1 Kings 10

Queen of Sheba

1 When the queen of Sheba heard reports about Solomon, due to the LORD's name, she came to test him with riddles.

2 Accompanying her to Jerusalem was a huge entourage with camels carrying spices, a large amount of gold, and precious stones. After she arrived, she told Solomon everything that was on her mind.

3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for him to answer.

4 When the queen of Sheba saw how wise Solomon was, the palace he had built,

5 the food on his table, the servants' quarters, the function and dress of his attendants, his cupbearers, and the entirely burned offerings that he offered at the LORD's temple, it took her breath away.

6 "The report I heard about your deeds and wisdom when I was still at home is true," she said to the king.

7 "I didn't believe it until I came and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, the half of it wasn't even told to me! You have far more wisdom and wealth than I was told.

8 Your people and these servants who continually serve you and get to listen to your wisdom are truly happy!

9 Bless the LORD your God because he was pleased to place you on Israel's throne. Because the LORD loved Israel with an eternal love, the LORD made you king to uphold justice and righteousness."

10 The queen gave the king one hundred twenty kikkars of gold, a great quantity of spice, and precious stones. Never again has so much spice come to Israel as when the queen of Sheba gave this gift to King Solomon.

11 Hiram's fleet went to Ophir and brought back gold, much almug wood, and precious stones.

12 The king used the almug wood to make parapets for the LORD's temple and for the royal palace as well as lyres and harps for the musicians. To this day, that much almug wood hasn't come into or been seen in Israel.

13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she wanted and all that she had asked for, in addition to what he had already given her from his own personal funds. Then she and her servants returned to her homeland.

Solomon’s wealth

14 Solomon received an annual income of six hundred sixty-six kikkars of gold,

15 not including income from the traders, the merchants and their profits, all the Arabian kings, and the officials of the land.

16 King Solomon made two hundred body-sized shields of hammered gold, using fifteen pounds of gold in each shield,

17 and three hundred small shields of hammered gold, using sixty ounces of gold in each shield. The king placed these in the Forest of Lebanon Palace.

18 The king also made a large ivory throne and covered it with pure gold.

19 Six steps led up to the throne, and the back of the throne was rounded at the top. Two lions stood beside the armrests on both sides of the throne.

20 Another twelve lions stood on both sides of the six steps. No other kingdom had anything like this.

21 All of King Solomon's drinking cups were made of gold, and all the items in the Forest of Lebanon Palace were made of pure gold, not silver, since even silver wasn't considered good enough in Solomon's time!

22 The royal fleet of Tarshish-style ships was at sea with Hiram's fleet, returning once every three years with gold, silver, ivory, monkeys, and peacocks.

23 King Solomon far exceeded all the earth's kings in wealth and wisdom,

24 and so the whole earth wanted an audience with Solomon in order to hear his God-given wisdom.

25 Year after year they came with tribute: objects of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.

26 Solomon acquired more and more chariots and horses until he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses that he kept in chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

27 In Jerusalem, the king made silver as common as stones and cedar as plentiful as sycamore trees that grow in the foothills.

28 Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and Kue, purchased from Kue by the king's agents at the going price.

29 They would import a chariot from Egypt for six hundred pieces of silver and a horse for one hundred fifty, and then export them to all the Hittite and Aramean kings.

1 Kings 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

The queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon. (1-13) Solomon's wealth. (14-29)

Verses 1-13 The queen of Sheba came to Solomon to hear his wisdom, thereby to improve her own. Our Saviour mentions her inquiries after God, by Solomon, as showing the stupidity of those who inquire not after God, by our Lord Jesus Christ. By waiting and prayer, by diligently searching the Scriptures, by consulting wise and experienced Christians, and by practising what we have learned, we shall be delivered from difficulties. Solomon's wisdom made more impression upon the queen of Sheba than all his prosperity and grandeur. There is a spiritual excellence in heavenly things, and in consistent Christians, to which no reports can do justice. Here the truth exceeded; and all who, through grace, are brought to commune with God, will say the one half was not told them of the pleasures and the advantages of wisdom's ways. Glorified saints, much more, will say of heaven, ( 1 Corinthians. 2:9 ) pronounced them happy that constantly attended Solomon. With much more reason may we say of Christ's servants, Blessed are they that dwell in his house; they will be still praising him. She made a noble present to Solomon. What we present to Christ, he needs not, but will have us do so to express our gratitude. The believer who has been with Jesus, will return to his station, discharge his duties with readiness, and from better motives; looking forward to the day when, being absent from the body, he shall be present with the Lord.

Verses 14-29 Solomon increased his wealth. Silver was nothing accounted of. Such is the nature of worldly wealth, plenty of it makes it the less valuable; much more should the enjoyment of spiritual riches lessen our esteem of all earthly possessions. If gold in abundance makes silver to be despised, shall not wisdom, and grace, and the foretastes of heaven, which are far better than gold, make gold to be lightly esteemed? See in Solomon's greatness the performance of God's promise, and let it encourage us to seek first the righteousness of God's kingdom. This was he, who, having tasted all earthly enjoyments, wrote a book, to show the vanity of all worldly things, the vexation of spirit that attends them, and the folly of setting our hearts upon them: and to recommend serious godliness, as that which will do unspeakably more to make us happy, that all the wealth and power he was master of; and, through the grace of God, it is within our reach.

Footnotes

• [a]. Heb uncertain
• [b]. Or six hundred (shekels)
• [c]. three manehs
• [d]. Heb uncertain

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 10

This chapter contains an account of the queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon to her great satisfaction, 1Ki 10:1-13, of Solomon's merchandise and riches, and the magnificence of his court, 1Ki 10:14-23, of the rich presents sent to him, and of the purchase of chariots and horses, and other things, he made, 1Ki 10:24-29.