And the navy also of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir
This perhaps was before Solomon was concerned with Hiram in navigation and merchandise; though in ( 2 Chronicles 9:10 ) both their servants are said to bring it; and it is here inserted perhaps to show that Solomon had not his gold, at least all of it, from the queen of Sheba; but much from Hiram, who fetched it from Ophir; and as this was in India, as observed on ( 1 Kings 9:28 ) , many writers make mention of gold in that part of the world, as Diodorus Siculus F23, Strabo F24, Dionysius F25, Curtius F26, Pliny F1, and others: and this navy also
brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees:
or algum trees, by transposition of letters, ( 2 Chronicles 9:10 2 Chronicles 9:11 ) , which some of the Jewish writers F2 take to be coral, which is not likely; others Brasil, rather ebony, which was peculiar to India, as both Solinus F3 and Virgil F4 say; Strabo F5 makes mention of strange trees in India:
and precious stones;
of which there is great variety and plenty in that country, as related by Dionysius F6, as diamonds, beryls, jaspers, topazes, and amethysts, and by Curtius F7, Solinus F8, and others.