It is often useful to check various versions when studying Bible passages.Sometimes, a completely different meaning occurs. Sometimes, a version will offer additionalinformation. Sometimes, a version will use words which bring out the meaning better. Sometimes,it is possible to fit together the wording and information of several versions to arrive at aconclusion of what the passage is telling us. Such is the case of 1 Kings 10: 28, 29 inregard to the purchase of horses by King Solomon. This would be missed if only one version beused. The verses as they appear in twenty-six versions are listed in this essay. A commentaryfollows the listing.

Alfred Edersheim, in a footnote on page 615 of his book Bible History: OldTestament, states that in the Authorised (King James)Version, 1 Kings 10: 28 "linen yarn," is a mistranslation for the latter part of the verse.The only version which agrees with it is the Inspired Version,which is an inspired correction of the King James Version. If these two versions were inspiredby Yahweh, as their proponents claim, all the other versions are incorrect. However, thisparticular phrase seems to have placed where it is out of context.

Let us look at some other differences within this list. The sources of thechariots and horses have a variety of names. There is a variation in the prices paid. TheLiving Bible and the New BerkeleyVersion use U.S. currency to make the value more easily comprehended by today's reader. Theproblem with this approach is that the value of a currency changes over the years throughfluctuation, deflation, and inflation. Four versions convert the Israelite unit of weight, "theshekel," to pounds and/or kilograms for the same reason. This does not create as much of aproblem, if this information is stated in a footnote. Otherwise, it is an anachronism. Otherterms used are "pieces of silver" and "silverlings." Although the correct term is "shekels,"this is not as easily understood by many readers of the Bible. TheKnox Translation and the RevisedEnglish Bible have chariots and horses purchased from the kings of the Hittites and Syrians,whereas, all the others have the sales going in the opposite direction. TheLamsa Bible states that the agents received a commission fortheir work and that gifts, not chariots and horses, were taken to kings of the Hittites and ofAram (Syria).

Now, I shall try to piece together all the information as gathered from thevarious versions, including their footnotes, to determine what actually took place.

Solomon, through the aid of middlemen, purchased horses from Cilicia (Hebrew,Keve or Kue) and chariots from Mizrayim (or Muzur), a region of Cilicia, for his war purposes(verse 26). Although Egypt is mentioned in most versions, it probably means Cilicia inthis case. Cilicia was a region of present-day Turkey, to the north of Cyprus. It was possiblytwo regions of the same country where the purchases were made. The agents paid six hundredshekels for one chariot and one hundred fifty shekels for one horse. A shekel was an Israeliteweight about equivalent to 3.8 pounds or 1.7 kilograms. This price was constant, as agreed upon.For their work, the agents received a commission. They took the horses in droves to KingSolomon's stables. They also sold horses to the Hittite kings and the Syrian (Aramean) kings,whose countries lay between Cilicia and Israel, for the same price.

Thus, by taking information from several sources, the story can be piecedtogether. The elements which do not concur or which give an opposite meaning can be eliminated.Although this process is not foolproof, it can be helpful in understanding what the originalwriter has said.