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The Queen of Sheba at Solomon's Court
v. 1. And when the queen of Sheba, a country in Arabia Felix, on the Red Sea, heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, because the Lord was glorified in him, she came to prove him with hard questions, to test his reputed wisdom with difficult problems.
v. 2. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with a very numerous retinue in men, with camels that bare spices, the most costly products of her country, 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, all the difficult problems and all the enigmatical questions which she had collected and devised.
v. 3. And Solomon told her all her questions, he was able to answer, and give the solution of, all the enigmas propounded by her; there was not anything hid from the king which he told her not, he understood all her allusions and explained all her proverbial sayings
v. 4. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, having gotten the proof she was looking for at first hand, and the house that he had built,
v. 5. and the meat, the food, of his table, and the sitting of his servants, the civil officers who sat at the royal table, and the attendance of his ministers, that of the servants, especially at table, which included the service of the cup-bearers, and their apparel, the splendid liveries which they wore in the king's service, and his cup-bearers, the entire equipment or arrangement connected with the serving of wines, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord, the magnificent stairway which led from the royal palace to the Temple, there was no more spirit in her, she was overcome with extreme astonishment.
v. 6. And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.
v. 7. Howbeit, I believed not the words, she had not been able to believe that the situation as reported to her was possible, until I came and mine eyes had seen it; and, behold, the half was not told me, the reality far surpassed the most extravagant reports brought to her; thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.
v. 8. Happy are thy men, they should consider themselves fortunate, lucky, happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy wisdom.
v. 9. Blessed be the Lord, thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel, as an evidence of His favor and mercy; because the Lord loved Israel forever, therefore made he thee king to do judgment and justice, to rule wisely and to execute justice. Thus this heathen queen, overcome by the evidence before her eyes, acknowledged and confessed the true God, as an example to many a person who disregarded better opportunities of becoming acquainted with His wisdom and power, Mat_12:42.
v. 10. And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, almost two and one half million dollars, 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. "The spices were principally the famous Arabian balm, which was largely exported; according to Josephus the balm-shrub was introduced into Palestine by the queen of Sheba. " (Lange. )
v. 11. And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug-trees, the sandal-wood prized so highly throughout the Orient for its fragrance, and precious stones.
v. 12. And the king made of the almug-trees pillars for the house of the Lord, apparently balustrades for the stairways, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for singers, stringed instruments with sounding-boards. There came no such almug-trees nor were seen unto this day, the wood came in unusual abundance.
v. 13. And King Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty, in conformity with his power and wealth, according to the custom of Oriental monarchs. So she turned and went into her own country, she and her servants. Mark: From the example of the queen of Sheba it is clear that all those are blessed who have learned and know the secret of Jesus Christ, the Savior.