the house of the forest of Lebanon] So called probably because it was built of cedar of Lebanon (1 Kings vii. 2). It was in Jerusalem and seems to have existed as late as the time of Isaiah (Isaiah xxii. 8) when it was in use as an armoury.
¹⁸And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays[¹] on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the stays. ¹⁹And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom. ²⁰And all king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: silver was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
[¹] Or, arms Hebrew hands.
18. with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne] A quite different detail takes the place of this in 1 Kings x. 19, and the top of the throne was round behind. Perhaps both details were found in the original text of Kings.
²¹For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: once every three years came the ships of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. ²²So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. ²³And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
21. For the king had ships that went to Tarshish] Here the Chronicler misunderstands the parallel passage (1 Kings x. 22, “For the king had at sea a navy of Tarshish”). “Navy (or ‘ships’) of Tarshish” (compare Psalms xlviii. 7) is a phrase meaning large ships fit for long voyages; i.e. such as were the vessels used by the Phoenicians in trading with Tarshish (i.e. Tartessus in Spain). We may well compare the use of the title “Indiaman,” for that term came to be used generally of large trading vessels besides those actually trading with India. The merchandise mentioned in this verse doubtless came from the East and not from Tarshish.
apes] These animals were much sought after; they appear pictured in relief on the Black Obelisk (in the British Museum; among the tribute received by Shalmaneser II of Assyria.
²⁴And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
24. his present] i.e. his tribute.
armour] A less probable rendering is στακτὴ (“oil of myrrh”) LXX. (here and in Kings); also “myrrh,” Peshitṭa of 2 Chronicles.