In the context of the Bible, the term "apes" appears in the Old Testament, specifically in the books of 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles. These references provide insight into the wealth and trade practices during the reign of King Solomon.

Biblical References:

1. 1 Kings 10:22 : "For the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years, the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks."

2. 2 Chronicles 9:21 : "For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram. Once every three years, they would return, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks."

These passages highlight the extensive trade networks established during Solomon's reign, which brought exotic goods from distant lands. The mention of apes, along with gold, silver, ivory, and peacocks, underscores the opulence and grandeur of Solomon's court. The inclusion of apes in these lists suggests their value as exotic animals, likely kept for their novelty and as a display of wealth and power.

Historical and Cultural Context:

The term "apes" in these passages is translated from the Hebrew word "קֹפִים" (qophim). The exact species referred to by this term is not definitively known, but it is generally understood to refer to some type of primate. Given the trade routes mentioned, it is plausible that these apes were imported from regions such as Africa or India, where various species of primates are native.

The presence of apes in the royal court of Solomon reflects the broader ancient Near Eastern practice of collecting exotic animals. Such animals were often kept in royal menageries, serving as symbols of the king's ability to command resources from far-flung territories.

Theological Implications:

From a theological perspective, the mention of apes in the context of Solomon's wealth serves to illustrate the fulfillment of God's promise to bless Solomon with unparalleled wisdom and prosperity (1 Kings 3:12-13). The accumulation of wealth, including exotic animals, is seen as a testament to the divine favor bestowed upon Solomon's reign.

However, the narrative of Solomon's wealth also serves as a cautionary tale. While his riches and wisdom were gifts from God, Solomon's later years were marked by a departure from God's commandments, leading to idolatry and the eventual division of the kingdom. The opulence of Solomon's court, including the acquisition of apes, can be viewed as both a blessing and a potential source of spiritual distraction.

Conclusion:

The references to apes in the Bible, though brief, provide a window into the economic and cultural exchanges of the ancient world. They also serve as a reminder of the complexities of wealth and the importance of maintaining faithfulness to God's commandments amidst prosperity.Apes

(Heb. kophim) are mentioned in (1 Kings 10:22) and 2Chr 9:21 There can be little doubt that the apes were brought from the same country which supplied ivory and peacocks, both of which are common in Ceylon; and Sir E. Tennent has drawn attention to the fact that the Tamil names for apes, ivory and peacocks are identical with the Hebrew.

6971. qoph -- an ape
... an ape. Transliteration: qoph Phonetic Spelling: (kofe) Short Definition: apes.
Word Origin of foreign origin Definition an ape NASB Word Usage apes (2). ape. ...
/hebrew/6971.htm - 5k

In Addition to all that He Has Already Said...
... and it does not become worse; nor does God after a time bring it back to himself;
nor is He angry on account of men any more than on account of apes or flies ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter xcix in addition to.htm

The Scaffolding Left in the Body
... that the class of animals in which Science, in the very nature of the case, is
compelled to look for the closest affinities to human beings is that of the Apes ...
/.../the lowell lectures on the ascent of man/chapter ii the scaffolding left.htm

Renewed Cautions.
... For these are subtle wolves, [1242] and apes that mimic the appearance of men.
Footnotes: [1240] Philippians 3:18, 19. [1241] The text is here doubtful. ...
/.../the epistle of ignatius to the antiochians/chapter vi renewed cautions.htm

Old Revival Hymns.
... and prayer-meetings in the same way that old slave-hymns and the "Jubilee Singers"
refrains are sometimes sung now, was composed by William Apes, a converted ...
/.../brown/the story of the hymns and tunes/chapter vii old revival hymns.htm

Miscellaneous.
... If man lived up in the bushes, like the Chimpanzee and other apes, he would need
more movable ribs so that he might not be ruined by broken ribs every time he ...
/.../miscellaneous.htm

The Release of Saint George.
... Saint George, and the faithful De Fistycuff, lay groaning in their far-off dungeon
in Egypt, for having ventured to assert that crocodiles, and apes, and snakes ...
/.../kingston/the seven champions of christendom/chapter eleven the release of.htm

Index of Names.
... Mrs. CF, 414 ALLEN, George N., 412 ALLEN, JO, 129 ALMOND, "", 364, 365 ALTENBURG,
Johan M., 84 AMBROSE, xiii, 1, 2, 3 ANATOLIUS, 354 APES, William, 265 ...
/.../brown/the story of the hymns and tunes/index of names.htm

Shall we Abandon Our Religion?
... for in so doing I would ape the unbelievers. I have no great love for apes.
So far as old, effete, erroneous opinions and faiths ...
/.../shall we abandon our religion.htm

They Deceive, Instead of Healing.
... the more powerful Lord, but rather seek to cure yourself, like the dog with grass,
or the stag with a viper, or the hog with river-crabs, or the lion with apes ...
/.../tatian/tatians address to the greeks/chapter xviii they deceive instead of.htm

Christmas Day
... That we are brutes, great God, we know too well; Apes daintier-featured; silly birds
who flaunt Their plumes unheeding of the fowler's step; Spiders, who catch ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/andromeda and other poems/christmas day.htm

Apes (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Apes (2 Occurrences). 1 Kings 10:22 For the king
had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram: once ...
/a/apes.htm - 7k

Ape
... The higher forms, the gorilla, chimpanzee, and ourang, are often called anthropoid
apes or man apes. ...Apes are mentioned with gold, silver, ivory and peacocks. ...
/a/ape.htm - 8k

Peacock
... had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram: once every three years came
the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks ...
/p/peacock.htm - 11k

Tarshish (24 Occurrences)
... had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram: once every three years came
the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks ...
/t/tarshish.htm - 17k

Trading (24 Occurrences)
... had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram: once every three years came
the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks ...
/t/trading.htm - 13k

Peacocks (3 Occurrences)
... had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram: once every three years came
the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks ...
/p/peacocks.htm - 7k

Baboons (2 Occurrences)
... had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram: once every three years came
the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks ...
/b/baboons.htm - 7k

Ivory (13 Occurrences)
... had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram: once every three years came
the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks ...
/i/ivory.htm - 17k

Carrying (88 Occurrences)
... had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram: once every three years came
the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks ...
/c/carrying.htm - 32k

Nail (9 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1. (n.) the horny scale of plate of epidermis
at the end of the fingers and toes of man and many apes. ...
/n/nail.htm - 14k

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