Melachim Alef 10:7

7 Howbeit I believed not the devarim, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it; and, hinei, the half was not told me; thy chochmah and tov (prosperity) exceedeth the fame which I heard.

Melachim Alef 10:7 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 10:7

Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes
had seen it
That is, she did not believe the whole of what was related to her; somewhat of it she credited, and supposed there was something grand and extraordinary in it, or she would never have taken such a journey; but she did not believe that all could be true; she thought things were too much magnified:

and, behold, the half was not told me;
of what she now saw and heard:

thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard;
the inward endowments of his mind, and the outward magnificence of his court, exceeded the relation of them to her; they were beyond expression, they were so great that reporters could not hyperbolize upon them, nor even come up to them in their account of them, and in which yet men are apt to exceed.

Melachim Alef 10:7 In-Context

5 And the ma’akhal (food) of his shulchan, and the moshav (seating) of his avadim (officials), and the ma’amad (station) of his attendants, and their robes, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the Beis Hashem; there was no more ruach (breath) in her.

6 And she said to HaMelech, It was emes the report that I heard in mine own eretz of thy devarim and of thy chochmah.

7 Howbeit I believed not the devarim, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it; and, hinei, the half was not told me; thy chochmah and tov (prosperity) exceedeth the fame which I heard.

8 Ashrei are thy anashim; ashrei are these thy avadim, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy chochmah.

9 Yehi Hashem Eloheicha baruch Who delighted in thee, to set thee on the Kisse Yisroel; because Hashem loved Yisroel l’olam, therefore made He thee Melech, to do mishpat and tzedakah.