KJV ORIGINAL
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.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
The king had a fleet of trading ships at sea, working together with Hiram's fleet. Every three years, these ships would return bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
This verse shows that King Solomon had established a prosperous international trading network that brought exotic goods and wealth to Israel every three years.
📚 Historical Context
This describes Solomon's maritime trade partnership with King Hiram of Tyre around 950 BC. The 'navy of Tarshish' refers to large merchant ships capable of long ocean voyages, likely traveling to distant lands like Spain or even India. This trade network was part of Solomon's golden age of prosperity and international influence.
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