2 Chronicles 9:1-12

Solomon and the Queen of Sheba

1 Now the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, and she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions, with much wealth and camels, bearing spices and much gold and precious stones. And she came to Solomon and told him all that [was] {on her mind}.
2 And Solomon {answered all her questions}. Not a word was hidden from Solomon that he did not answer for her.
3 When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon and the house he had built,
4 and the food of his table, and the position of his officers, the duty of his servants and their clothing, his cupbearers and their clothing, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of Yahweh, there was no longer any breath in her.
5 And she said to the king, "The word which I heard in my land concerning your words and your wisdom [is] true,
6 but I did not believe their words until I came and saw with my own eyes. And behold, half the greatness of your wisdom was not reported to me; you surpass the rumors that I had heard.
7 Blessed [are] your men, and blessed [are] these your servants who stand before you regularly and hear your wisdom!
8 Blessed be Yahweh your God who took delight in you, to put you on his throne as king for Yahweh your God! Because your God loved Israel, he established him forever and has put you over them as king to do justice and righteousness!"
9 And she gave to the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold and a very great amount of spices and precious stones. And there were no spices such as those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
10 Moreover the servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir brought algum wood and precious stones.
11 And the king made steps for the house of Yahweh and the house of the king, and lyres and harps for the singers [from] the algum wood. And there was not seen [anything] like them before in the land of Judah.
12 Now King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba every desired thing she asked, besides what she had brought to the king. Then she turned and went to her land, she and her servants.

2 Chronicles 9:1-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 9 & 10

The ninth chapter is the same with 1Ki 10:1-29 excepting 2Ch 9:26, which agrees with 1Ki 4:21,29-31, the same with 1Ki 11:41-43, only in 2Ch 9:29 it is more largely expressed that the acts of Solomon's reign were written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer, against Jeroboam the son of Nebat; or rather "concerning Jeroboam", as the Septuagint and some other versions {b}, in which Iddo is called Joel; and by Theodoret said to be the same that prophesied of Jeroboam and his altar, \\see Gill on "1Ki 13:1"\\; the books mentioned are since lost.

{b} le peri Sept. de, Junius & Tremellias, Piscator. 19324-950110-2138-2Ch9.2

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Literally "in her heart"
  • [b]. Literally "made known to her all her words"
  • [c]. Or "spirit"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.