(10) Tarshish.--The question of the identity of this place (or district) with the "Tartessus" of the Greeks is too long for a note. (See Jonah 1:3.) But plainly the mention here of "the isles," i.e., islands and coasts of the Mediterranean (comp. Daniel 11:18; Isaiah 11:11), is in favour of the identity.

Bring presents.--Literally, return presents, but not in the sense of an interchange of royal gifts (as 1Kings 10:13) but of "payment of tribute." The expression is illustrated by the words "revenue," "custom-house returns," &c. (Comp. the Latin, reditus.)

Sheba.--The Joktanic kingdom, embracing the greater part of Yemen or Arabia Felix, and so here representing Arabia, (the LXX. and Vulg. have "kings of Arabians") while "Seba" (or "Saba"), which was Cushite, and was by Josephus (A. J., 2:10, s. 2), identified with "Meroe," represents Africa. (See Genesis 10:7; Genesis 10:28, and Smith's Bible Dictionary, articles "Sheba" and "Seba.")

Verse 10. - The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents. "Tarshish" here is probably Tartessus in Spain, so well known to the Israelites in the days of Solomon (1 Kings 10:22; 2 Chronicles 9:21). According to Herodotus, Tartessus, when it first became known to the Greeks, was governed by kings (Herod., 1:163). By "the isles" are to be understood the coasts and islands of the Mediterranean generally. All these have, at one time or another, paid homage to Christ. The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. "Sheba" and "Seba" are distinguished by the writer of Genesis (Genesis 10:7), and appear not even to have been very near the one to the other. Sheba was in Southeastern Arabia, and was known to the Greeks and Romans as the country of the Sabaeans (Diod. Sic., 3:45; Strabo, 16:4, § 19; Pliny, 'Hist. Nat.,' 6:23). Saba was in Africa, on the Middle Nile, and the Sebaeans (סְבָאִים) are closely connected by Isaiah with Ethiopia and Egypt (Isaiah 43:3; Isaiah 45:14).

72:2-17 This is a prophecy of the kingdom of Christ; many passages in it cannot be applied to the reign of Solomon. There were righteousness and peace at first in the administration of his government; but, before the end of his reign, there were troubles and unrighteousness. The kingdom here spoken of is to last as long as the sun, but Solomon's was soon at an end. Even the Jewish expositors understood it of the kingdom of the Messiah. Observe many great and precious promises here made, which were to have full accomplishment only in the kingdom of Christ. As far as his kingdom is set up, discord and contentions cease, in families, churches, and nations. The law of Christ, written in the heart, disposes men to be honest and just, and to render to all their due; it likewise disposes men to live in love, and so produces abundance of peace. Holiness and love shall be lasting in Christ's kingdom. Through all the changes of the world, and all the changes of life, Christ's kingdom will support itself. And he shall, by the graces and comforts of his Spirit, come down like rain upon the mown grass; not on that cut down, but that which is left growing, that it may spring again. His gospel has been, or shall be, preached to all nations. Though he needs not the services of any, yet he must be served with the best. Those that have the wealth of this world, must serve Christ with it, do good with it. Prayer shall be made through him, or for his sake; whatever we ask of the Father, should be in his name. Praises shall be offered to him: we are under the highest obligations to him. Christ only shall be feared throughout all generations. To the end of time, and to eternity, his name shall be praised. All nations shall call HIM blessed.The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents,.... Tarshish either signifies the sea, as it is sometimes rendered in the Targum; and then the sense is, the kings of the sea, that is, of the islands of the sea, as it follows, shall be subject to the kingdom of Christ; and, as a token of it, bring presents to him, as the Moabites and Syrians did to David, and as several nations and kings did to Solomon, 2 Samuel 8:2; or it designs a large country inhabited by the Celtae (b), and so is distinct from the islands; and then the sense is, that kings, both of the continent, and of the islands of the sea, shall do homage to the Messiah;

and the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts; the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions, render it, "the kings of the Arabians and Saba"; and so Apollinarius, the Arabians, and Sabeans, these being places in Arabia Felix and Petraea (c): this will be fulfilled when the kings of the earth shall bring their honour and glory into the New Jerusalem, Revelation 21:24. This, and the preceding verse, are interpreted of the Messiah by the ancient Jews (d); who say (e), that all the gifts that Jacob their father gave to Esau, the nations of the world shall return them to the King Messiah in time to come, according to the sense of these words; where it is not written "they shall bring"; but (f), "they shall return presents".

(b) Hiller. Onomast. p. 944. (c) Hiller. ibid. p. 165, 920. (d) Zohar in Gen. fol. 71. 1.((e) Bereshit Rabba, s. 78. fol. 69. 1. Bemidbar Rabba, s. 13. fol. 210. (f) "Redire facient, vel reddant", Muis.