1 Kings 10:1-13
The Queen of Sheba
1 Now when the queen of (a)Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with riddles.
2 So she came to Jerusalem with a very large caravan (entourage), with camels carrying spices, a great quantity of gold, and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about everything that was on her mind [to discover the extent of his wisdom].
3 Solomon (b)answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king which he did not explain to her.
4 When the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house (palace) which he had built,
5 the food on his table, the seating of his servants (court officials), the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, his (c)stairway by which he went up to the house (temple) of the Lord, she was breathless and awed [by the wonder of it all].
6 Then she told the king, “The report which I heard in my own land about your words and wisdom is true!
7 I did not believe the report until I came and saw it with my own eyes. Behold, the half of it was not told to me. You exceed in wisdom and prosperity the report which I heard.
8 How blessed (fortunate, happy) are your men! How blessed are these your servants who stand continually before you, hearing your wisdom!
9 Blessed be the Lord your God who delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, He made you king to execute justice and righteousness.”
10 She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold and a very great quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again did such an abundance of spices come in [to Israel] as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.
11 Also the ships of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir a great quantity of almug wood (sandalwood) and precious stones.
12 From the almug wood (sandalwood) the king made pillars for the house of the Lord and for the king’s palace, and also lyres and harps for the singers. Such almug wood did not come in [to Israel] again, nor has it been seen to this day.
Footnotes:
a.
1 Kings 10:1: The location of this ancient kingdom is uncertain, but may have included portions of modern Yemen and Ethiopia. The imperial family of Ethiopia claimed descent from a son supposedly born to Solomon and the queen of Sheba; however, there is no biblical evidence to support this claim. Ongoing archeological discoveries in Mareb, Yemen (Awam Temple) may support the area’s connection to the reign of the queen of Sheba. It has been suggested that she ruled southern Arabia and that the area being excavated was the capital of the Kingdom of Sheba.
b.
1 Kings 10:3: Lit told her all her words.
c.
1 Kings 10:5: Lit going up; or his burnt offering which he offered at.
d.
1 Kings 10:13: Lit according to the hand of King Solomon. Following ancient custom for nobility and royalty, the king was obligated to give a visitor (especially a visiting dignitary) a greater gift than he received from the visitor. Solomon went far beyond custom in lavishing gifts on the queen.