I Kings 10:29 · Bible study
1 Kings 10:29 Commentary: Solomon's Horse Trade
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine Solomon's chariot and horse trade with Egypt and export to Hittites and Syrians, exploring the tension between prosperity and obedience.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Solomon’s merchants imported chariots and horses from Egypt and exported them to neighboring kingdoms, generating wealth and influence.
- Key words: chariot (merkabah), horse (sus), Egypt (Mitzrayim), Hittites, Aram (Syria).
- Main debate: Does the passage celebrate Solomon’s prosperity or warn against violating Deuteronomy 17:16?
- Theological theme: The tension between divine blessing and the danger of prosperity that leads to disobedience.
- Best use: A case study in biblical economics and the moral complexities of success.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. Likewise, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram.
WEB World English Bible 2000
A chariot was imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty shekels; and so they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Syria.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a 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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and a chariot cometh up and cometh out of Egypt for six hundred silverlings, and a horse for fifty and a hundred, and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Aram; by their hand they bring out.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred [shekels] of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty; and so they brought [them] by their means, for all the kings of the Hittites and for the kings of Syria.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And a chariot of four horses came out of Egypt, for six hundred sicles of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. And after this manner did all the kings of the Hethites, and of Syria, sell horses.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y venía y salía de Egipto, el carro por seiscientas piezas de plata, y el caballo por ciento y cincuenta; y así los sacaban por mano de ellos todos los reyes de los Hetheos, y de Siria.
E vinha e saía do Egito, o carro por seiscentas peças de prata, e o cavalo por cento e cinquenta; e assim os traziam por meio deles, todos os reis dos heteus, e da Síria.
un char montait et sortait d’ Égypte pour six cents sicles d’ argent, et un cheval pour cent cinquante sicles. Ils en amenaient de même avec eux pour tous les rois des Héthiens et pour les rois de Syrie.
und brachten' s aus Ägypten heraus, je einen Wagen um sechshundert Silberlinge und ein Pferd um hundertfünfzig. Also brachte man sie auch allen Königen der Hethiter und den Königen von Syrien durch ihre Hand.
En een wagen kwam op, en ging uit van Egypte, voor zeshonderd sikkelen zilvers, en een paard voor honderd en vijftig; en alzo voerden ze die uit door hun hand voor alle koningen der Hethieten, en voor de koningen van Syrie.
Un equipaggio, uscito dall’Egitto e giunto a destinazione, veniva a costare seicento sicli d’argento; un cavallo, centocinquanta. Nello stesso modo, per mezzo di que’ mercanti, se ne facean venire per tutti i re degli Hittei e per i re della Siria.
A wychodził i przychodził cug woźników z Egiptu za sześć set srebrników, a koń za sto i pięćdziesiąt. A tak wszyscy królowie Hetejscy, i królowie Syryjscy z rąk ich koni dostawali.
Колесница из Египта получаема и доставляема была за шестьсот сиклей серебра, а конь за сто пятьдесят. Таким же образом они руками своими доставляли все это царям Хеттейским и царям Арамейским.
從埃及 買 來 的車，每輛價銀 六 百舍客勒，馬 每匹一百 五十舍客勒。赫人 諸 王 和亞蘭 諸王所買的車馬，也是 按這價值經他們手 買來的。
A war-carriage might be got from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty; they got them at the same rate for all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Kings 10:29
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree this verse records a profitable commercial enterprise. Solomon's merchants imported chariots from Egypt for six hundred silver shekels and horses for one hundred fifty shekels, then exported them to Hittite and Syrian kings. Barnes notes that the chariot price likely included the entire equipage, car, harness, and two to three trained horses. Gill observes that some Jewish interpreters inferred four horses per chariot from the 4:1 price ratio. Cambridge Bible identifies the Hittites as a northern coalition with multiple small kingdoms. All see this trade as a marker of Solomon's economic reach. Matthew Henry treats it as part of Solomon's great prosperity but hints at danger: such accumulation of horses from Egypt conflicted with Deuteronomy 17:16. Keil and Delitzsch handle it as a neutral summary of wealth without moral commentary. The verse invites readers to consider the interplay of divine blessing, prosperity, and the subtle pull toward disobedience.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Blessing and Wise Commerce: The verse appears in a context celebrating Solomon's wealth and wisdom (vv. 23–24). The trade demonstrates God's blessing on Israel through political and economic influence.
- Neutral Economic Report: Many commentators treat it simply as a record of trade practices, prices, and international relations without moral evaluation. The text does not explicitly condemn or praise.
- Implicit Critique / Foreshadowing Disobedience: Deuteronomy 17:16 forbids multiplying horses from Egypt. Solomon's extensive horse trade from Egypt directly contradicts this command. The placement in the narrative, leading to Solomon's downfall in chapter 11, suggests a critical tone.
What is clear: Solomon's merchants imported chariots and horses from Egypt for fixed prices and exported them to the Hittites and Arameans, demonstrating extensive trade networks and economic prosperity.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'chariot' price | Commentators agree 600 shekels is the price for a chariot from Egypt. | Barnes says the price includes car, harness, and trained horses (2, 3). Gill notes some Jewish interpreters see 4 horses per chariot from the 4:1 ratio. Others see the chariot as just the vehicle. |
| Identity of Hittite kings | Both Barnes and Cambridge agree the Hittites were a northern people with multiple kingdoms. | Clarke sees them as remnants of Canaanites who moved to Syria. Cambridge points to Carchemish and Kadesh. They differ on connection to the Hittites of Genesis. |
| Role of Solomon's merchants | All agree that Solomon's merchants (or the king's merchants) facilitated the trade. | Keil & Delitzsch treat them as a company of traders paying duty. Cambridge suggests they might have paid a duty for the trading privilege. Others see them as royal agents exporting directly. |
| Tone of the passage | The verse is part of a summary of Solomon's wealth and wisdom. | Some (Matthew Henry) see an implicit critique and warning. Others (Keil & Delitzsch) see a neutral historical account. The tension with Deuteronomy 17:16 is noted by many but not emphasized by all. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Egypt was a premier source of horses and chariots in the ancient Near East. Solomon's chariot cities (1 Kings 10:26) and navy of Tarshish (v.22) integrated Israel into international trade networks. The prices given, six hundred shekels for a chariot, one hundred fifty for a horse, represent substantial sums. Barnes equates these roughly to ninety British pounds and twenty-two pounds ten shillings respectively. The word for chariot (merkabah) likely included the vehicle and its trained horse team, explaining the higher cost.
The Hittites were not the Canaanite group of patriarchal times but a powerful northern empire with capitals at Carchemish and Kadesh. Joshua 1:4 mentions 'all the land of the Hittites' as part of Israel's promised territory. By Solomon's era, they were divided into small kingdoms, often vassals or trade partners. The 'kings of Syria' refers to Aramean states such as Damascus, Zobah, and Maachah. Second Kings 7:6 shows that these kings were feared as a military coalition, suggesting Solomon's trade supplied potential rivals.
The geographic and theological irony is sharp: God brought Israel out of Egypt (Exodus), yet Solomon now brings horses and chariots from Egypt. Deuteronomy 17:16 explicitly forbids a king to 'multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt.' The text does not condemn Solomon directly, but the shadow of that command hangs over the passage.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is consistent across major witnesses. Keil and Delitzsch discuss a grammatical difficulty in verse 28 regarding the word mikveh, but verse 29 is straightforward.
Reception History
In church history, this verse has been read primarily as evidence of Solomon's commercial wisdom and the extent of his kingdom. Early Christian writers saw it as fulfillment of God's promise to make Israel a blessing to nations (Genesis 12:3). Reformation commentators like Calvin noted the irony of returning to Egypt for horses, linking it to Solomon's later apostasy. Many evangelical preachers have used the passage to discuss the moral dangers of wealth. The verse appears infrequently in liturgy but often in studies of biblical economics and the reign of Solomon.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Prosperity. Solomon's trade generated wealth, influence, and international connections. The sheer scale, chariots at 600 shekels, horses at 150, shows a thriving market.
- Partners. The Hittites and Syrians were former adversaries, now customers. Success brought unlikely alliances.
- Peril. Egypt supplied the goods that Deuteronomy forbade. The same trade that blessed Israel also pushed toward disobedience.
Five-point outline
- Source: Egypt, the land of bondage became the supplier of military hardware.
- Cost: 600 shekels for a chariot, 150 for a horse. Barnes suggests the chariot price included the team and gear.
- Customers: Hittite and Syrian kings, nations once hostile, now dependent on Israel's merchants.
- Agents: Solomon's merchants ('by their hand' in Hebrew) facilitated the trade, likely paying a duty to the king (Cambridge Bible).
- Irony: The very thing God warned against (horses from Egypt) became a pillar of Solomon's economy.
Illustration hooks
- A Christian business owner discovers that the most profitable supplier uses practices that compromise her values. She must weigh income against integrity.
- A church grows wealthy and influential, but its success depends on partnerships that quietly erode its mission. The line between blessing and compromise blurs.
- An athlete signs a lucrative endorsement from a company whose ethics clash with her faith. The money is good, but the association raises questions.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Did Solomon actually break God's command, or was this just trade?
- How do we enjoy God's gifts without letting prosperity become a snare?
- What does this verse say about international engagement for God's people? Should we trade with everyone?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits in a section showing Solomon's wealth and wisdom. The prices and customers are recorded without fanfare. But the mention of Egypt, the specific amounts, and the later context of Solomon's downfall (1 Kings 11) raise questions about where prosperity ends and disobedience begins.
Discussion questions
- What is the first thing you notice about this verse? What stands out, the prices, the destinations, or the source?
- Why do you think the writer records the exact prices of chariots and horses? What does that suggest about the writer's priorities?
- How does the mention of Egypt echo earlier parts of Israel's story? What feelings does 'Egypt' stir in a biblical reader?
- Who were the Hittites and Syrians at this time? Why might it matter that Solomon traded with them?
- Read Deuteronomy 17:16. How does Solomon's horse trade relate to that command? Is the passage celebrating him or warning about him?
- When have you experienced a situation where doing business or forming a partnership required crossing a line you felt was wrong? How did you handle it?
- How can we tell the difference between a gift from God and a temptation dressed as an opportunity? What criteria help us discern?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Joshua 1:4 | From the wilderness and this Lebanon even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border. |
| II Kings 7:6 | For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians to hear the sound of chariots and the sound of horses, even the noise of a great army; and they said to one another, “Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us.” |
| II Kings 7:7 | Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, their horses, and their donkeys, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life. |
| Hosea 12:10 | I have also spoken to the prophets, and I have multiplied visions; and by the ministry of the prophets I have used parables. |
| Malachi 1:1 | A revelation, Yahweh’s word to Israel by Malachi. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes the set prices for chariots and horses, and identifies the kings of the Hittites as remnants of Canaan's original inhabitants who formed a principality in Syria. He further observes that it seems horses and chariots from Egypt came only through Solomon's servants.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes calculates the prices in British currency, noting that a chariot cost about 90 pounds while a horse cost about 22 pounds and 10 shillings. He suggests the chariot’s higher price likely included the entire equipage—car, harness, and trained horses—while the separate horses were cavalry chargers, not chariot horses.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible School notes that Solomon's merchants resold chariots from Egypt not only to Israelite buyers but to smaller neighbouring kingdoms, including the many Hittite rulers and Syrian princes. The trade was a wholesale operation conducted through agents, with the king receiving a duty rather than a share of profits.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Note clarifies the pricing structure: a chariot cost six hundred shekels and a horse one hundred fifty. It also notes that through Solomon's trade, horses were supplied to the kings of the Hittites and Aram.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws attention to the pricing details: six hundred shekels for a chariot and a hundred and fifty for a horse, from which Jewish interpreters deduced four horses per chariot. He notes these were high prices in that era, and explains that Solomon's merchants bought the horses and chariots from Egypt to resell to the kings of the Hittites and Syria.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch emphasizes that the description of Solomon's wealth is hyperbolical, comparing silver to stones and cedars to sycamores. They argue the horse trade from Egypt was a state-run enterprise, not a customs duty, with merchants trading for the royal account. The Hittite and Aramean kings were Solomon's vassals.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads the twelve lions on Solomon’s throne as a deliberate symbol of the twelve tribes, with the two lions beside the throne representing the king’s dual role of governing and judging. He sees this imagery as showing that Israel itself was a royal people, just as the twelve oxen under the sea pointed to Israel as a priestly nation.