# 1 Kings 10 đź“–: The Queen of Sheba Visits
[[đź“š Explore the Bible Books]]
[[-1 Kings Overview]] | [[1 Kings 09]] | [[1 Kings 11]]
> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
## Solomon Entertains a Queen
[[#Verse 01.]] When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions.Â
[[#Verse 02.]] She arrived in Jerusalem with a great display of pomp, bringing with her camels carrying spices, a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind.Â
[[#Verse 03.]]Â Solomon answered all her questions; there was no question too complex for the king.Â
[[#Verse 04.]] When the queen of Sheba saw for herself Solomon’s extensive wisdom, the palace he had built,Â
[[#Verse 05.]] the food in his banquet hall, his servants and attendants, their robes, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings which he presented in the Lord’s temple, she was amazed.Â
[[#Verse 06.]] She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight was true!Â
[[#Verse 07.]] I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn’t hear even half the story! Your wisdom and wealth surpass what was reported to me.Â
[[#Verse 08.]]Â Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy!Â
[[#Verse 09.]] May the Lord your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on the throne of Israel! Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he made you king so you could make just and right decisions.”
[[#Verse 10.]] She gave the king 120 talents of gold, a very large quantity of spices, and precious gems. The quantity of spices the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon has never been matched.Â
[[#Verse 11.]] (Hiram’s fleet, which carried gold from Ophir, also brought from Ophir a very large quantity of fine timber and precious gems.Â
[[#Verse 12.]] With the timber the king made supports for the Lord’s temple and for the royal palace and stringed instruments for the musicians. No one has seen so much of this fine timber to this very day.)Â
[[#Verse 13.]] King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, besides what he had freely offered her. Then she left and returned to her homeland with her attendants.
## Solomon’s Wealth
[[#Verse 14.]] Solomon received 666 talents of gold per year,Â
[[#Verse 15.]] besides what he collected from the merchants, traders, Arabian kings, and governors of the land.Â
[[#Verse 16.]] King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold; 600 measures of gold were used for each shield.Â
[[#Verse 17.]] He also made 300 small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold were used for each of these shields. The king placed them in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest.
[[#Verse 18.]]Â The king made a large throne decorated with ivory and overlaid it with pure gold.Â
[[#Verse 19.]]Â There were six steps leading up to the throne, and the back of it was rounded on top. The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side.Â
[[#Verse 20.]]Â There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom.
[[#Verse 21.]] All of King Solomon’s cups were made of gold, and all the household items in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest were made of pure gold. There were no silver items, for silver was not considered very valuable in Solomon’s time.
[[#Verse 22.]] Along with Hiram’s fleet, the king had a fleet of large merchant ships that sailed the sea. Once every three years the fleet came into port with cargoes of gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
[[#Verse 23.]]Â King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth.Â
[[#Verse 24.]] Everyone in the world wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom.Â
[[#Verse 25.]]Â Year after year visitors brought their gifts, which included items of silver, items of gold, clothes, perfume, spices, horses, and mules.
[[#Verse 26.]] Solomon accumulated chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem.Â
[[#Verse 27.]] The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the foothills.
[[#Verse 28.]] Solomon acquired his horses from Egypt and from Que; the king’s traders purchased them from Que.Â
[[#Verse 29.]]Â They paid 600 silver pieces for each chariot from Egypt and 150 silver pieces for each horse. They also sold chariots and horses to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Syria.
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
###### Verse 22.
###### Verse 23.
###### Verse 24.
###### Verse 25.
###### Verse 26.
###### Verse 27.
###### Verse 28.
###### Verse 29.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Sheba is generally identified with the Sabaean kingdom in southwest Arabia, in the area of modern Yemen.
2. Sheba grew wealthy from trade in incense and spices such as frankincense and myrrh.
3. The queen came to test Solomon with riddles or hard questions (10:1).
4. She gave Solomon 120 talents of gold and a great amount of spices (10:10).
5. Almug wood brought from Ophir was used for supports in the temple and palace and for lyres and harps (10:11-12).
6. Solomon received 666 talents of gold in one year (10:14).
7. Solomon made 200 large shields and 300 small shields of hammered gold (10:16-17), later taken by Shishak of Egypt (14:26).
8. Solomon's ivory throne had six steps, with twelve lions standing on the steps (10:18-20).
9. Silver was considered of little value in Solomon's day (10:21, 27).
10. Solomon imported horses from Egypt and Kue (10:28), though Deuteronomy 17:16-17 warned kings not to multiply horses, wives, or gold.
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is greater than Solomon. The queen of Sheba traveled far to hear Solomon's wisdom (10:1-9), and Jesus said she will condemn those who ignore Him, because something greater than Solomon is here (Matthew 12:42).
## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. The queen of Sheba saw Solomon's wisdom and praised the Lord his God (10:9). How can God's work in our lives lead others to praise Him?
2. She said the half had not been told her (10:7). How has God proven greater than you first understood?
3. Solomon gathered gold, horses, and wealth in great amounts (10:14-29; Deuteronomy 17:16-17). When do blessings begin to become dangers?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 1: The queen of Sheba hears of Solomon's fame connected to the name of the Lord.
- đź“– verse 9: She praises the Lord for placing Solomon on the throne to do justice.
- đź“– verse 24: The whole world seeks an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God gave him.
## đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đź”— [[2 Chronicles 09#Verse 01.|2 Chronicles 9:1-12]] - The parallel account of the queen's visit.
- đź”— [[Psalm 72#Verse 10.|Psalm 72:10-11]] - Kings of Sheba will bring gifts.
- đź”— [[Isaiah 60#Verse 06.|Isaiah 60:6]] - Those from Sheba will bring gold and incense.
- đź”— [[Deuteronomy 17#Verse 16.|Deuteronomy 17:16-17]] - Warnings for Israel's kings.
- đź”— [[Matthew 12#Verse 42.|Matthew 12:42]] - Something greater than Solomon is here.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[1 Kings 10 - SOAP|What Reputation Precedes You?]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes