1 Kings 10:26
New International Version
Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.

New Living Translation
Solomon built up a huge force of chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him in Jerusalem.

English Standard Version
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

Berean Standard Bible
Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.

King James Bible
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.

New King James Version
And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; he had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem.

New American Standard Bible
Now Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; and he had 1,400 chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

NASB 1995
Now Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; and he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

NASB 1977
Now Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; and he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. And he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen and stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

Amplified Bible
Now Solomon collected chariots and horsemen; he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

Christian Standard Bible
Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen and stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen and stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

American Standard Version
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

Contemporary English Version
Solomon had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses that he kept in Jerusalem and other towns.

English Revised Version
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Solomon built up [his army] with chariots and war horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 war horses. He stationed [some] in chariot cities and [others] with himself in Jerusalem.

Good News Translation
Solomon built up a force of fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand cavalry horses. Some of them he kept in Jerusalem and the rest he stationed in various other cities.

International Standard Version
Solomon accumulated chariots and cavalry. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 cavalry soldiers. He stationed them in various chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

Majority Standard Bible
Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.

NET Bible
Solomon accumulated chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem.

New Heart English Bible
Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Solomon collected chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.

World English Bible
Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen. He kept them in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Solomon gathers chariots, and horsemen, and he has one thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, and he places them in the cities of the chariot, and with the king in Jerusalem.

Young's Literal Translation
And Solomon gathereth chariots, and horsemen, and he hath a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, and he placeth them in the cities of the chariot, and with the king in Jerusalem.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Solomon will gather together chariots and horsemen: and there will be to him a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; and he will set them down in the cities of chariots and with the king in Jerusalem.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen, and he had a thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horseman: and he bestowed them in fenced cities, and with the king in Jerusalem.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Solomon gathered together the chariots and horsemen. And he had one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. And he placed them in the walled cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

New American Bible
Solomon amassed chariots and horses; he had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses; these he allocated among the chariot cities and to the king’s service in Jerusalem.

New Revised Standard Version
Solomon gathered together chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen; and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, and he left some of the chariots in the cities and kept others with the king in Jerusalem.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And King Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen, and he had one thousand and four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, and he left the chariots in the cities, and some of them were with the King in Jerusalem.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen; and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Solomon had four thousand mares for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen: and he put them in the cities of his chariots, and with the king in Jerusalem: and he ruled over all the kings from the river to the land of the Philistines, and to the borders of Egypt.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Solomon's Wealth and Splendor
25Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. 26Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills.…

Cross References
2 Chronicles 9:25
Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.

1 Kings 4:26
Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses and 12,000 horses.

2 Chronicles 1:14
Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.

Deuteronomy 17:16
But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’

1 Samuel 8:11-12
He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to serve his own chariots and horses, and to run in front of his chariots. / He will appoint some for himself as commanders of thousands and of fifties, and others to plow his ground, to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.

2 Samuel 8:4
David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers, and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and he hamstrung all the horses except a hundred he kept for the chariots.

2 Samuel 10:18
But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobach the commander of their army, who died there.

1 Kings 1:5
At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him.

Isaiah 2:7
Their land is full of silver and gold, with no limit to their treasures; their land is full of horses, with no limit to their chariots.

Ezekiel 17:15
But this king rebelled against Babylon by sending his envoys to Egypt to ask for horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and yet escape?’

2 Chronicles 9:28
Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from all the lands.

2 Chronicles 1:16-17
Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the royal merchants purchased them from Kue. / 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.

2 Chronicles 9:24
Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.

1 Kings 10:28-29
Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the royal merchants purchased them from Kue. / 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.

1 Kings 9:19
as well as all the store cities that Solomon had for his chariots and horses—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and throughout the land of his dominion.


Treasury of Scripture

And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.

Solomon

1 Kings 4:26
And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

Deuteronomy 17:16
But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

2 Chronicles 1:14
And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

in the cities

2 Chronicles 9:25
And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

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Accumulated Bestowed Chariot Chariot-Cities Chariots Cities Collected Four Fourteen Gathered Gathereth Horsemen Horses Hundred Jerusalem Kept Placed Placeth Solomon Stationed Thousand Together Twelve War-Carriages
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Accumulated Bestowed Chariot Chariot-Cities Chariots Cities Collected Four Fourteen Gathered Gathereth Horsemen Horses Hundred Jerusalem Kept Placed Placeth Solomon Stationed Thousand Together Twelve War-Carriages
1 Kings 10
1. The queen of Sheba admires the wisdom of Solomon
14. Solomon's gold
16. His targets
18. The throne of ivory
21. His vessels
24. His presents
26. his chariots and horse
28. his tribute














Solomon accumulated chariots and horses
The phrase highlights Solomon's wealth and military strength. The Hebrew root for "accumulated" is "אָסַף" (asaph), meaning to gather or collect. This indicates a deliberate and strategic effort by Solomon to build a formidable military presence. Historically, chariots were a symbol of power and technological advancement in warfare. Solomon's accumulation of chariots and horses reflects his desire to establish Israel as a dominant force in the region, aligning with God's promise to make Israel a great nation. However, it also foreshadows potential disobedience to God's command in Deuteronomy 17:16, which warns against multiplying horses for oneself.

he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses
The specific numbers underscore the vastness of Solomon's resources. The Hebrew word for "chariots" is "מֶרְכָּבָה" (merkavah), and "horses" is "סוּס" (sus). These numbers are significant, indicating not just wealth but also the logistical capability to maintain such a force. In the ancient Near East, chariots were crucial for military campaigns, and having such a large number would have made Solomon's army one of the most powerful. This accumulation of military resources reflects Solomon's wisdom in governance and defense, yet it also serves as a cautionary tale about the potential for reliance on human strength over divine guidance.

which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem
The term "stationed" comes from the Hebrew "נָתַן" (natan), meaning to place or set. This indicates a strategic deployment of resources. "Chariot cities" were likely fortified cities designated for housing and maintaining chariots and horses, ensuring readiness for military action. The mention of Jerusalem signifies the centralization of power and the importance of the city as the heart of Israel's political and spiritual life. Archaeological evidence supports the existence of such cities, reflecting the organized and advanced nature of Solomon's reign. This strategic placement of military resources highlights Solomon's administrative acumen but also serves as a reminder of the potential for such power to lead to pride and eventual downfall, as seen later in Solomon's life.

(26) Gathered together chariots.--See above, 1Kings 4:26. This gathering of chariots--the sign of military conquest and extended empire--is evidently noticed here in connection with the growth of commerce and wealth, as one of the powers which held Solomon's kingdom together. Josephus (Ant. viii. 7, 4), in mentioning them, gives a vivid description of the use of these chariots and horsemen for progresses of royal magnificence and pleasure. But their chief use was. no doubt, military. The "chariot cities" would be the fortified posts, in the various parts of Solomon's own dominions and in the tributary countries.

Verse 26. - And Solomon gathered together his chariots and horsemen, and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots [these words have an important bearing on 1 Kings 4:26, where see note], and twelve thousand horsemen. [The question may suggest itself here, why did Solomon, who was a "man of peace," maintain such a formidable array of chariots and horsemen? For not only was it in contravention of Deuteronomy 17:16 (cf. 1 Samuel 8:11), but it was entirely unnecessary, especially for a nation inhabiting a hilly country like that of Israel. We find, consequently, that David, when he took a thousand chariots from Hadarezer (1 Chronicles 18:4), only reserved for his own use one hundred of them, though he was at the time engaged in war. It may perhaps be said that this force was necessary to keep the tributary kings in due subjection. But it seems quite as likely that it was maintained largely for the sake of pomp and display. Solomon seems to have determined in every way, and at any cost, to rival and surpass all contemporary kings. The maintenance of this large force of cavalry is another token of declension], whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots (1 Kings 9:19), and with the king at Jerusalem.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Solomon
שְׁלֹמֹה֮ (šə·lō·mōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8010: Solomon -- David's son and successor to his throne

accumulated
וַיֶּאֱסֹ֣ף (way·ye·’ĕ·sōp̄)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 622: To gather for, any purpose, to receive, take away, remove

1,400 {}
אֶ֤לֶף (’e·lep̄)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 505: A thousand

chariots
רֶ֣כֶב (re·ḵeḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7393: A vehicle, a team, cavalry, a rider, the upper millstone

and 12,000
וּשְׁנֵים־ (ū·šə·nêm-)
Conjunctive waw | Number - md
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

horses,
וּפָרָשִׁים֒ (ū·p̄ā·rā·šîm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6571: A steed, a driver, cavalry

which he stationed
וַיַּנְחֵם֙ (way·yan·ḥêm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5148: To guide, to transport

in the chariot
רֶ֔כֶב (re·ḵeḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7393: A vehicle, a team, cavalry, a rider, the upper millstone

cities
בְּעָרֵ֣י (bə·‘ā·rê)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 5892: Excitement

and also with
וְעִם־ (wə·‘im-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

[him]
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

in Jerusalem.
בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (bî·rū·šā·lim)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel


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OT History: 1 Kings 10:26 Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 10:25
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