SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:18
y a Baalat, y a Tadmor en tierra del desierto;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 9:18
Verse 18. And Tadmor in the wilderness] This is almost universally allowed to be the same with the celebrated Palmyra, the ruins of which remain to the present day, and give us the highest idea of Solomon's splendour and magnificence. Palmyra stood upon a fertile plain surrounded by a barren desert, having the river Euphrates on the east. The ruins are well described by Messrs. Dawkes and Wood, of which they give fine representations. They are also well described in the ancient part of the Universal History, vol. i., p. 367-70. The description concludes thus: "The world never saw a more glorious city; the pride, it is likely, of ancient times, and the reproach of our own; a city not more remarkable for the state of her buildings and unwontedness of her situation than for the extraordinary personages who once flourished there, among whom the renowned Zenobia and the incomparable Longinus must for ever be remembered with admiration and regret."
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 18. And Baalath , etc.] A city in the tribe of Dan, ( Joshua 19:44) and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land ; or “Tamar”, as in the Cetib, or Scriptural reading; for we go according to the marginal reading, and so Thamato in Ptolemy f171 ; and is thought by some to be the same with Tamar in ( Ezekiel 47:19), which Jerom there says is Palmyra. Tamar signifies a palm tree, from whence this city had its name Palmyra, the situation of which place agrees with this; hence we read both in Ptolemy and Pliny of the Palmyrene deserts: the ruins of it are to be seen to this day, and of it this account is given; that it is enclosed on three sides with long ridges of mountains, which open towards the east gradually, to the distance of about an hour’s riding; but to the south stretches a vast plain, beyond the reach of the eye; the air is good, but the soil exceeding barren; nothing green to be seen therein, save some few palm trees in the gardens, and here and there about the town; and from these trees, I conceive, says my author, it obtained its name both in Hebrew and in Latin: it appears to have been of a large extent, by the space now taken up by the ruins; but there are no footsteps of any wall remaining, nor is it possible to judge of the ancient figure of the place. The present inhabitants, as they are poor, miserable, dirty people, so they have shut themselves up, to the number of about thirty or forty families, in little huts made of dirt, within the walls of a spacious court, which enclosed a most magnificent Heathen temple f174 . Benjamin of Tudela says f175 , it is situated in a wilderness, far from any habitable place, and is four days’ journey from Baalath before mentioned; which place he takes to be the same with Baalbek, in the valley of Lebanon, built by Solomon for Pharaoh’s daughter; which, according to the Arabic geographer f176 , was situated at the foot of Mount Lebanon; and Tadmor seems to be in the land of Hamathzobah, ( 2 Chronicles 8:3,4). Ver. 19 . And all the cities of store that Solomon had , etc.] In which were his magazines of corn, arms, and ammunition; and these were built in Hamath, ( 2 Chronicles 8:4) and cities for his chariots ; chariots of war, iron chariots, which were kept in times of peace, in case of necessity, of which Solomon had 1400, ( Kings 10:26), and cities for his horsemen ; of which he had 12,000, a standing cavalry: and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem ; besides the temple and his own palace before mentioned; (see Ecclesiastes 2:4), and in Lebanon ; the house of the forest of Lebanon, which Junius on ( Kings 7:2) thinks he built after he had taken Hamathzobah, a royal city of Lebanon; (see 2 Chronicles 8:3,6) or fortresses on Mount Lebanon, which was the northern border of his kingdom: and in all the land of his dominions ; where he might repair or fortify cities, or erect new forts for the safety of his kingdom; now for the doing of all this was the levy both of men and money raised, and of whom next follows.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 15-28 - Here is a further account of Solomon's greatness. He began at the righ end, for he built God's house first, and finished that before he bega his own; then God blessed him, and he prospered in all his othe buildings. Let piety begin, and profit follow; leave pleasure to the last. Whatever pains we take for the glory of God, and to profi others, we are likely to have the advantage. Canaan, the holy land, the glory of all lands, had no gold in it; which shows that the bes produce is that which is for the present support of life, our own an others; such things did Canaan produce. Solomon got much by his merchandise, and yet has directed us to a better trade, within reach of the poorest. Wisdom is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold, Pr 3:14 __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
ואת 853 בעלת 1191 ואת 853 תמר 8412 במדבר 4057 בארץ׃ 776
