For the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
Parallel translations
- WEB For the king had a fleet of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet. Once every three years the fleet of Tarshish came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
- KJV For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
- NKJV For the king had merchant ships at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the merchant ships came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys.
- NASB For the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s ships; once every three years the ships of Tarshish would come carrying gold and silver, ivory, monkeys, and peacocks.
- NLT The king had a fleet of trading ships of Tarshish that sailed with Hiram’s fleet. Once every three years the ships returned, loaded with gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Solomon's Tarshish fleet returned every three years bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. It shows the exotic reach of his international trade.
Overview
His ocean-going ships, partnered with Hiram's, brought back precious metals and rare animals from distant lands, illustrating the global span of his commerce. These triennial voyages enriched the kingdom with the wonders of the world. The nations' treasures streaming to Jerusalem again recall the prophetic vision of the wealth of the peoples gathered to honor the LORD and His king.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- 1 Kgs 22:48Jehoshaphat built ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they never set sail, because they were wrecked at Ezion-geber.
- Ps 72:10May the kings of Tarshish and distant shores bring tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
- Ps 48:7With a wind from the east You wrecked the ships of Tarshish.
- 2 Chr 20:36–37They agreed to make ships to go to Tarshish, and these were built in Ezion-geber.
- Gen 10:4And the sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites.
- Isa 66:19I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from among them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, and the archers of Lud; to Tubal, Javan, and the islands far away who have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. So they will proclaim My glory among the nations.
- Isa 2:16against every ship of Tarshish, and against every stately vessel.
- 2 Chr 9:21For the king had the ships of Tarshish that went with Hiram’s servants, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
- Isa 60:9Surely the islands will wait for Me, with the ships of Tarshish in the lead, to bring your children from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honor of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you.
- Isa 23:1This is the burden against Tyre: Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste, without house or harbor. Word has reached them from the land of Cyprus.
- Isa 23:10Cultivate your land like the Nile, O Daughter of Tarshish; there is no longer a harbor.
- Isa 23:6Cross over to Tarshish; wail, O inhabitants of the coastland!
- 1 Kgs 10:18Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold.
- 1 Kgs 9:26King Solomon also assembled a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea.
- Job 39:13The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, but cannot match the pinions and feathers of the stork.
- Jonah 1:3Jonah, however, got up to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard to sail for Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.
- Amos 3:15I will tear down the winter house along with the summer house; the houses of ivory will also perish, and the great houses will come to an end,” declares the LORD.
- Ezek 27:12Tarshish was your merchant because of your great wealth of goods; they exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your wares.
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Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 10:22 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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