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The Queen of Sheba

10 (A)Now the (B)queen of (C)Sheba heard the report about Solomon concerning the name of Yahweh. So she came (D)to test him with riddles. She came to Jerusalem with a very glorious retinue, with camels (E)carrying spices and very much gold and precious stones. And she came to Solomon and spoke to him about all that was in her heart. And Solomon declared to her the answer to all her matters; there was not a matter which was hidden from the king which he did not declare to her. Then the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the disposition of his attendants and their attire, his cupbearers, and [a]his stairway by which he went up to the house of Yahweh, so that there was no more spirit in her. Then she said to the king, “The word is true which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. Nevertheless I did not believe those words, until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not declared to me. You exceed, in wisdom and prosperity, the report which I heard. How (F)blessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom. (G)Blessed be Yahweh your God who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel; (H)because Yahweh loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, (I)to do justice and righteousness.” 10 (J)Then she gave the king [b]120 talents of gold and a very great amount of spices and precious stones. Never again did such abundance of spices come in as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

11 (K)Also, the ships of Hiram, which carried gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir a very great number of almug trees and precious stones. 12 (L)And the king made of the almug trees supports for the house of Yahweh and for the king’s house, also lyres and harps for the singers; such almug trees have not come in again nor have they been seen to this day.

13 Thus King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire which she asked, besides what he gave her according to [c]his royal bounty. Then she turned and went to her own land, she and her servants.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 10:5 Or his burnt offering which he offered
  2. 1 Kings 10:10 Approx. 4.5 tons or 4.08 metric tons, a talent was approx. 75 lb. or 34 kg
  3. 1 Kings 10:13 Lit the hand of King Solomon

10 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of Jehovah, she came to prove him with hard questions. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not anything hid from the king which he told her not. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the [a]attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and [b]his ascent by which he went up unto the house of Jehovah; there was no more spirit in her. And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thine [c]acts, and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me; [d]thy wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, that stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because Jehovah loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do justice and righteousness. 10 And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.

11 And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of [e]almug-trees and precious stones. 12 And the king made of the almug-trees [f]pillars for the house of Jehovah, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for the singers: there came no such almug-trees, nor were seen, unto this day.

13 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, besides that [g]which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 10:5 Hebrew standing.
  2. 1 Kings 10:5 Or, his burnt-offering which he offered in etc.
  3. 1 Kings 10:6 Or, sayings
  4. 1 Kings 10:7 Hebrew thou hast added wisdom and goodness to the fame.
  5. 1 Kings 10:11 In 2 Chr. 2:8, 9, 10, algum-trees. Perhaps sandal-wood
  6. 1 Kings 10:12 Or, a railing Hebrew a prop.
  7. 1 Kings 10:13 Hebrew which he gave her according to the hand of king Solomon.