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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

The Visit of the Queen of Sheba

10 Now the queen of Sheba had heard of the fame of Solomon regarding the name of Yahweh, and she came to test him with hard questions. So she came to Jerusalem with very great wealth; with camels carrying spices, very much gold, and precious stones. She came to Solomon, and she spoke to him all that was on her heart. Solomon answered all of her questions;[a] there was not a thing hidden from the king which he could not explain to her. When the queen of Sheba observed all the wisdom of Solomon and the house which he had built, the food of his table, the seat of his servants, the manner[b] of his servants and their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings which he offered in the house of Yahweh, she was breathless.[c] Then she said to the king, “The report which I heard in my land was true concerning your accomplishments and your wisdom. I had not believed the report to be true until I came and my eyes had seen, and behold! The half had not been told to me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass[d] the report that I had heard. Happy are your men and happy are these your servants who stand before you continually hearing your wisdom. May Yahweh your God be blessed, who has delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel, because of the love of Yahweh for Israel forever, and he has made you king to execute justice and righteousness.” 10 Then she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, abundant spices, and precious stones. Spices as these did not come again in such abundance as that which the queen of Sheba brought to King Solomon.

11 Moreover, the fleet of ships of Hiram which carried the gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir abundant amounts of almug wood and precious stones. 12 The king made a raised structure for the house of Yahweh and for the house of the king out of the almug wood, as well as lyres and harps for the singers. This much almug wood has not come nor been seen again up to this day. 13 King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all of her desire that she asked, besides that which King Solomon freely offered her.[e] Then she turned and went to her land with her servants.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 10:3 Literally “Solomon told her all of her words”
  2. 1 Kings 10:5 Literally “service”
  3. 1 Kings 10:5 Literally “and there was not in her spirit/breath any longer”
  4. 1 Kings 10:7 Literally “You have added wisdom and prosperity to”
  5. 1 Kings 10:13 Literally “according to the hand of King Solomon”