |
| Isa 30:16 | "You said, 'No! We will flee upon horses'; therefore you shall flee! 'We will ride upon swift steeds'; therefore your pursuers shall be swift!" | Judgment for trusting in horses and flight over returning to God. |
| Hos 14:3 | "Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses..." | A plea of repentance to stop relying on foreign powers or military strength. |
| Hag 1:6 | "You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but are not satisfied..." | Implies the futility of worldly accumulation without divine blessing. |
| Matt 6:19 | "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy..." | Broader New Testament principle about prioritizing heavenly treasures over earthly wealth. |
| 1 Tim 6:9-10 | "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare... For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." | Dangers of wealth accumulation, a thematic parallel to Solomon's later life. |
| Rev 6:2 | The first horseman, conquering on a white horse. | Symbolic usage of horses often related to power, conquest, or judgment in Revelation. |
| Hab 1:8 | "Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on..." | Description of powerful, formidable armies using horses, showing their might. |
| Judg 5:22 | "Then the horses' hooves pounded, pounded were the galloping hooves of his steeds." | Example of horses used in battle, demonstrating their military significance. |
| 1 Sam 8:11-12 | Warnings about kings taking sons for chariots and horsemen, anticipating the king's oppressive actions. | Foreshadowing how kings' reliance on military power could lead to oppressive demands on the people. |
| Ps 76:6 | "At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse lay fast asleep." | God's power over human military strength, emphasizing His sovereignty. |
| Ecc 5:10 | "He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income." | Reflects the ultimate emptiness of relentless material accumulation, fitting Solomon's narrative. |
| Ps 127:1 | "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain." | Ultimate futility of human effort and accumulation without God's active involvement and blessing. |
2 Chronicles 1 verses
2 Chronicles 1 16 Meaning
2 Chronicles 1:16 describes King Solomon's robust international trade, specifically his importation of horses from Egypt and Kue (Cilicia). This verse highlights the massive scale of Solomon's economic power and military build-up early in his reign. However, it also subtly alludes to a practice forbidden by Mosaic law for future kings, pointing to a potential early deviation from full reliance on God's provision.
2 Chronicles 1 16 Context
2 Chronicles chapter 1 opens with Solomon firmly established on his throne, emphasizing his strength and greatness, reflecting God's promise to David. Verses 2-13 describe Solomon's pilgrimage to Gibeon, where God appeared to him and granted his request for wisdom to govern God's people. This wisdom came with the promise of unprecedented wealth and honor, implicitly tying his future prosperity to his humble request for wisdom. Immediately following this divine encounter and promise, verses 14-17 detail Solomon's accumulation of military power and immense wealth: 1,400 chariots, 12,000 horsemen, storing gold and silver like stones, and this specific mention of horse and chariot trade. Therefore, 2 Chronicles 1:16, alongside the surrounding verses, serves to highlight the initial fulfillment of God's promise regarding Solomon's wealth and honor, yet also introduces a subtle, recurring motif throughout the monarchy – the temptation to trust in human resources and foreign alliances rather than sole reliance on God, a path prohibited by the Deuteronomic law for kings.
2 Chronicles 1 16 Word analysis
- And Solomon: The rightful heir to David's throne, chosen by God. His reign marked a peak of Israelite power and prosperity, but also contained seeds of spiritual decline.
- had horses brought: The verb hevi (הֵבִיא) signifies bringing in, implying an active, deliberate importation program. Horses (susim) were crucial military assets and symbols of power and prestige in the ancient Near East. This phrase directly points to a significant royal undertaking.
- out of Egypt: (מִמִּצְרַיִם - mim-Mitsrayim). Egypt was renowned for its superior horse breeding and training. This geographical origin carries significant theological weight, as Deuteronomy 17:16 explicitly warns the future king against multiplying horses and "causing the people to return to Egypt." This act by Solomon signals a potential spiritual compromise or even disobedience, prioritizing worldly military strength and trade relationships over strict adherence to divine command.
- and linen yarn: (וּמִקְוֵה - u-miqveh). This phrase is subject to scholarly debate. While some older translations (like KJV) render it as "linen yarn," most modern scholarship and translations (ESV, NIV) understand u-miqveh as referring to a geographical location, Kue (or Cilicia), which was also a famous hub for horse trading in ancient Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). This interpretation aligns well with the parallel passage in 1 Kings 10:28, and better fits the context of acquiring military resources. Therefore, the common interpretation is "and from Kue," meaning Solomon acquired horses from both Egypt and Kue, doubling his reliance on foreign sources for military power. The implication is an expansion of his supply chain for horses beyond just Egypt.
- the king’s merchants: (סוֹחֲרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ - sokherei hammelekh). This signifies a sophisticated, centralized royal trade operation. It was not mere private commerce but a state-controlled enterprise, emphasizing Solomon's vast administrative and economic reach.
- received them: (לָקָחוּ - lakaḥu). Implies the act of taking, acquiring, or purchasing. It underlines that these were commercial transactions rather than gifts or tributes.
- in quantities at a price: (בִּמְחִיר - bimkhir). This highlights the large-scale, professional nature of the trade. The "price" indicates a substantial financial transaction for a massive influx of horses and chariots, affirming Solomon's great wealth mentioned earlier (2 Chron 1:15) and his active engagement in accumulating it through foreign commerce.
2 Chronicles 1 16 Bonus section
- The Chronicler's primary focus in its account of Solomon is the construction of the Temple and the establishment of organized worship. While the Book of Kings often highlights Solomon's flaws more explicitly, the Chronicler's inclusion of this detail about horses from Egypt/Kue (nearly verbatim from 1 Kings 10:28-29) is significant. It suggests that even the Chronicler, despite a more positive portrayal of Solomon generally, could not overlook or sanitize this particular point, likely because it represented a direct transgression of the Deuteronomic ideal for Israelite kingship.
- The trade network described in this verse (linking Jerusalem to Egypt and Kue/Cilicia) showcases the extensive international relations and economic sophistication of Solomon's kingdom. Such a network was crucial for a large-scale enterprise like building the Temple and palace, requiring vast quantities of specific materials and labor, as described in subsequent chapters. However, this same extensiveness of international ties also exposed Solomon to foreign religious practices and political alliances that eventually corrupted his heart and kingdom.
- The prohibition in Deuteronomy 17:16 regarding horses from Egypt was likely intended to prevent the king from developing military self-reliance that would erode trust in God and to prevent renewed political entanglements with Egypt, which was the symbol of Israel's past bondage and a dangerous pagan influence. Solomon's actions illustrate the temptation for rulers, even those blessed by God, to lean on human strength and resources rather than fully depending on divine provision and protection.
2 Chronicles 1 16 Commentary
2 Chronicles 1:16 marks a critical point in the narrative of Solomon's early reign. Coming immediately after God's generous granting of wisdom, wealth, and honor, this verse reveals how Solomon chose to secure and magnify his kingdom. While his acquisition of horses and chariots from Egypt and Kue fulfilled God's promise of abundant wealth (1:15) and projected military might, it simultaneously contravened the Deuteronomic warning against kings accumulating horses, especially from Egypt (Deut 17:16). This act sets up a tension: God gives wisdom and prosperity, but Solomon leverages that power through means that bypass, if not outright defy, God's prescribed path for a king of Israel – a path of humility and singular reliance on the Almighty. It foreshadows Solomon's eventual downfall, driven by an accumulation of forbidden practices that would lead him away from the Lord. It serves as a subtle yet significant narrative pivot, subtly introducing a challenge to Solomon's fidelity despite his wisdom.