Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

He took away the treasures - All the treasures which Solomon had amassed, both in the temple and in his own houses; a booty the most immense ever acquired in one place.

All the shields of gold which Solomon had made - These were three hundred in number, and were all made of beaten gold. See a computation of their value in the note on 1 Kings 10:17; (note).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The circumstances of Shishak‘s invasion, related here with extreme brevity, are given with some fulness by the author of Chronicles (marginal reference). It is still a question whether the submission of the Jewish king is or is not expressly recorded in the Karnak inscription. Midway in the list of cities and tribes occurs the entry “YUDeH-MALK” which it has been proposed to translate “Judah, king.” Others regard it as the name of a Palestinian town not otherwise known to us.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord,.... Which perhaps Jeroboam had informed him of, and for the sake of which he came, as well as to make a diversion in favour of Jeroboam, who had contracted an intimacy with him when in Egypt; and who might have no regard for Rehoboam, who was not a son of Pharaoh's daughter, and so no relation to him: these were the treasures which David had left to his son Solomon, and had dedicated for the temple, even gold, silver, and vessels, which he put among the treasures of the house of the Lord, and perhaps added to them, 1 Kings 7:51, and the treasures of the king's house; the riches, gold, silver, and jewels, whatever of worth and value he had in his chests and cabinets:

he even took away all: that he could find and come at; for that there were some left is plain from 1 Kings 15:18,

and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made; and which were put in the house of the forest of Lebanon, 1 Kings 10:16.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

He took — First the city: which may seem strange, considering the great strength of it, and how much time it took Nebuchadnezzar and Titus to take it. But, first, it might cost Shishak also a long siege though that be not here related. Secondly, it is probable David and Solomon in their building and altering the city, had more respect to state and magnificence than to its defence, as having no great cause to fear the invasion of any enemies. And it is certain, that after the division between Judah and Israel, the kings of Judah added very much to the fortifications of it.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

1 Kings 14:26 And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

Ver. 26. And he took away.] Without any great resistance; such was the pusillanimity and effeminacy of Rehoboam; which was also laid in his dish by Shishak setting up pillars and ugly pictures thereon, to the shame of the Jewish nation, as Diodorus (a) showeth.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

He took away the treasures; it is implied, that first he took the city; which may seem strange considering the great strength of that city, and how much time it took Nebuchadnezzar and Titus to take it. But, first, It might cost Shishak also some time and a long siege ere he took it, though that be not here related. Secondly, It is probable that David and Solomon, in their building and altering of this city, had more respect to state and magnificence than to its defence, as having no great cause to fear the invasion of any enemies, and being too secure in reference to their posterity, because of God’s promise of the kingdom to be continued to them and to their seed for ever. And it is probable and certain, that after the division between Judah and Israel, the kings of Judah did add very much to the fortifications of this city.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

26.He took away the treasures — The splendour of Solomon’s buildings, and the immense treasures which he had amassed, were doubtless spoken of far and wide, and to obtain these treasures was probably the main object of Shishak’s expedition. He may have been prompted by Jeroboam to this action, for Jeroboam had dwelt at his court, (1 Kings 11:40,) and was on friendly terms with him, and would gladly see him afflict the kingdom of Judah.

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

1 Kings 14:26. And he took, &c. — Rehoboam, according to Josephus, delivered up the city to him without striking a stroke; which may seem strange, considering the great strength of it, and how much time it took Nebuchadnezzar and Titus to become masters of it. But it is probable that David and Solomon, in their building and altering the city, had more respect to state and magnificence than to its defence, as having no great cause to fear the invasion of any enemies: and it is certain that after the division between Judah and Israel, the kings of Judah added very much to the fortifications of it. Add to this, that this Shishak had a vast army, as we read 2 Chronicles 12:2, and so powerful, that as Herodotus, who calls him Sesostris, tells us, with it he conquered Asia. He took away the treasures of the Lord’s house — Within twenty-five years after it was finished, he plundered it, as also the king’s house, of all the wealth which they contained, and which had been amassed by David and Solomon. This, it is probable, had tempted Shishak to make this descent, and this Rehoboam lamely resigned to him, to prevent still worse consequences. Who that had seen the glory, the riches, the magnificence, the power of Solomon, would not have concluded, as the queen of Sheba seems to have done, that a long and lasting state of security and happiness was entailed on this people? But the Holy Scriptures inform us, that at the very time when every one was admiring and extolling Solomon’s glory and happiness, it was denounced unto him by the Lord himself, that if either he or his children should turn aside from following the Lord, and go after other gods, they should certainly and soon fall from their glory, and be a proverb and by-word among all people, 1 Kings 11:6, &c.; and that even that house, which was viewed by all the nations around as a prodigy of magnificence and strength, should be so reduced and brought to desolation, that every one that passed by should be astonished and hiss at it. Human foresight, doubtless, then perceived no likelihood of any such change taking place; but the event soon showed that its security and continuance depended on something more than human means.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

all = "all [he could find]".

all the shields. Some codices, with three early printed editions, and Vulgate, omit "all".

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

He took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house. 'The spoliation made seems to have extended to more things than the articles enumerated here. Although the cost of the targets and shields would be somewhere about 239,000 pound sterling, it is said, "he took all," - probably meaning all that was required to pay his expenses-not all that was in the house,' (Napier, 'Ancient Workers in Metal,' p. 114: see the notes at 2 Chronicles 12:1-16.)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26) He even took away all.—There is a touch of pathos in the description of the utter spoil of the treasures in which Solomon and Israel had gloried, and which now served only to buy off the victorious Egyptians. There is no notice of any sack of Jerusalem, nor, as in later cases, of any desecration of the Temple, or even of the plunder of its decorations. The record seems to imply surrender of the city and its treasures. The idea sometimes advanced, that, like the capture of Rome by the Gauls, the invasion of Shishak destroyed all ancient monuments and archives, has therefore no historical support from this passage; and with it many conclusions derived from it as to the dates of our Scriptural records must pass away.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

he took away

7:51; 15:18; 2 Kings 24:13; 2 Chronicles 12:9-11; Psalms 39:6; 89:35-45

the shields of gold

10:16,17; 2 Chronicles 9:15,16; Proverbs 23:5; Ecclesiastes 2:18,19

Reciprocal: Joshua 6:19 - the treasury;  2 Samuel 8:7 - shields;  1 Kings 11:39 - afflict;  1 Kings 11:40 - Shishak;  2 Kings 14:14 - all the gold;  1 Chronicles 18:7 - shields;  1 Chronicles 26:20 - treasures;  1 Chronicles 28:12 - the treasuries;  Ecclesiastes 4:14 - also;  Ecclesiastes 5:14 - and he;  Luke 21:1 - the treasury