1 Kings 10 · Verse 28

1 Kings 10:28

And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.
1 Kings 10:28, King James Version

1 Kings 10:28 in other translations

BSBSolomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the royal merchants purchased them from Kue.
WEBThe horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt. The king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price.
ASVAnd the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt; and the king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price.
YLTAnd the outgoing of the horses that king Solomon hath is from Egypt, and from Keveh; merchants of the king take from Keveh at a price;
DARBYAnd the exportation of horses that Solomon had was from Egypt: a caravan of the king's merchants fetched a drove of horses, at a price.
BBEAnd Solomon's horses came from Egypt and from Kue; the king's traders got them at a price from Kue.
WebsterAnd Solomon had horses brought from Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.

What does 1 Kings 10:28 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 28 Horses brought out of Egypt - It is thought that the first people who used horses in war were the Egyptians; and it is well known that the nations who knew the use of this creature in battle had greatly the advantage of those who did not. God had absolutely prohibited horses to be imported or used; but in many things Solomon paid little attention to the Divine command. And linen yarn - The original word, מקוה mikveh, is hard to be understood, if it be not indeed a corruption. The versions are all puzzled with it: the Vulgate and Septuagint make it a proper name: "And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and from Coa, or Tekoa." Some think it signifies a tribute, thus Bochart: "They brought horses to Solomon out of Egypt; and as to the tribute, the farmers of this prince received it at a price." They farmed the tribute, gave so much annually for it, taking the different kinds to themselves, and giving a round sum for the whole. Some suppose that Mikveh signifies the string or cord by which one horse's head is tied to the tail of another; and that the meaning is, Solomon brought droves of horses, thus tied, out of Egypt. Rabbi Solomon Jarchi, in his comment on the parallel place, 2Chr 1:14, says that מקוה mikveh signifies a collection or drove of horses, or what the Germans call stutte, a stud. He observes on that place, "That he has heard that there was a company of merchants in Egypt, who bought horses from the Egyptians at a certain price, on condition that no person should be permitted to bring a horse out of Egypt but through them." Houbigant supposes the place to be corrupt, and that for מקוה mikveh we should read מרכבה mercabah, chariots: "And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and chariots; and the king's merchants received the chariots at a price: and a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver," etc. This makes a very good and consistent sense; but none of the versions acknowledged it, nor is there any various reading here in any of the MSS. yet collated. If we understand it of thread, it may refer to the byssus or fine flax for which Egypt was famous; but I do not see on what authority we translate it linen thread. Bochart's opinion appears to me the most probable, as the text now stands; but the charge contended for by Houbigant makes the text far more simple and intelligible.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Kings 10:14-29

Solomon increased his wealth. Silver was nothing accounted of. Such is the nature of worldly wealth, plenty of it makes it the less valuable; much more should the enjoyment of spiritual riches lessen our esteem of all earthly possessions. If gold in abundance makes silver to be despised, shall not wisdom, and grace, and the foretastes of heaven, which are far better than gold, make gold to be lightly esteemed? See…

Read the full comment on 1 Kings 10:14-29 →

1 Kings 10:28 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וּמוֹצָ֧אu.mo.Tza'and [the] export ofH4161
הַסּוּסִ֛יםha.su.Simthe horsesH5483
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherwhichH834
לִשְׁלֹמֹ֖הlish.lo.Moh[belonged] to SolomonH8010
מִמִּצְרָ֑יִםmi.mitz.Ra.yim[was] from EgyptH4714
וּמִקְוֵ֕הu.mik.Vehand from QueH4723
סֹחֲרֵ֣יso.cha.Rei[the] traders ofH5503
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
יִקְח֥וּyik.Chuthey took [them]H3947
מִקְוֵ֖הmik.Vehfrom QueH4723
בִּמְחִֽיר\׃bim.Chirfor a priceH4242

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Kings 10:28

  • Deuteronomy 17:16

    But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

  • 2 Chronicles 9:28

    And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all lands.

  • Isaiah 31:1-3

    Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord! Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together.

  • Isaiah 36:9

    How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?

  • Proverbs 7:16

    I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.

  • 2 Chronicles 1:16-17

    And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price. And they fetched up, and brought forth out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so brought they out horses for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by their means.

  • Ezekiel 27:7

    Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy sail; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was that which covered thee.

  • Isaiah 19:9

    Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded.

  • Genesis 41:42

    And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Solomon, etc. Heb. the going forth of the horses which wasSolomon's. horse brought.
De 17:16; 2Ch 1:16,17; 9:28; Isa 31:1-3; 36:9
and linen yarn.
Ge 41:42; Pr 7:16; Isa 19:9; Eze 27:7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Kings 10:27

    And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.

  • 1 Kings 10:28

    And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.

  • 1 Kings 10:29

    And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

Read all of 1 Kings 10

1 Kings 10:28 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y sacaban caballos y lienzos á Salomón de Egipto: porque la compañía de los mercaderes del rey compraban caballos y lienzos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et quant aux chevaux de Salomon, il les tirait d’Égypte: une caravane de marchands du roi prenait un convoi de chevaux pour un certain prix;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Ausfuhr der Rosse für Salomo geschah aus Ägypten; und ein Zug Handelsleute des Königs holte einen Zug um Geld.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et educebantur equi Salomoni de Ægypto, et de Coa. Negotiatores enim regis emebant de Coa, et statuto pretio perducebant.