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.
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of Jehovah, she came to prove him with hard questions. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not anything hid from the king which he told her not. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of Jehovah; there was no more spirit in her. 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. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me; thy wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, that stand continually before thee, `and' that hear thy wisdom. Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because Jehovah loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do justice and righteousness. And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug-trees and precious stones. And the king made of the almug-trees pillars for the house of Jehovah, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for the singers: there came no such almug-trees, nor were seen, unto this day. And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, besides that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.
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.
And the sons of Cush: Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah: Sheba, and Dedan.
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.
And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praises of Jehovah.
I pour out my complaint before him; I show before him my trouble.
I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old,
The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall render tribute: The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and Jehovah his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly.
For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the nations round about.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 9
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 9 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
The visit of the queen of Sheba . Cf. 1 Kings 10:1-13. - This event is narrated as a practical proof of Solomon's extraordinary wisdom. The narrative agrees so exactly in both texts, with the exception of some few quite unimportant differences, that we must regard them as literal extracts from an original document which they have used in common. For the commentary on this section, see on 1 Kings 10:1-13.
Solomon's revenue in gold, and the use he made of it. Cf. 1 Kings 10:14-22, and the commentary there on this section, which is identical in both narratives, with the exception of some trifling differences. Before מביאים והסּחרים the relative pronoun is to be supplied: “and what the merchants brought.” As to the derivation of the word פּחות , which comes from the Aramaic form פּחה , governor (2 Chronicles 9:14), see on Haggai 1:1. - תּרשׁישׁ הלכות אניּות , in 2 Chronicles 9:21, ships going to Tarshish, is an erroneous paraphrase of תּרשׁישׁ אניּות , Tarshish-ships, i.e., ships built for long sea voyages; for the fleet did not go to Tartessus in Spain, but to Ophir in Southern Arabia (see on 1 Kings 9:26.). All the rest has been explained in the commentary on 1 Kings 10.
In 2 Chronicles 9:22-28, all that remained to be said of Solomon's royal glory, his riches, his wisdom, and his revenues, is in conclusion briefly summed up, as in 1 Kings 10:23-29. From 2 Chronicles 9:25 onwards, the account given in the Chronicle diverges from that in 1 Kings 10:26., in so far that what is narrated in 1 Kings 10:26-28 concerning Solomon's chariots and horses, and his trade with Egypt in horses, is here partly replaced by statements similar in import to those in 1 Kings 5, because the former matters had been already treated of in Chr. 2 Chronicles 1:14-17.
2 Chronicles 9:25 does not correspond to the passage 1 Kings 10:26, but in contents and language agrees with 1 Kings 5:6, and 2 Chronicles 9:26 with 1 Kings 5:1. Only the general estimate of Solomon's riches in gold and silver, in 2 Chronicles 9:27, repeated from 2 Chronicles 1:15, corresponds to 1 Kings 10:27. Finally, in 2 Chronicles 9:28 the whole description is rounded off; all that has already been said in 2 Chronicles 1:16, 2 Chronicles 1:17 as to the trade in horses with Egypt (1 Kings 10:28-29) being drawn together into one general statement.
Conclusion of Solomon's history. - 2 Chronicles 9:29. Sources; see the introduction .
2 Chronicles 9:30-31
The length of his reign, his death and burial, and his successor, as in 1 Kings 11:42.