The united kingdom · 1 Kings 10
The Queen of Sheba
The fame of Solomon, “concerning the name of the LORD,” reaches the queen of Sheba. She comes to test him with hard questions, with a very great train of attendants and camels loaded with spices, a vast amount of gold, and precious stones. When she arrives in Jerusalem, she tells him everything that is in her heart, and there is nothing the king cannot explain to her. She takes in his wisdom, his house, the food on his table, and the burnt offerings he makes in the house of the LORD. Overwhelmed, she exclaims, “the half was not told me.” She blesses the LORD, who made Solomon king “to do judgment and justice,” gives him a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and then returns to her own country with the king’s gifts.
What happens
- She comes to test Solomon with hard questions, with a caravan loaded with gold 1 Kings 10:1–2
- “There was not any thing hid from the king” 1 Kings 10:3
- She sees the king’s wisdom, his house, and the food of his table 1 Kings 10:4–5
- “The half was not told me” 1 Kings 10:7
- “Blessed be the LORD thy God”: she praises the one who made Solomon king 1 Kings 10:9
- Solomon gives her all her desire, and she returns to her own country 1 Kings 10:13
Who is in this story
The lesson
The queen made a long journey to hear Solomon’s wisdom, and she left praising the LORD. Jesus calls her “the queen of the south” and holds her up as an example: “a greater than Solomon is here” (Matt 12:42). Whoever seeks true wisdom finds it in Christ.
Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.
Quick quiz on this story
How does the queen of Sheba come to test Solomon?
The queen of Sheba “came to prove him with hard questions”: Solomon’s fame, “concerning the name of the LORD,” had driven her to put him to the test. 1 Kings 10:1
Complete the queen of Sheba’s words: “Behold, . . . was not told me.”
After seeing everything, she admits, “the half was not told me.” Solomon had more wisdom and prosperity than the reports said. 1 Kings 10:7
How many talents of gold does the queen of Sheba give the king?
She gave the king “an hundred and twenty talents of gold,” along with a great store of spices and precious stones. The six hundred sixty-six talents are the gold that came to Solomon each year. 1 Kings 10:10
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