1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great train, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
2 And Solomon told her all her questions; and there was not anything hid from Solomon which he told her not.
3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,
4 and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, his cupbearers also, and their apparel, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of Jehovah; there was no more spirit in her.
5 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom.
6 Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it; and, behold, the half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: thou exceedest the fame that I heard.
7 Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, that stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.
8 Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on his throne, to be king for Jehovah thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do justice and righteousness.
9 And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.
10 And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, that brought gold from Ophir, brought algum-trees and precious stones.
11 And the king made of the algum-trees terraces for the house of Jehovah, and for the king's house, and harps and psalteries for the singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.
12 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, besides that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 9
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 9 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 9
The ninth chapter is the same with 1 Kings 10:1 excepting 2 Chronicles 9:26, which agrees with 1 Kings 4:21, the same with 1 Kings 11:41, only in 2 Chronicles 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 versionsF2 , in which Iddo is called Joel; and by Theodoret said to be the same that prophesied of Jeroboam and his altar, See Gill on 1 Kings 13:1; the books mentioned are since lost.F2 צל περι Sept. de, Junius & Tremellias, Piscator.
See Chapter Introduction