1 Kings 10

The Queen of Sheba

(2 Chronicles 9:1–12)

1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions. ‡ Mat 12:42Luk 11:312Ch 9:1-12Gen 10:28Psa 72:15Gen 10:71Ki 4:311Ki 4:34 +172 She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones. ‡ Act 25:231Ki 10:102Ki 20:132Ki 5:52Ki 5:9Exo 25:6Gen 18:33Isa 60:6-9 +3

So she came to Solomon and spoke to him all that was on her mind. 3 And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain. ‡ 1Co 1:301Ki 10:11Ki 3:122Ch 9:22Sa 14:172Sa 14:20Col 2:3Dan 2:20-23 +6

4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built, ‡ Mat 12:421Ki 3:281Ki 4:29-311Ki 6:1-72Ch 9:3-4Ecc 12:9 5 the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the service and attire of his attendants and cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he presented at the house of the LORD, it took her breath away. ‡ 1Ch 26:161Ch 9:181Ki 4:22-232Ch 23:132Ch 9:42Ki 16:18Ezk 44:3Ezk 46:2 +1

6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true. ‡ 2Ch 9:5-6 7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told to me. Your wisdom and prosperity have far exceeded the report I heard. ‡ 1Co 2:9Jhn 20:25-291Jn 3:2Isa 64:4Mrk 16:11Zec 9:17 8 How blessed are your men! ¹ How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! ‡ Pro 8:34Luk 11:31Pro 10:212Ch 9:7-8Luk 10:39-42Luk 11:28Pro 13:20Pro 3:13-14 9 Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness.” ‡ Psa 72:21Ki 5:72Sa 8:152Ch 2:11Isa 42:1Jer 23:5-61Ch 17:222Sa 23:3 +10

10 Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, ² a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again was such an abundance of spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. ‡ 1Ki 10:2Mat 2:111Ki 9:14Exo 30:34Gen 43:11Psa 72:10Psa 72:15Pro 20:15 +2

11 (The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug ³wood and precious stones. ‡ 1Ki 9:27-282Ch 2:82Ch 8:182Ch 9:10-11Psa 45:9 12 The king made the almug wood into steps for the house of the LORD and for the king’s palace, and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had such almug wood been brought in, nor has such been seen to this day.) ‡ 1Ch 23:51Ch 25:1-31Psa 150:3-5Psa 92:1-3Rev 14:2-3

13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired—whatever she asked—besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned to her own country, along with her servants. ‡ Mat 15:28Psa 20:4Psa 37:41Ki 10:21Ki 9:1Eph 3:20Jhn 14:13-14

Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor

(2 Chronicles 1:14–17; 2 Chronicles 9:13–28)

14 The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents, ⁴ ‡ 1Ki 9:282Ch 9:13-28 15 not including the revenue from the merchants, traders, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land. ‡ 1Ch 9:242Ch 9:13-14Gal 4:25Isa 21:13Psa 72:10

16 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold ⁵went into each shield. ‡ 1Ki 14:26-282Ch 12:9-102Ch 9:15-16 17 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold ⁶went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. ‡ 1Ki 7:21Ki 14:26

18 Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. ‡ 1Ki 10:22Psa 45:8Rev 20:111Ki 22:39Amo 6:4Heb 1:8Rev 18:122Ch 9:17-19 +519 The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with a lion standing beside each armrest. 20 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom. ‡ Gen 49:9Num 24:9Num 23:24Rev 5:5

21 All King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, because it was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon. ‡ 1Ki 10:171Ki 7:22Ch 9:20-22 22 For the king had the ships of Tarshish ⁷at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. ⁸ ‡ 1Ki 22:482Ch 20:36-37Gen 10:4Psa 48:7Psa 72:102Ch 9:21Isa 2:16Isa 23:1 +10

23 So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. ‡ 1Ki 3:12-131Ki 4:29-342Ch 9:22-23Col 1:18-19Col 2:2-3Eph 3:8Psa 89:27 24 The whole world sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart. ‡ Jas 1:51Ki 3:121Ki 3:281Ki 3:9Dan 1:17Dan 2:21Dan 2:23Pro 2:6 +125 Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. ‡ Est 8:14Isa 66:20Job 42:11Mat 2:11Psa 72:10Psa 72:151Ki 1:331Ki 10:10 +13

26 Solomon accumulated ⁹1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, ¹⁰ which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. ‡ 2Ch 9:251Ki 4:261Ki 9:19Deu 17:162Ch 1:14-17Isa 2:7 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills. ¹¹ ‡ 2Ch 1:15-172Ch 9:27Deu 17:17Job 22:24-25

28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; ¹² the royal merchants purchased them from Kue. ‡ Deu 17:162Ch 9:28Isa 31:1-3Isa 36:92Ch 1:16-17Pro 7:16Ezk 27:7Gen 41:42 +129 A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, ¹³ and a horse for a hundred and fifty. ¹⁴ Likewise, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram. ‡ 2Ki 7:6-7Jos 1:4Hos 12:10Mal 1:1