The Queen of Sheba

10 Now when the queen of ^[a]Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with riddles. ² So she came to Jerusalem with a very large caravan (entourage), with camels carrying spices, a great quantity of gold, and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about everything that was on her mind [to discover the extent of his wisdom]. ³ Solomon ^[b]answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king which he did not explain to her. ⁴ When the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house (palace) which he had built, ⁵ the food on his table, the seating of his servants (court officials), the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, his ^[c]stairway by which he went up to the house (temple) of the Lord, she was breathless and awed [by the wonder of it all]. ⁶ Then she told the king, “The report which I heard in my own land about your words and wisdom is true! ⁷ I did not believe the report until I came and saw it with my own eyes. Behold, the half of it was not told to me. You exceed in wisdom and prosperity the report which I heard. ⁸ How blessed (fortunate, happy) are your men! How blessed are these your servants who stand continually before you, hearing your wisdom! ⁹ Blessed be the Lord your God who delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, He made you king to execute justice and righteousness.” ¹⁰ She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold and a very great quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again did such an abundance of spices come in [to Israel] as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

¹⁰ Now the queen [mother], overhearing the [excited] words of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet area. The queen [mother] spoke and said, “O king, live forever! Do not be alarmed at your thoughts or let your face be changed.

²⁷ So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch [a man of great authority], a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship,