1 Kingschapter 10

Solomon Receives the Queen of Sheba — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

A.The queen of Sheba: there was no more spirit in hervv. 1-13

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. 2 She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones. 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. 4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built, 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. 6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and 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 to me. Your wisdom and prosperity have far exceeded the report I heard. 8 How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! 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.” 10 Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, 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. 11 (The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug wood and precious stones. 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.) 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.

B.Six hundred sixty-six talents; silver as stones in Jerusalemvv. 14-25

14 The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents, 15 not including the revenue from the merchants, traders, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land. 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; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 18 Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 19 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. 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. 22 For the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. 23 So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 24 The whole world sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart. 25 Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.

C.Chariots and horses brought up out of Egyptvv. 26-29

26 Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills. 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the royal merchants purchased them from Kue. 29 A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. Likewise, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

The queen of Sheba comes with a very great train to prove Solomon with hard questions, and nothing is hid from the king that he tells her not.

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The queen of Sheba comes with a very great train to prove Solomon with hard questions, and nothing is hid from the king that he tells her not. She sees the house, the food of his table, the sitting of his servants, and his ascent to the house of Jehovah, and there is no more spirit in her: 'behold, the half was not told me.' Jesus makes her a witness against his own generation, she came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon, and a greater than Solomon is here (Matthew 12:42). Then the gold: six hundred threescore and six talents a year, an ivory throne with twelve lions, silver as common as stones in Jerusalem.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Jeremiah — 1 Kings overview

A. 1–13 The queen of Sheba: there was no more spirit in her
B. 14–25 Six hundred sixty-six talents; silver as stones in Jerusalem
C. 26–29 Chariots and horses brought up out of Egypt

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

2 Chronicles 910 verses
- 2 Chronicles 9:1Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon, she came to test him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. So she came to Solomon and spoke with him about all that was on her mind.
- 2 Chronicles 9:2And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for him to explain.
- 2 Chronicles 9:5She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true.
- 2 Chronicles 9:10(The servants of Hiram and of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought algum wood and precious stones.
- 2 Chronicles 9:13The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents,
- 2 Chronicles 9:15King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield.
- Read 2 Chronicles 9: 4 more there →
1 Kings 103 verses
- 1 Kings 10:2She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones. So she came to Solomon and spoke to him all that was on her mind.
- 1 Kings 10:17He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
- 1 Kings 10:22For the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
- Read 1 Kings 10 →
1 Kings 93 verses
- 1 Kings 9:19as well as all the store cities that Solomon had for his chariots and horses—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and throughout the land of his dominion.
- 1 Kings 9:27And Hiram sent his servants, men who knew the sea, to serve in the fleet with Solomon’s servants.
- 1 Kings 9:28They sailed to Ophir and imported gold from there—420 talents—and delivered it to Solomon.
- Read 1 Kings 9 →
Psalms 722 verses
- Psalms 72:2May he judge Your people with righteousness and Your afflicted with justice.
- Psalms 72:10May the kings of Tarshish and distant shores bring tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
- Read Psalms 72 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

1 Kings 32 verses
- 1 Kings 3:12behold, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has never been nor will ever be another like you.
- 1 Kings 3:28When all Israel heard of the judgment the king had given, they stood in awe of him, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.
- Read 1 Kings 3 →
Psalms 452 verses
- Psalms 45:8All your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces of ivory the harps make you glad.
- Psalms 45:9The daughters of kings are among your honored women; the queen stands at your right hand, adorned with the gold of Ophir.
- Read Psalms 45 →
1 Kings 42 verses
- 1 Kings 4:26Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses and 12,000 horses.
- 1 Kings 4:29And God gave Solomon wisdom, exceedingly deep insight, and understanding beyond measure, like the sand on the seashore.
- Read 1 Kings 4 →
Deuteronomy 172 verses
- Deuteronomy 17:16But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’
- Deuteronomy 17:17He must not take many wives for himself, lest his heart go astray. He must not accumulate for himself large amounts of silver and gold.
- Read Deuteronomy 17 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.