And he made 300 shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
Solomon's gold has moved from the temple to his shields. Three hundred of them, each hammered out of gold, were stored in the hall he built from the timber of Lebanon. Why fill a hall of judgment with shields no soldier would ever carry?
The Building That Held Them
Solomon kept the shields in his largest building. It was bigger than the temple, and it was where he ruled and judged.
W. W. FeredayNext to the temple, Solomon's most important building was the house of the forest of Lebanon. It stood in Jerusalem, but its materials came down from Lebanon. This house was much larger than the temple. The temple was 60 cubits long by 20 cubits broad; the house of the forest of Lebanon was 100 cubits long by 50 cubits broad. Both were 30 cubits high. This great building held Solomon's 300 shields of beaten gold. They later became spoil for the Egyptians in the days of Rehoboam. All the vessels in it were of pure gold, and none of silver, for silver counted for nothing in the days of Solomon (1 Kings 10:17-21). There he also made a hall for the throne where he would judge, the hall of judgment (1 Kings 7:7). This suggests the righteous administration of our Lord Jesus in the great age of His kingdom.
The same hall pictures how Christ will govern the earth.
Leslie M. Grant"The house of the forest of Lebanon" is described for us in detail. It was much larger than the temple, though not as elaborate and costly. This house was the place of judgment and administration of Solomon's kingdom. So it speaks of the administration of the earthly kingdom of the Lord Jesus in the millennium. That is the 1000 years of His reign of righteousness and peace.
Why Gold
Gold runs through the whole chapter: throne, vessels, shields. The metal itself carries meaning.
H. L. RossierVerses 14 through 22 describe the riches and the splendour of the kingdom. Gold, the emblem of divine righteousness, stands out everywhere under Solomon's reign, from the temple to the throne. The throne was marvellous. No kingdom had ever made anything like it. It was the throne of righteousness and of power, and it carried the emblems of both.
Shields As Protection
Shields defend. The verse's "beaten gold" is gold hammered into shape, and Solomon put these in the hall where he ruled.
Leslie M. GrantSolomon made … shields of hammered gold, each weighing 3 minas of gold (6 pounds), and put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. This was symbolical of the protection of his kingdom in its administration.
Translations differ on the weight. The ESV has "three minas of gold" for each shield. Older versions say "three pounds."
The Weight In The Verse
The measure here is the maneh. Comparing this verse with its parallel in Chronicles fixes its value.
Morrish Bible DictionaryCompare 1 Kings 10:17 with 2 Chronicles 9:16 and you see that a maneh equals 100 shekels. This is only probable, since the translators added the word "shekels". In Ezekiel 45:12 the maneh equals 60 shekels, because those would be shekels of the sanctuary… Translators render maneh as "pound" in 1 Kings 10:17, Ezra 2:69 and Nehemiah 7:71-72.
Ornament, Not Armour
These shields were never meant for battle. One writer reads them as a sign of Solomon's growing love of riches.
W. W. FeredayAs we follow the history of his reign we find the love of riches growing upon Solomon. God was too kind to His frail servant, and it cost him his soul… Gold was so common that "he made 300 shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went into each shield" (1 Kings 10:17). These were surely not for use in war; they were just ornaments. But Rehoboam lost these costly ornaments in war. In his vanity he made shields of brass to replace them… Oh, the pitiful vanity of weak human nature! Appearances must be kept up even after the reality has gone.
One writer turns that loss into a question for the reader.
Leslie M. GrantShields are for protection. Is there any real protection in our boasted claims of holiness as compared to a living faith in the Son of God?
Summary
- Gold — the emblem of divine righteousness runs through throne, vessels and shields, marking the whole reign.
- Gold housed — the shields sat in the house of the forest of Lebanon, Solomon's hall of judgment. It pictures how Christ will rule in righteousness.
- Gold guarding — shields in the seat of government speak of a kingdom under protection.
- Gold weighed — each shield took three minas. Translators render the maneh as "pound," and 2 Chronicles 9:16 suggests it held 100 shekels.
- Gold lost — these were ornaments, not war gear. Rehoboam swapped them for brass and kept up appearances long after the reality had gone.