1 Kings 10:10

10 She then gave the king four and a half tons of gold, and also sack after sack of spices and expensive gems. There hasn't been a cargo of spices like that since that shipload the queen of Sheba brought to King Solomon.

1 Kings 10:10 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 10:10

And she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold,
&c.] The same sum that Hiram sent him, (See Gill on 1 Kings 9:14) this fulfilled the prophecy, so far as it respected Solomon, ( Psalms 72:15 )

and of spices very great store, and precious stones;
see ( 1 Kings 10:2 ) there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon; that is, into Judea. Josephus reports ^F20, that some say that the balsamic plant, which Judea was afterwards so famous for, was brought by this queen, and a gift of hers to Solomon; and Diodorus Siculus ^F21 speaks of it as in Arabia, and not to be found in any other part of the world.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F20 Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 8. c. 6.) sect. 6.
F21 Bibliotec. l. 2. p. 132.

1 Kings 10:10 In-Context

8 Lucky the men and women who work for you, getting to be around you every day and hear your wise words firsthand!

9 And blessed be God, your God, who took such a liking to you and made you king. Clearly, God's love for Israel is behind this, making you king to keep a just order and nurture a God-pleasing people."

10 She then gave the king four and a half tons of gold, and also sack after sack of spices and expensive gems. There hasn't been a cargo of spices like that since that shipload the queen of Sheba brought to King Solomon.

11 The ships of Hiram also imported gold from Ophir along with tremendous loads of fragrant sandalwood and expensive gems.

12 The king used the sandalwood for fine cabinetry in The Temple of God and the palace complex, and for making harps and dulcimers for the musicians. Nothing like that shipment of sandalwood has been seen since.