Moses had warned that the king of Israel was not to have a large number of horses for his army (Deut 17.16). This verse contains two important textual problems, and certain parts of the verse are the subject of different interpretations.

Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue: This wording of Revised Standard Version is awkward. The text says literally “And the going out of horses of Solomon [was] from Egypt.” The Hebrew word translated import is a noun but is used to describe an event. For this reason it is often translated by a verb or verbal expression. New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible have the passive expression “were imported,” while New American Bible has the active verb “imported,” with Solomon as its subject.

The Hebrew name for Egypt is Mitsrayim. The consonants in this name are similar to those in the place name “Musri.” Since Musri and Kue (or, Que) were located in Cilicia (in what is now southeast Turkey) and were well known as centers of horse breeding in Solomon’s time, many interpreters correct the Hebrew Mitsrayim to read “Musri” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, La Bible Pléiade, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, El libro del Pueblo de Dios, Osty-Trinquet) or “Muzur” (La Bible de Jérusalem: Nouvelle édition revue et corrigée, La Bible des Communautés Chrétiennes). The text of New International Version reads “Egypt,” but its footnote on this verse indicates the text should possibly read “Muzur.” The same kind of confusion exists in 2 Chr 9.28. A majority of modern versions maintain “Egypt” as the correct understanding of the text (so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant, Nouvelle Bible Segond). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text, which has “Egypt.” Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente transliterates the Hebrew name as “Mizraim.”

In past centuries interpreters and translators did not recognize the Hebrew word translated Kue as a place name. It was thought to be something imported from Egypt. King James Version and Reina-Valera revisada translated the Hebrew word as “linen yarn.” King James Version, for example, renders this whole clause as “And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn.” Other interpreters have understood the Hebrew word to mean “pool,” “collection,” or “group”; for example, Nouvelle version Segond révisée renders the whole verse as “They brought Solomon’s horses from Egypt; a group of the king’s merchants went to take them in groups at a (set) price.” ASV similarly translates the Hebrew word as “droves,” and La Bible du Semeur as “convoys.”

On the basis of Assyrian letters and inscriptions, many modern scholars now agree that the questionable word refers to a place called “Que” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Dillard), “Kue” (Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New International Version, NASB, Revised English Bible), or “Koa” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Others agree that the text contains a place name but believe that Kue is another name for what was called “Cilicia” in the Greco-Roman period (so Good News Translation, New Living Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Anchor Bible, Bible en français courant, La Bible de Jérusalem: Nouvelle édition revue et corrigée, El libro del Pueblo de Dios). Cilicia was located on the southeast coast of Asia Minor, was bordered on the north by the Taurus Mountains and on the south by the Mediterranean Sea.

And the king’s traders received them from Kue for a price means horses were imported from Kue by Solomon’s agents. This statement seems to contradict the first half of the verse, which says that horses were imported from Egypt also. This contradiction, plus the claim by some scholars that horses were not bred in Egypt, is the basis for the following Anchor Bible translation of this verse, which omits Egypt: “Solomon’s horses were imported from Cilicia; the merchants of the king acquired them at the prevailing price.” The king’s traders refers to Solomon’s dealers. Good News Translation says “The king’s agents,” and New English Bible has “the royal merchants.” The Hebrew word translated for a price probably means “at market price”; that is, Solomon’s traders bought the horses at an agreed price. Translations that reflect this understanding of the Hebrew say “at a fixed price” (El libro del Pueblo de Dios), “at the prevailing price” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “at the standard price” (New Living Translation). However, other interpreters understand the Hebrew word to mean simply that the king’s agents paid for the horses, without any indication of whether it was at market price or some other price. Revised English Bible and New American Bible, for example, say “by purchase.” Similar translations render received … for a price as “bought” (Contemporary English Version, New Century Version), “purchased” (New International Version), and “paying cash” (Moffatt). Good News Translation appears to follow this second interpretation by restating the information in this clause and saying simply that “The king’s agents controlled the export.” Good News Translation leaves implicit that the king’s agents paid for the horses.

Parole de Vie adopts the recommended text and interpretation of this verse and provides a simple model for translation, saying “The horses of Solomon came from Egypt and Cilicia. The merchants went there to buy them for the king.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .