What are "Urvos"?
Radak citing Targum Yonasan: They are feeding troughs. Yonason translates "Avus Be'alav" (Yeshayah 1:3) as 'Urvaya d'Marohi.'
Rashi (Sanhedrin 21b): They are rows of horses [in a big stable].
Why does it say here 40,000 stables, and in Divrei ha'Yamim (II, 9:25), 4,000?
Rashi citing Sanhedrin 21b: He had 40,000 Orvos, and 4,000 Itztabla'os in each, or 4,000 Orvos, and 40,000 Itztabla'os in each. 1
Malbim: He needed 4,000 for his needs, and 40,000 for the army, to be ready for war.
Malbim (Divrei ha'Yamim II, 9:25): He had 4,000 big stables, and each had 10 rooms (small stables).
Our text says that each Itztabla'ah has 4,000 or 40,000 Orvos.
Did Shlomo transgress having too many horses?
'Rashi' (Divrei ha'Yamim II, 9:25): Yes. Radak citing Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 2:6 - the Torah forbids extra horses that are not needed. He had only 12,000 horsemen, but 40,000 Orvos Susim, i.e. much more than needed. Why did he have so many horses and horsemen? He did not have any wars! They were for honor and grandeur, to accompany him when he went from place to place. He did have a little war, when he took Chamaas Tzovah and Etziyon Gever (Divrei ha'Yamim II, 8:3,17).
Malbim implies that he did not, for he needed all of them. (PF)
Here it says that he had 40,000 stables. Below (10:26), it says that he added chariots and horsemen, and he had [only] 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen! And in Divrei ha'Yamim, first it says that he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen (1:14), and afterwards, 4,000 stables and 12,000 horsemen (9:25)!
Malbim (10:26): Here it counts horses. Below it counts iron chariots for war, like it says "Tesha Me'os Rechev Barzel" (Shoftim 4:3). 1
Malbim (Divrei ha'Yamim II, 1:14): In Divrei ha'Yamim I, Ezra explained that what is written in Melachim is out of order. Initially he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, and after [the visit of Malchus Sheva], he increased to 4,000 (or 40,000 2 ).
