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The Queen of Sheba Visits(A)

The queen of Sheba heard a report of Solomon, and she came to Jerusalem with a very impressive retinue—with camels carrying spices, an abundance of gold, and precious stones—to test Solomon with riddles. When she came to Solomon she shared with him everything that was on her heart. Solomon declared to her everything that she asked, and there was not any matter concealed from Solomon that he did not declare to her. When the queen of Sheba had observed the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, and their clothing, his valets, and their clothing, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit left in her.

Then she said to the king, “True was the report that I heard in my land concerning your words and wisdom. But I did not believe their reports until I came and my eyes saw; and indeed, half the greatness of your wisdom was not declared to me. You have exceeded the report that I heard. How happy your men must be! How happy these servants, those who are continually before you listening to your wisdom. May the Lord your God be blessed, who has delighted in you, to set you as king on the throne of the Lord your God. Your God has loved Israel to establish them continually and has set you as king over them to perform justice and righteousness.”

Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents[a] of gold and a great abundance of spices and precious stones. And there were no spices like those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

10 Moreover, the servants of Hiram and Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought algum wood and precious stones. 11 And the king used the algum wood for steps for the house of the Lord and the palace of the king, even for lyres and harps for the singers. And there had not been anything seen like these in the land of Judah.

12 And King Solomon gave everything to the queen of Sheba in which she had pleasure, even what she asked for in addition to what she brought to the king. Then she turned and left for her own land with her servants.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 9:9 About 4½ tons or 4 metric tons.

And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions, having a very great company, and camels that bore spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones. And when she had come to Solomon, she communed with him about all that was in her heart.

And Solomon told her all her questions, and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not.

And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,

and the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers and their apparel, his cupbearers also and their apparel, and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her.

And she said to the king, “It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts and of thy wisdom.

However I believed not their words until I came and mine eyes had seen it. And behold, the half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me, for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.

Happy are thy men and happy are these thy servants, who stand continually before thee and hear thy wisdom.

Blessed be the Lord thy God, who delighted in thee to set thee on His throne to be king for the Lord thy God. Because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore He made thee king over them to do judgment and justice.”

And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold and spices in great abundance and precious stones; neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

10 And the servants also of Hiram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones.

11 And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the Lord and to the king’s palace, and harps and psalteries for singers; and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.

12 And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, besides that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned and went away to her own land, she and her servants.

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