Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

Made silver - as stones - He destroyed its value by making it so exceedingly plenty.

As the sycamore trees - He planted many cedars, and doubtless had much cedar wood imported; so that it became as common as the sycamore trees, which appear to have grown there in great abundance. This is considered to be a tree that partakes of the nature of the fig tree, and of the mulberry. Of the former it has the fruit, and of the latter the leaves; that is, the fruit had a considerable resemblance to the fig, and the leaf to that of the mulberry tree: hence its name sycamore, from the Greek συκον, a fig, and μορεα, a mulberry tree.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Made silver as stones - This strong hyperbole marks in the most striking way the great wealth and prosperity of the capital during Solomon‘s reign. The lavish expenditure which impoverished the provinces, and produced, or helped to produce, the general discontent that led to the outbreak under Jeroboam, enriched the metropolis, which must have profited greatly by the residence of the court, the constant influx of opulent strangers, and the periodical visits of all Israelites not hindered by some urgent reason at the great festivals.

The “sycomore-trees in the vale” (Shephelah) are mentioned also in 1 Chronicles 27:28. Like the olives and the vines, they were placed by David under a special overseer, on account of their value. The tree meant seems to be the sycomore proper, or “fig-mulberry,” which is still common in Palestine, and is highly esteemed both on account of its fruit and its timber.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones,.... By the vast quantity he received from Tarshish; this is an hyperbolical expression:

and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are the vale for abundance; not by the growth of them, but by the importation of them from the dominion of Hiram; this is said in the same figurative way; of the sycamore trees, Rauwolff says^F7Travels, par. 1. c. 4. p. 37. , they are what the Moors and Arabians calls "mumeitz"; which he describes to be as large and as high as white mulberry trees, and having almost the same leaves, but rounder, and their fruit not unlike our figs, only sweeter, and no little seeds within, and not so good; and are therefore not esteemed, and are commonly sold to the poorer sort, and that they grow in all fields and grounds; of which See Gill on Amos 7:14.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

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.

Ver. 27. And the king made silver.] Heb., Gave. And herein Jerusalem became a slender representation of the Jerusalem which is above: where money, the monarch of this world, is nothing set by.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Sycamore trees were vile and common. See Isaiah 9:10.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

27.Cedars made he to be as the sycamore — That is, he imported so much of this valuable wood for building purposes that it lost its rarity in the eyes of the people, and became as common to sight as the sycamore trees that grew so abundantly in the lowlands and valleys.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Sycamores, (Hebrew shikmim) which were formerly very common in Palestine, as they are still about Cairo, in Egypt. The fruit resembles figs, as the leaves do the mulberry tree; whence the name is a compound of Greek: sukon, "a fig," and Greek: moria, "a mulberry;" though some would prefer Greek: moros, "a fool," to denote that the fruit is "insipid." It is however sweeter than wild figs, and proceeds from the trunk of the tree. (Calmet)

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

sycomore. Not English, but Eastern; a kind of fig, or mulberry.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(27) Made silver . . . as stones.—This influx of wealth is specially noted as enriching Jerusalem, probably without preventing the imposition of heavy burdens on the provinces. Hence the division of interest and allegiance manifested at the accession of Rehoboam. In the earlier years of the reign its prosperity is described as extending to all “Judah and Israel” (1 Kings 4:20). But the wealth gathered by tribute, and by a commerce entirely in the hands of the king, would enrich only the Court and the capital; and much Oriental history, both ancient and modern, shows that such enrichment might leave the general population impoverished and oppressed

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the king

2 Chronicles 1:15-17; 9:27; Job 22:24,25

made

Heb. gave.