What was special about his food?
Malbim: It was greater than all kings' tables, in quantity and quality.
What is "Moshav Avadav"?
'Rashi' (Divrei ha'Yamim II, 9:4), Malbim: The servants who ate at his table were arranged according to their level; each knew where he sits. 'Rashi' - also those who regularly saw the king, one could not sit in his colleague's place as long as his colleague lived.
What was special about "Ma'amad Mesharesav u'Malbusheihem"?
'Rashi' (Divrei ha'Yamim II, 9:4): Each had his position and service; he did not change the next day. The clothes he wore today were unlike the clothes he wore tomorrow. 1
Malbim: Each had his place and clothing according to his service, e.g. the cooks by themselves, the Rekachim 2 , bakers, etc.
Why it is praiseworthy to have the same place and service, but to vary clothing every day? Perhaps there is a printing mistake, and the text should say 'were like the clothes he wore tomorrow' (PF).
Presumably, this refers to people who mix spices for cooking. Refer to Shmuel I, 8:13:1:2. (PF)
What are "Mashkav"?
Radak: They are those who serve his drinks. It says in Divrei ha'Yamim II, 9:4 "u'Mashkav u'Malbusheihem." Refer to 10:5:3:2.
'Rashi' (Divrei ha'Yamim II, 9:4): They are his many drinks. Malbim - they were of many kinds, from many lands.
What is "Olaso Asher Ya'aleh Beis Hashem"?
Rashi: It is a path he prepared from his house to the Beis ha'Mikdash; he went on it when going to the Beis ha'Mikdash. Malbim - it is the coral path mentioned in verse 12. It was wondrous.
Radak: They are steps 1 from his house to the Beis ha'Mikdash. They were built with Chachmah and professional skill. In Divrei ha'Yamim II, 9:4 it says "Aliyaso".
Radak citing Targum Yonasan: The Olos that he offered in Beis Hashem.
Ralbag: There were not steps on the ramp up to the Mizbe'ach, or in the ascent to the upper cells [around the Heichal]. It seems that also Shlomo did not have steps in his house (or on the ascent to Beis Hashem), to avoid [spreading one's legs, which is like] Giluy Ervah. (The Torah was adamant only about the Mizbe'ach! There were steps elsewhere, e.g. from the Azarah to the Heichal! It seems that the Ma'alos to Shlomo's throne (verse 19) were steps; Ralbag did not explain otherwise! - PF)
Why did she not have any more spirit?
'Rashi' (Divrei ha'Yamim II, 9:4): She thought that there is no Chachmah in all the kingdoms like in her land and her Chachamim. Her land was in the east, therefore they were bigger Chachamim, because they look at the constellations, like it says in Rosh Hashanah 20b. For us, the moon is covered for 18 hours 1 , for Eretz Yisrael is west of Bavel. This is why it says (Melachim I, 5:10) that Shlomo's Chachmah exceeded that of all Bnei Kedem, i.e. people in the east - "b'Nas'am mi'Kedem" (Bereishis 11:2), and all Chachmas Mitzrayim - they were witches, Chartumim (refer to Bereishis 41:8:153:1-3), Ashafim (people who force Mazal) and he was a Chacham in the language of birds (Pesikta d'Rav Kahana 4, Vayikra Rabah 32:2).
Radak: She was flabbergasted at his Chachmah.
The Gemara says that in Bavel, the old moon is covered for six hours, and the new moon is covered for 18; in Eretz Yisrael, the old moon is covered for 18 hours, and the new moon for six. Why does this cause people of the east to have more Chachmah, because the old moon is covered less there? (PF)
