1 Kings10
New International Version
1 When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions.
2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind.
3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her.
4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built,
5 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.
6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true.
7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard.
8 How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!
9 Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.”
10 And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11 (Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir; and from there they brought great cargoes of almugwood and precious stones.
12 The king used the almugwood to make supports for the temple of the Lord and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. So much almugwood has never been imported or seen since that day.)
13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.
14 The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents,
15 not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the territories.
16 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield.
17 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three minas of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.
18 Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold.
19 The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them.
20 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom.
21 All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days.
22 The king had a fleet of trading ships at sea along with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.
23 King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth.
24 The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.
25 Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.
26 Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.
27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills.
28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price.
29 They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans.
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1 Kings 10Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Kings 10. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon. (1–13). Solomon's wealth. (14–29).
vv1-13
The queen of Sheba came to Solomon to hear his wisdom, thereby to improve her own. Our Saviour mentions her inquiries after God, by Solomon, as showing the stupidity of those who inquire not after God, by our Lord Jesus Christ. By waiting and prayer, by diligently searching the Scriptures, by consulting wise and experienced Christians, and by practising what we have learned, we shall be delivered from difficulties. Solomon's wisdom made more impression upon the queen of Sheba than all his prosperity and grandeur. There is a spiritual excellence in heavenly things, and in consistent Christians, to which no reports can do justice. Here the truth exceeded; and all who, through grace, are brought to commune with God, will say the one half was not told them of the pleasures and the advantages of wisdom's ways. Glorified saints, much more, will say of heaven, that the thousandth part was not told them, 1Co 2:9. She pronounced them happy that constantly attended Solomon. With much more reason may we say of Christ's servants, Blessed are they that dwell in his house; they will be still praising him. She made a noble present to Solomon. What we present to Christ, he needs not, but will have us do so to express our gratitude. The believer who has been with Jesus, will return to his station, discharge his duties with readiness, and from better motives; looking forward to the day when, being absent from the body, he shall be present with the Lord.
vv14-29
Solomon increased his wealth. Silver was nothing accounted of. Such is the nature of worldly wealth, plenty of it makes it the less valuable; much more should the enjoyment of spiritual riches lessen our esteem of all earthly possessions. If gold in abundance makes silver to be despised, shall not wisdom, and grace, and the foretastes of heaven, which are far better than gold, make gold to be lightly esteemed? See in Solomon's greatness the performance of God's promise, and let it encourage us to seek first the righteousness of God's kingdom. This was he, who, having tasted all earthly enjoyments, wrote a book, to show the vanity of all worldly things, the vexation of spirit that attends them, and the folly of setting our hearts upon them: and to recommend serious godliness, as that which will do unspeakably more to make us happy, that all the wealth and power he was master of; and, through the grace of God, it is within our reach.
Key Words
מַלְכָּה: a queen
שְׁבָא: Sheba, the name of three early progenitors of tribes and of an Ethiopian district
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
שֵׁמַע: something heard, i.e. a sound, rumor, announcement; abstractly, audience
שְׁלֹמֹה: Shelomah, David's successor
שֵׁם: an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
נָסָה: to test; by implication, to attempt
חִידָה: a puzzle, hence, a trick, conundrum, sententious maxim
יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם: Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
Cross References
1 Kings 10Jesus cites the Queen of Sheba seeking Solomon's wisdom to condemn the Jews' unbelief.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
The direct parallel account of the Queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon.
Supported by JFB
Parallel Gospel reference to the Queen of the South rising in judgment.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Fulfills God's promise to give Solomon unprecedented wisdom and riches.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Solomon's gathering of chariots and horses directly violates God's law for kings.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Prophetic fulfillment of kings of Sheba and Seba bringing gifts to the Messianic King.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The magi presenting gold and frankincense typologically echoes Sheba's royal tribute.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Highlights the special architectural ascent/entryway to the Temple that amazed the queen.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Saints in heaven will find the reality far exceeds any earthly reports.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels Hiram's blessing of Yahweh for giving David a wise son.
Supported by JFB
Solomon's golden shields are later captured by Shishak of Egypt under Rehoboam.
Supported by JFB
Prophecy of nations coming from Sheba bearing gold and incense praising Yahweh.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Establishes the background of the joint Ophir fleet bringing gold.
Supported by JFB
Parallel account detailing Solomon's accumulation of silver, chariots, and horses.
Supported by JFB
Warns kings against multiplying gold and silver excessively.
Supported by Matthew Henry