1 And when the queen H4436 of Sheba H7614 heard H8085 of the fame H8088 of Solomon H8010 concerning the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 she came H935 to prove H5254 him with hard questions. H2420
And Samson H8123 said H559 unto them, I will now put forth H2330 a riddle H2420 unto you: if ye can certainly H5046 declare H5046 it me within the seven H7651 days H3117 of the feast, H4960 and find it out, H4672 then I will give H5414 you thirty H7970 sheets H5466 and thirty H7970 change H2487 of garments: H899 But if ye cannot H3201 declare H5046 it me, then shall ye give H5414 me thirty H7970 sheets H5466 and thirty H7970 change H2487 of garments. H899 And they said H559 unto him, Put forth H2330 thy riddle, H2420 that we may hear H8085 it. And he said H559 unto them, Out of the eater H398 came forth H3318 meat, H3978 and out of the strong H5794 came forth H3318 sweetness. H4966 And they could H3201 not in three H7969 days H3117 expound H5046 the riddle. H2420
The merchants H7402 of Sheba H7614 and Raamah, H7484 they were thy merchants: H7402 they occupied H5414 in thy fairs H5801 with chief H7218 of all spices, H1314 and with all precious H3368 stones, H68 and gold. H2091 Haran, H2771 and Canneh, H3656 and Eden, H5729 the merchants H7402 of Sheba, H7614 Asshur, H804 and Chilmad, H3638 were thy merchants. H7402
And when the queen H4436 of Sheba H7614 heard H8085 of the fame H8088 of Solomon, H8010 she came H935 to prove H5254 Solomon H8010 with hard questions H2420 at Jerusalem, H3389 with a very H3966 great H3515 company, H2428 and camels H1581 that bare H5375 spices, H1314 and gold H2091 in abundance, H7230 and precious H3368 stones: H68 and when she was come H935 to Solomon, H8010 she communed H1696 with him of all that was in her heart. H3824 And Solomon H8010 told H5046 her all her questions: H1697 and there was nothing hid H5956 from Solomon H8010 which he told H5046 her not. And when the queen H4436 of Sheba H7614 had seen H7200 the wisdom H2451 of Solomon, H8010 and the house H1004 that he had built, H1129 And the meat H3978 of his table, H7979 and the sitting H4186 of his servants, H5650 and the attendance H4612 of his ministers, H8334 and their apparel; H4403 his cupbearers H8248 also, and their apparel; H4403 and his ascent H5944 by which he went up H5927 into the house H1004 of the LORD; H3068 there was no more spirit H7307 in her. And she said H559 to the king, H4428 It was a true H571 report H1697 which I heard H8085 in mine own land H776 of thine acts, H1697 and of thy wisdom: H2451 Howbeit I believed H539 not their words, H1697 until I came, H935 and mine eyes H5869 had seen H7200 it: and, behold, the one half H2677 of the greatness H4768 of thy wisdom H2451 was not told H5046 me: for thou exceedest H3254 the fame H8052 that I heard. H8085 Happy H835 are thy men, H582 and happy H835 are these thy servants, H5650 which stand H5975 continually H8548 before H6440 thee, and hear H8085 thy wisdom. H2451 Blessed H1288 be the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 which delighted H2654 in thee to set H5414 thee on his throne, H3678 to be king H4428 for the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 because thy God H430 loved H160 Israel, H3478 to establish H5975 them for ever, H5769 therefore made H5414 he thee king H4428 over them, to do H6213 judgment H4941 and justice. H6666 And she gave H5414 the king H4428 an hundred H3967 and twenty H6242 talents H3603 of gold, H2091 and of spices H1314 great H3966 abundance, H7230 and precious H3368 stones: H68 neither was there any such spice H1314 as the queen H4436 of Sheba H7614 gave H5414 king H4428 Solomon. H8010 And the servants H5650 also of Huram, H2361 and the servants H5650 of Solomon, H8010 which brought H935 gold H2091 from Ophir, H211 brought H935 algum H418 trees H6086 and precious H3368 stones. H68 And the king H4428 made H6213 of the algum H418 trees H6086 terraces H4546 to the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and to the king's H4428 palace, H1004 and harps H3658 and psalteries H5035 for singers: H7891 and there were none such H1992 seen H7200 before H6440 in the land H776 of Judah. H3063 And king H4428 Solomon H8010 gave H5414 to the queen H4436 of Sheba H7614 all her desire, H2656 whatsoever she asked, H7592 beside that which she had brought H935 unto the king. H4428 So she turned, H2015 and went away H3212 to her own land, H776 she and her servants. H5650
Where G4226 is the wise? G4680 where G4226 is the scribe? G1122 where G4226 is the disputer G4804 of this G5127 world? G165 hath G3471 not G3780 God G2316 made foolish G3471 the wisdom G4678 of this G5127 world? G2889 For G1063 after G1894 that in G1722 the wisdom G4678 of God G2316 the world G2889 by G1223 wisdom G4678 knew G1097 not G3756 God, G2316 it pleased G2106 God G2316 by G1223 the foolishness G3472 of preaching G2782 to save G4982 them that believe. G4100
Yea, if thou criest H7121 after knowledge, H998 and liftest up H5414 thy voice H6963 for understanding; H8394 If thou seekest H1245 her as silver, H3701 and searchest H2664 for her as for hid treasures; H4301 Then shalt thou understand H995 the fear H3374 of the LORD, H3068 and find H4672 the knowledge H1847 of God. H430 For the LORD H3068 giveth H5414 wisdom: H2451 out of his mouth H6310 cometh knowledge H1847 and understanding. H8394
A wise H2450 man will hear, H8085 and will increase H3254 learning; H3948 and a man of understanding H995 shall attain H7069 unto wise counsels: H8458 To understand H995 a proverb, H4912 and the interpretation; H4426 the words H1697 of the wise, H2450 and their dark sayings. H2420
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Kings 10
Commentary on 1 Kings 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 10
1Ki 10:1-13. The Queen of Sheba Admires the Wisdom of Solomon.
1. the queen of Sheba—Some think her country was the Sabean kingdom of Yemen, of which the capital was Saba, in Arabia-Felix; others, that it was in African Ethiopia, that is, Abyssinia, towards the south of the Red Sea. The opinions preponderate in favor of the former. This view harmonizes with the language of our Lord, as Yemen means "South"; and this country, extending to the shores of the Indian ocean, might in ancient times be considered "the uttermost parts of the earth."
heard of the fame of Solomon—doubtless by the Ophir fleet.
concerning the name of the Lord—meaning either his great knowledge of God, or the extraordinary things which God had done for him.
hard questions—enigmas or riddles. The Orientals delight in this species of intellectual exercise and test wisdom by the power and readiness to solve them.
2. she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels—A long train of those beasts of burden forms the common way of travelling in Arabia; and the presents specified consist of the native produce of that country. Of course, a royal equipage would be larger and more imposing than an ordinary caravan.
6. It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom—The proofs she obtained of Solomon's wisdom—not from his conversation only, but also from his works; the splendor of his palace; the economy of his kitchen and table; the order of his court; the gradations and gorgeous costume of his servants; above all, the arched viaduct that led from his palace to the temple (2Ki 16:18), and the remains of which have been recently discovered [Robinson]—overwhelmed her with astonishment. [See on 2Ch 9:4.]
9. Blessed be the Lord thy God—(See on 1Ki 5:7). It is quite possible, as Jewish writers say, that this queen was converted, through Solomon's influence, to the worship of the true God. But there is no record of her making any gift or offering in the temple.
10. she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold—£720,00.
11. almug trees—Parenthetically, along with the valuable presents of the queen of Sheba, is mentioned a foreign wood, which was brought in the Ophir ships. It is thought by some to be the sandalwood; by others, to be the deodar—a species of fragrant fir, much used in India for sacred and important works. Solomon used it for stairs in his temple and palace (2Ch 9:11), but chiefly for musical instruments.
13. King Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside—that is, Solomon not only gave his illustrious guest all the insight and information she wanted; but, according to the Oriental fashion, he gave her ample remuneration for the presents she had brought.
1Ki 10:14-29. His Riches.
14, 15. Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year—666 talents, equal to £3,996,000. The sources whence this was derived are not mentioned; nor was it the full amount of his revenue; for this was "Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffic of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country." The great encouragement he gave to commerce was the means of enriching his royal treasury. By the fortifications which he erected in various parts of his kingdom, (particularly at such places as Thapsacus, one of the passages of Euphrates, and at Tadmor, in the Syrian desert), he gave complete security to the caravan trade from the depredations of the Arab marauders; and it was reasonable that, in return for this protection, he should exact a certain toll or duty for the importation of foreign goods. A considerable revenue, too, would arise from the use of the store cities and khans he built; and it is not improbable that those cities were emporia, where the caravan merchants unloaded their bales of spices and other commodities and sold them to the king's factors, who, according to the modern practice in the East, retailed them in the Western markets at a profit. "The revenue derived from the tributary kings and from the governors of the country" must have consisted in the tribute which all inferior magistrates periodically bring to their sovereigns in the East, in the shape of presents of the produce of their respective provinces.
16, 17. two hundred targets, six hundred shekels—These defensive arms were anciently made of wood and covered with leather; those were covered with fine gold. 600 shekels were used in the gilding of each target—300 for each shield. They were intended for the state armory of the palace (see 1Ki 14:26).
18-26. a great throne of ivory—It seems to have been made not of solid ivory, but veneered. It was in the form of an armchair, with a carved back. The ascent to it was by six steps, on each of which stood lions, in place of a railing—while a lion, probably of gilt metal, stood at each side, which, we may suppose from the analogy of other Oriental thrones, supported a canopy. A golden footstool is mentioned (2Ch 9:18) as attached to this throne, whose magnificence is described as unrivalled.
22. a navy of Tharshish—Tartessus in Spain. There gold, and especially silver, was obtained, anciently, in so great abundance that it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. But "Tarshish" came to be a general term for the West (Jon 1:3).
at sea—on the Mediterranean.
once in three years—that is, every third year. Without the mariner's compass they had to coast along the shore. The ivory, apes, and peacocks might have been purchased, on the outward or homeward voyage, on the north coast of Africa, where the animals were to be found. They were particularized, probably as being the rarest articles on board.
26-29.—(See on 2Ch 1:14 [and 2Ch 9:25].)