1 Kings Chapter 10
The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon
A. The Queen’s Visit
1. (1 Kings 10:1) The Queen of Sheba arrives at Jerusalem.
“Now when the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions.”
The arrival of the Queen of Sheba marks one of the most remarkable diplomatic and cultural encounters in the reign of Solomon. The text identifies her as ruling over Sheba, a prosperous and influential kingdom located in what is modern Yemen in Southern Arabia. Geography and archaeology confirm that this region was known for abundant wealth, including gold, spices, aromatic resins, and fine woods, and history records that this kingdom was ruled at various times by queens as well as kings. Her journey would have required significant commitment, since travel from Sheba to Jerusalem would have covered up to fifteen hundred miles, a demanding expedition through desert terrain and foreign territories. Although she likely traveled with a large trade delegation, which fits the later verses describing the wealth she brought, her primary motivation was spiritual and intellectual. She had heard of Solomon’s fame, and the report specifically connected his renown to the name of the Lord. This indicates that the surrounding nations did not simply view Solomon as a wise ruler but understood that his wisdom and success were tied to the God of Israel.
Her purpose was to test him with difficult questions. In the ancient world, this often involved riddles, philosophical dilemmas, and examinations of moral and political judgment. Israel at this time was at its height in wealth, stability, and global influence, and the Queen of Sheba arrived when the kingdom was exhibiting its greatest level of prosperity under Solomon’s leadership. The fame of Solomon was not mere rumor. It was grounded in the undeniable splendor of the kingdom which God had established for David’s son.
2. (1 Kings 10:2-5) What the Queen of Sheba Saw
“She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. So Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her. And when the Queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her.”
The Queen of Sheba arrived in Jerusalem with the full dignity and grandeur expected of a royal figure from a wealthy empire. The text describes her retinue as very great, which indicates a long caravan of camels and attendants carrying costly goods such as spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. These items were characteristic exports of Southern Arabia, and her large-scale presentation shows both her status and her intention to establish significant diplomatic and commercial ties with Solomon. Her visit was not merely ceremonial. When she met with Solomon, she opened her heart entirely and spoke freely about every matter that burdened her or required counsel. Solomon answered every question without difficulty. The statement that nothing was too hard for the king reflects the supernatural wisdom God had given him, wisdom that extended into governance, economics, law, ethics, diplomacy, human relationships, and matters of worship.
The Queen observed not only Solomon’s answers but the entire functioning of his kingdom. She saw the wisdom with which he organized his court, the magnificence of the house he had built, the abundance and quality of the food on his table, the order and dignity of the servants who surrounded him, the precision with which the waiters served and the elegance of their clothing, and even the distinguished manner in which Solomon entered the house of the Lord. Every detail reflected the strength, order, prosperity, and glory of a kingdom under God’s blessing. Though she was no stranger to wealth or royal splendor, the excellence of Solomon’s administration and the visible hand of God upon Israel left her overwhelmed. The text states that there was no more spirit in her, meaning her breath was taken away. The excellence of Solomon’s government and the visible blessing of the Lord upon Israel surpassed anything she had ever seen, and her reaction shows that the glory of a kingdom built by the wisdom of God was without equal.
3. (1 Kings 10:6-9) How the Queen of Sheba Reacted
“Then she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes, and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard. Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom. Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel. Because the LORD has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.”
The Queen of Sheba’s reaction reveals the overwhelming impression Solomon made upon her. She began by affirming that the reports she had heard in her homeland were entirely accurate. She had heard of his wisdom and of the greatness of his kingdom, yet she confesses that she had not believed those reports until she witnessed them personally. Once she saw the reality of Solomon’s wisdom and prosperity with her own eyes she declared that the half had not been told. Everything she had heard understated the truth. The splendor of Solomon’s court, the excellence of his administration, and the obvious blessing of God upon Israel far exceeded the stories that had reached her faraway kingdom.
She then commented on the joy and privilege of those who served Solomon. Happy are your men and happy are these your servants. To stand continually before a wise and righteous king was an honor. If serving Solomon brought such blessing, then serving Christ, the greater than Solomon, brings a far greater joy. Solomon’s servants enjoyed the privilege of witnessing his wisdom daily. Believers today walk in the presence of the One in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Her praise then shifts directly to the Lord. Blessed be the Lord your God who delighted in you. The Queen recognized that the greatness of Solomon was the result of divine favor. She understood the covenant principle that God blesses His people in order to display His glory to the nations. Her statement reflects precisely what God promised in the Old Covenant. “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.” “Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you.” (Deuteronomy 28:1 and verse 10). God intended Israel to be a testimony of His greatness. If they obeyed He would bless them so visibly that the surrounding nations would acknowledge the hand of God. If they disobeyed He would discipline them in a way that also testified to His holiness. In Solomon’s day Israel experienced the height of Old Covenant blessing and the Queen of Sheba’s response shows that the nations noticed.
It is worth asking whether her words in verse nine represent genuine faith or polite diplomatic acknowledgment of Israel’s God. The text does not record a conversion. Her statement can be read as a respectful recognition of the God who blessed Solomon rather than a confession of personal allegiance. Commentators note that praise to the Lord in this context does not necessarily indicate saving faith. She admired what she saw and spoke honorably about the God who made it possible, yet Scripture does not say she embraced the God of Israel for herself. Still, her example as a seeker is commendable. She traveled a great distance. She came with gifts. She questioned Solomon with sincerity. She observed his kingdom carefully. She remained for an extended period. She poured out everything on her heart. Jesus Himself used her as an example of earnest seeking. “The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.” (Matthew 12:42). Her diligence in pursuing wisdom will stand as a rebuke against those who ignore Christ who is infinitely greater.
Her final statement, Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, carries deep theological significance. She recognized that Solomon’s kingship was not merely the result of royal succession. Solomon was not the eldest son of David and he was not the obvious heir by human logic. His rise to the throne was a sovereign act of God driven by His covenant love for Israel. As one commentator notes, it was God’s special act to place Solomon on the throne rather than his older brothers. The Queen of Sheba saw the evidence of divine appointment in Solomon’s reign and her words reflect an understanding that God’s love for Israel was the reason Solomon ruled with such wisdom and prosperity.
4. (1 Kings 10:10-13) An Exchange of Gifts
“Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great quantity, and precious stones. There never again came such abundance of spices as the Queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. Also, the ships of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought great quantities of almug wood and precious stones from Ophir. And the king made steps of the almug wood for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house, also harps and stringed instruments for singers. There never again came such almug wood, nor has the like been seen to this day. Now King Solomon gave the Queen of Sheba all she desired, whatever she asked, besides what Solomon had given her according to the royal generosity. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.”
The exchange of gifts reflects the wealth and diplomatic strength of both Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. She presented him with one hundred and twenty talents of gold, an extraordinary amount that testifies both to her kingdom’s wealth and her esteem for Solomon. She also brought spices in great quantity and precious stones. Arabia was famous in the ancient world for its spices, resins, perfumes, and aromatics, and the text emphasizes that no later shipment ever matched the volume and quality she brought. Her gifts were not token gestures but significant treasures meant to honor the king of Israel and solidify high level political and commercial relations.
At the same time the narrative highlights the continual flow of wealth into Israel through maritime trade. The ships of Hiram brought gold from Ophir, a region associated with exceptional quality gold, along with large quantities of almug wood and precious stones. Almug wood was rare and valued for its beauty and durability. Solomon used it for steps or terraces leading to the house of the Lord and for the king’s own house, and he also used it to craft harps and other stringed instruments for the singers who ministered in worship. The text again stresses that no shipment of almug wood comparable to this one was ever seen again. These details emphasize the unique abundance Israel experienced during Solomon’s reign and the level of international cooperation that enriched the kingdom.
Solomon responded to the Queen of Sheba with generosity that matched his royal dignity. He gave her everything she desired in addition to gifts that reflected his own kingly resources. The phrase according to the royal generosity indicates lavish giving. Solomon’s gifts to her were not calculated exchanges but expressions of the honor and wealth that characterized his rule. This exchange of gifts underscores a larger biblical pattern. The generosity of Solomon reflects the generosity of God who pours out blessings not with reluctance but with abundance.
A final note is added from later tradition. According to ancient stories, the Queen of Sheba desired a son by Solomon, and Solomon granted her desire. The child, named Menilek, is said to have become the forefather of subsequent Ethiopian rulers. These accounts are part of a later tradition and are not supported by Scripture, but they demonstrate the enduring impression the biblical encounter left on later cultures, especially in Ethiopia where the story became part of national identity.
B. Solomon’s Great Wealth
1. (1 Kings 10:14-15) Solomon’s Yearly Income
“The weight of gold that came to Solomon yearly was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, besides that from the traveling merchants, from the income of traders, from all the kings of Arabia, and from the governors of the country.”
Solomon’s annual revenue was staggering. The inspired record states that he received six hundred and sixty six talents of gold every single year. This represents an enormous flow of wealth into Jerusalem. Scholars who have calculated the value of this amount note that even using conservative estimates it translates to hundreds of millions of dollars in modern value and, based on more recent gold prices, approaches one billion dollars annually. Scripture emphasizes this number to demonstrate the unprecedented economic power and international reach of Solomon’s kingdom. It also marks Solomon as the only other figure in the Bible connected to the number six hundred sixty six. That number appears again in the description of the final world ruler in Revelation. This parallel does not identify Solomon as the Antichrist. Scripture does not teach any such connection. The point is that the same number appears in relation to a man who stands in direct opposition to God in the last days. Revelation purposely says that six hundred sixty six is the number of a man. In Solomon’s case the number may serve as a symbolic warning. The coming world ruler will not necessarily appear as a monster from the beginning. He may present himself as wise and admirable and even appear to possess good intentions before moral collapse and rebellion take over. Solomon began well, walked in God’s blessing, and later allowed compromise to corrupt him. The pattern is instructive.
The passage also notes that Solomon’s income did not stop at the six hundred sixty six talents. That amount was only the recorded gold portion of his yearly revenue. Additional gold flowed in through traveling merchants, international traders, allied kings in Arabia, and governors in surrounding regions. Israel occupied a strategic position on trade routes between Africa, Arabia, and the Mediterranean world, and under Solomon the kingdom controlled or benefited from much of that commerce.
The writer includes this detail as more than a historical report. Scripture gives a quiet but clear warning. God had already given instructions for future kings of Israel in Deuteronomy 17:14-20, and verse seventeen says plainly that a king must not greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. God intended the king to rule with dependence upon Him rather than relying on military strength, financial power, or political alliances. Although God blessed Solomon with wealth as part of His covenant faithfulness, Solomon disregarded the warning and allowed riches to accumulate in excess. The blessing turned into a spiritual danger. His vast wealth illustrates both the height of Israel’s prosperity and the seeds of compromise that would eventually contribute to the decline of his kingdom.
2. (1 Kings 10:16-27) Examples of Solomon’s Wealth and Prosperity
“And King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold. Six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. He also made three hundred shields of hammered gold. Three minas of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. The throne had six steps and the top of the throne was round at the back. There were armrests on either side of the place of the seat and two lions stood beside the armrests. Twelve lions stood there, one on each side of the six steps. Nothing like this had been made for any other kingdom. All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon. For the king had merchant ships at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the merchant ships came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys. So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. Now all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. Each man brought his present. Articles of silver and gold, garments, armor, spices, horses, and mules at a set rate year by year. And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. He had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones and he made cedar trees as abundant as the sycamores which are in the lowland.”
This passage provides a detailed portrait of the overwhelming prosperity that characterized Solomon’s reign. The first feature mentioned is the production of two hundred large shields of hammered gold and three hundred smaller shields. These were not functional for warfare since gold is too heavy and too soft to serve as an effective defensive metal. They were ceremonial displays placed in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Their purpose was to symbolize royal splendor rather than military strength. In modern valuation each large shield is estimated to have been worth well over one hundred thousand dollars, with the smaller shields valued proportionately. This means tens of millions of dollars in gold were invested in purely ornamental items. Solomon possessed the image of a warrior king even though these shields had no battlefield value.
The text proceeds to describe the king’s throne. It was constructed of carved ivory and covered with pure gold. It was elevated on six steps and flanked by figures of lions, two beside the armrests and twelve standing on the steps themselves. The lions symbolized authority, majesty, and royal power. Scripture states plainly that nothing like this had ever been made for any other kingdom. The description shows that Solomon’s court projected unmatched opulence. His drinking vessels were gold. The vessels in the House of the Forest of Lebanon were also pure gold. Silver was viewed as insignificant and was counted as nothing. This does not mean that silver had no value in the ancient world. It means that Solomon’s abundance made silver seem common and unremarkable. This fulfills the covenant promise in Deuteronomy 28:12. “The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations but you shall not borrow.” Israel under Solomon became the lender rather than the borrower.
Solomon’s prosperity was increased by maritime commerce. Hiram’s fleets partnered with Solomon and their ships returned every three years with exotic imports such as gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys. These goods not only enriched Israel but demonstrated the kingdom’s influence in far reaching trade networks. The passage declares that Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. The entire world sought his presence to hear the wisdom God had placed in his heart. This too fulfilled the promise of Deuteronomy 28:13. “And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail. You shall be above only and not be beneath if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God.” Israel enjoyed the position of national prominence that God had promised.
The nations demonstrated their recognition of Solomon’s greatness by bringing yearly tribute. These gifts included silver, gold, fine garments, armor, spices, horses, and mules. Solomon also maintained a strong military force with one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen stationed in chariot cities throughout the land. Israel experienced peace in Solomon’s reign, but that peace was supported by a strong defensive posture. Archaeological remains at Megiddo include fortified structures and stables that many identify with Solomon’s administrative and military building projects.
The narrative concludes by emphasizing the extraordinary level of material abundance. Solomon made silver as common in Jerusalem as the stones scattered on its streets. He made cedar trees, a luxury wood imported from Lebanon, as plentiful as the common sycamores that grew in the lowlands. This reminds the reader that Solomon did not originally pursue wealth. When God offered him a request he asked for wisdom to govern God’s people rather than riches or honor. God granted him wisdom and promised wealth as an added blessing, and God kept His word. Yet Solomon himself would later write in Ecclesiastes about the emptiness of wealth apart from God. He learned firsthand that material abundance without spiritual obedience leads only to vanity and dissatisfaction. His testimony warns believers not to chase what cannot satisfy but to seek the wisdom and fear of the Lord that Solomon valued in his early years.
3. (1 Kings 10:28-29) Solomon’s Interest in Horses
“Also Solomon had horses imported from Egypt and Keveh. The king’s merchants bought them in Keveh at the current price. Now a chariot that was imported from Egypt cost six hundred shekels of silver and a horse one hundred and fifty, and thus, through their agents, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.”
This closing section of the chapter introduces a deliberate contrast. After a long and detailed description of Solomon’s spectacular prosperity, Scripture inserts a solemn and troubling note. Solomon imported horses from Egypt and Keveh and conducted a profitable trade in horses and chariots with surrounding nations. The king’s merchants purchased these animals at market prices and then distributed them through intermediaries to the kings of the Hittites and the Syrians. This activity reveals a thriving commercial network and demonstrates Solomon’s economic reach. It also shows a breach of God’s explicit instruction for the kings of Israel.
The Lord had already given direct commandments to future kings in Deuteronomy 17:16. “But he shall not multiply horses for himself nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses for the Lord has said to you, You shall not return that way again.” Horses in the ancient world represented military strength. The command was designed to keep Israel’s king from trusting in military power rather than relying on the Lord. It also prevented Israel from forming deep alliances with Egypt, the nation from which God had delivered them. Solomon’s importation of horses from Egypt violates this instruction. The chapter that began with the Queen of Sheba praising the Lord for setting Solomon on the throne now ends with a reminder that the king was drifting from God’s commands.
The note about exporting horses to other kings may reveal how Solomon justified this compromise. He could have argued that he was not multiplying horses for himself but rather conducting trade on behalf of other governments. This would allow him to engage in the forbidden activity while convincing himself that he had not technically disobeyed God. Such rationalizations are common in the early stages of disobedience. Sin seldom begins with outright rebellion. It often begins with clever self justification that bends God’s commands while maintaining an appearance of obedience. Solomon’s actions foreshadow the deeper compromises that will unfold in the next chapter and mark the beginning of his decline.
