1 Kings 10:1-13

1 Kings 10:1-13

[1] And when the queen  of Sheba  heard  of the fame  of Solomon  concerning the name  of the LORD,  she came  to prove  him with hard questions.  [2] 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.  [3] And Solomon  told  her all her questions:  hid  from the king,  which he told  her not. [4] And when the queen  of Sheba  had seen  all Solomon's  wisdom,  and the house  that he had built,  [5] And the meat  of his table,  and the sitting  of his servants,  and the attendance  of his ministers,  and their apparel,  and his ascent  by which he went up  unto the house  of the LORD;  there was no more spirit  in her. [6] And she said  to the king,  It was a true  report  that I heard  in mine own land  of thy acts  and of thy wisdom.  [7] 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  exceedeth  the fame  which I heard.  [8] Happy  are these thy servants,  which stand  continually  before  thee, and that hear  thy wisdom.  [9] Blessed  be the LORD  thy God,  which delighted  in thee, to set  thee on the throne  of Israel:  because the LORD  loved  Israel  for ever,  therefore made  he thee king,  to do  judgment  and justice.  [10] And she gave  the king  an 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.  [11] And the navy  also of Hiram,  that brought  gold  from Ophir,  brought in  from Ophir  great  plenty  of almug  trees,  and precious  stones.  [12] And the king  made  of the almug  trees  pillars  for the house  and for the king's  house,  harps  also and psalteries  for singers:  there came  no such almug  trees,  nor were seen  unto this day.  [13] And king  Solomon  gave  unto the queen  of Sheba  all her desire,  whatsoever she asked,  beside that which Solomon  gave  her of his royal  bounty.  So she turned  to her own country,  she and her servants. 

What does 1 Kings 10:1-13 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The writer seems to have included this event here to support his claim that Solomon"s reign was so glorious that rulers came from all over the world to meet him ( 1 Kings 4:34; cf. 1 Kings 3:16-18). It also shows that some of Solomon"s wealth came to him as voluntary gifts from admirers. Jesus used this queen"s example to challenge His hearers to listen to God"s wisdom through someone greater than Song of Solomon , namely, Himself ( Matthew 12:42).
The site of Sheba was about1 ,200 miles southeast of Israel (present Yemen and or Oman). A traditional site of the Queen of Sheba"s castle is Salalah, in southern Oman. This country had come to dominate the spice and incense trade that had made that region of Arabia famous. [1] The queen"s primary purpose in visiting Solomon seems to have been to make a treaty with him. Before she did so she wanted to make sure that he really was as wise and rich as she had heard. Testing with questions was a challenging activity among ancient Near Eastern monarchs. [2]
"The hard ("enigmatic", REB) questions (hidot) were not just "riddles", as in Judges 14:12, but included difficult diplomatic and ethical questions. According to Josephus, Hiram had made similar approaches. The test was not an academic exercise but to see if he would be a trustworthy business partner and a reliable ally capable of giving help." [3]
She noted that God had made Solomon a blessing to those around him ( 1 Kings 10:8), as God had promised He would do for those who obeyed His covenant. She also blessed Yahweh ( 1 Kings 10:9), the God under whom Solomon reigned. Her gifts, which included four and one-half tons of gold, appear to have been part of a covenant treaty she negotiated with Solomon for her country (cf. 1 Kings 10:13). In her visit we see Israel fulfilling its God-given purpose of bringing the Gentiles to Yahweh. The name of this queen in Arabian history is Balkir.
"The royal family of Ethiopia claimed descent from Solomon and the queen of Sheba. It was asserted that the queen gave birth, as a result of her visit, to Menelik I, the traditional founder of the Ethiopian royal line. This is difficult to prove, but it is also difficult to disprove. Though the queen of Sheba did not come from Ethiopia, it is quite clear that Ethiopia was colonized by Sabeans from South Arabia, crossing the Red Sea. Her descendants could have gone to Ethiopia, and Arabic legends give details regarding the queen who married Solomon. It may be added that Josephus speaks of a relationship which the queen of Sheba had with Ethiopia (Antiq. II:102; VI:56)." [4]
Other scholars are less sure of this connection. [5] Josephus called her "the queen of Egypt and Ethiopia," but that identification is probably incorrect. [6]