1 Kings 10
10
The Queen of Sheba
1The queen of Sheba#2Ch 9:1; Mt 12:42 heard about Solomon’s fame#2Ch 9:1–12 connected with the name of the Lord and came to test him with difficult questions.#Jdg 14:12–14 2She came to Jerusalem with a very large entourage, with camels bearing#Gn 24:10 spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones.#1Kg 10:10 She came to Solomon and spoke to him about everything that was on her mind. 3So Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain to her. 4When the queen of Sheba observed all of Solomon’s wisdom, the palace he had built,#1Kg 7:1 5the food at his table,#1Kg 4:22–23 his servants’ residence, his attendants’ service and their attire, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he offered at the Lord’s temple, it took her breath away.
6She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and about your wisdom is true. 7But I didn’t believe the reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, I was not even told half. Your wisdom and prosperity far exceed the report I heard.#1Ch 29:25 8How happy are your men.#10:8 LXX, Syr read your wives How happy are these servants of yours, who always stand in your presence hearing your wisdom.#Pr 8:34 9Blessed be the Lord your God! He delighted in you and put you on the throne of Israel,#2Sm 22:20; 1Kg 5:7 because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel.#1Ch 17:22; 2Ch 2:11 He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness.”#2Sm 8:15
10Then she gave the king four and a half tons#10:10 Lit 120 talents of gold,#1Kg 9:28 a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again did such a quantity of spices arrive as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11In addition, Hiram’s fleet that carried gold from Ophir brought from Ophir a large quantity of almug#10:11 = algum in 2Ch 2:8; 9:10–11 wood and precious stones.#1Kg 9:27–28 12The king made the almug wood into steps for the Lord’s temple and the king’s palace and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before did such almug wood arrive, and the like has not been seen again.
13King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire — whatever she asked — besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she, along with her servants, returned to her own country.#2Ch 9:11–12
Solomon’s Wealth
14The weight#2Ch 9:13–24 of gold that came to Solomon annually was twenty-five tons,#10:14 Lit 666 talents 15besides what came from merchants,#2Ch 1:16 traders’ merchandise, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land.#1Kg 9:28; 10:2
16King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; fifteen pounds#10:16 Lit 600 (shekels) of gold went into each shield. 17He made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; nearly four pounds#10:17 Lit three minas of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.#1Kg 7:2–5
18The king also made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with fine gold. 19The throne had six steps; there was a rounded top at the back of the throne, armrests on either side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests. 20Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps, one at each end. Nothing like it had ever been made in any other kingdom.
21All of King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon#1Kg 7:2–5 were pure gold.#1Kg 9:28 There was no silver, since it was considered as nothing in Solomon’s time, 22for the king had ships of Tarshish#Jnh 1:3 at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.#10:22 Or baboons#1Kg 9:26–28; 22:48
23King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the world in riches and in wisdom.#1Kg 3:13 24The whole world wanted an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart.#1Kg 3:28; 10:1 25Every man would bring his annual tribute: items#10:25 Or vessels, or weapons of silver and gold, clothing, weapons,#10:25 Or fragrant balsam spices, and horses and mules.#2Ch 9:22–24
26Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen#1Kg 4:26 and stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.#1Kg 9:19 27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones,#Dt 17:17 and he made cedar#1Kg 5:10; 2Ch 1:15 as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills. 28Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue.#10:28 = Cilicia The king’s traders bought them from Kue at the going price.#Dt 17:16; 2Ch 9:28 29A chariot was imported from Egypt for fifteen pounds#10:29 Lit 600 shekels of silver, and a horse for four pounds.#10:29 Lit 150 shekels In the same way, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram through their agents.#2Ch 1:17
Currently Selected:
1 Kings 10: CSB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
1 Kings 10
10
Visit of the Queen of Sheba
1When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the Lord,#10:1 Or which was due to the name of the Lord. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. she came to test him with hard questions. 2She arrived in Jerusalem with a large group of attendants and a great caravan of camels loaded with spices, large quantities of gold, and precious jewels. When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind. 3Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4When the queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built, 5she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the Lord.
6She exclaimed to the king, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievements#10:6 Hebrew your words. and wisdom is true! 7I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of it! Your wisdom and prosperity are far beyond what I was told. 8How happy your people#10:8 Greek and Syriac versions and Latin Vulgate read your wives. must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom! 9Praise the Lord your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so you can rule with justice and righteousness.”
10Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000 pounds#10:10 Hebrew 120 talents [4,000 kilograms]. of gold, great quantities of spices, and precious jewels. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11(In addition, Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir, and they also brought rich cargoes of red sandalwood#10:11 Hebrew almug wood; also in 10:12. and precious jewels. 12The king used the sandalwood to make railings for the Temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and to construct lyres and harps for the musicians. Never before or since has there been such a supply of sandalwood.)
13King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba whatever she asked for, besides all the customary gifts he had so generously given. Then she and all her attendants returned to their own land.
Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor
14Each year Solomon received about 25 tons#10:14 Hebrew 666 talents [23 metric tons]. of gold. 15This did not include the additional revenue he received from merchants and traders, all the kings of Arabia, and the governors of the land.
16King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than fifteen pounds.#10:16 Hebrew 600 [shekels] of gold [6.8 kilograms]. 17He also made 300 smaller shields of hammered gold, each weighing nearly four pounds.#10:17 Hebrew 3 minas [1.8 kilograms]. The king placed these shields in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.
18Then the king made a huge throne, decorated with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. 19The throne had six steps and a rounded back. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, and the figure of a lion stood on each side of the throne. 20There were also twelve other lions, one standing on each end of the six steps. No other throne in all the world could be compared with it!
21All of King Solomon’s drinking cups were solid gold, as were all the utensils in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. They were not made of silver, for silver was considered worthless in Solomon’s day!
22The king had a fleet of trading ships of Tarshish that sailed with Hiram’s fleet. Once every three years the ships returned, loaded with gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.#10:22 Or and baboons.
23So King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king on earth. 24People from every nation came to consult him and to hear the wisdom God had given him. 25Year after year everyone who visited brought him gifts of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
26Solomon built up a huge force of chariots and horses.#10:26 Or charioteers; also in 10:26b. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him in Jerusalem. 27The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. And valuable cedar timber was as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah.#10:27 Hebrew the Shephelah. 28Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt#10:28a Possibly Muzur, a district near Cilicia; also in 10:29. and from Cilicia#10:28b Hebrew Kue, probably another name for Cilicia.; the king’s traders acquired them from Cilicia at the standard price. 29At that time chariots from Egypt could be purchased for 600 pieces of silver,#10:29a Hebrew 600 [shekels] of silver, about 15 pounds or 6.8 kilograms in weight. and horses for 150 pieces of silver.#10:29b Hebrew 150 [shekels], about 3.8 pounds or 1.7 kilograms in weight. They were then exported to the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
For more information about the NLT: