1 Kings 10

The Queen of Sheba

1 Now when the a queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came b to test him with hard questions. 2 She came to Jerusalem with a very great 1 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. 3 So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing 2 so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5 the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers, c and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her.

6 Then she said to the king: "It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. 7 "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. 8 d "Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! 9 e "Blessed be the LORD your God, who f delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, g to do justice and righteousness." 10 Then she h 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.

11 i Also, the ships of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought great quantities of 3 almug wood and precious stones from Ophir. 12 j And the king made 4 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 k almug wood, nor has the like been seen to this day.

13 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.

Solomon's Great Wealth

14 The weight of gold that came to Solomon yearly was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, 15 besides that from the l traveling merchants, from the income of traders, m from all the kings of Arabia, and from the governors of the country. 16 And King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. 17 He also made n three hundred shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the o House of the Forest of Lebanon. 18 p Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. 19 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. 20 Twelve lions stood there, one on each side of the six steps; nothing like this had been made for any other kingdom. 21 q 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. 22 For the king had r merchant 5 ships at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the merchant s ships came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and 6 monkeys.

23 So t King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 24 Now all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 25 Each man brought his present: articles of silver and gold, garments, armor, spices, horses, and mules, at a set rate year by year.

26 u And Solomon v gathered chariots and horsemen; he had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he 7 stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. 27 w 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. 28 x Also Solomon had horses imported from Egypt and Ke-veh'; the king's merchants bought them in Ke-veh' at the current price. 29 Now a chariot that was imported from Egypt cost six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse one hundred and fifty; y and 8 thus, through their agents, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.

  1. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 9:1
    Now 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 retinue, camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart.
    Matthew 12:42
    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.
    Luke 11:31
    The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.
  2. Cross References
    Judges 14:12
    Then Samson said to them, "Let me pose a riddle to you. If you can correctly solve and explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.
    Psalms 49:4
    I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will disclose my dark saying on the harp.
    Proverbs 1:6
    To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles.
  3. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 26:16
    To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came out for the West Gate, with the Shallecheth Gate on the ascending highway - watchman opposite watchman.
    2 Chronicles 9:4
    The food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers and their apparel, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her.
  4. Cross References
    Proverbs 8:34
    Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors.
  5. Cross References
    1 Kings 5:7
    So it was, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, for He has given David a wise son over this great people!
  6. Cross References
    2 Samuel 22:20
    He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.
  7. Cross References
    2 Samuel 8:15
    So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgment and justice to all his people.
    Psalms 72:2
    He will judge Your people with righteousness, And Your poor with justice.
    Proverbs 8:15
    By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice.
  8. Cross References
    Psalms 72:10
    The kings of Tarshish and of the isles Will bring presents; The kings of Sheba and Seba Will offer gifts.
    Psalms 72:15
    And He shall live; And the gold of Sheba will be given to Him; Prayer also will be made for Him continually, And daily He shall be praised.
  9. Cross References
    1 Kings 9:27
    Then Hiram sent his servants with the fleet, seamen who knew the sea, to work with the servants of Solomon.
    1 Kings 9:28
    And they went to Ophir, and acquired four hundred and twenty talents of gold from there, and brought it to King Solomon.
    Job 22:24
    Then you will lay your gold in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
  10. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 9:11
    And the king made walkways of the algum wood for the house of the LORD and for the king's house, also harps and stringed instruments for singers; and there were none such as these seen before in the land of Judah.
  11. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 9:10
    Also, the servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum wood and precious stones.
  12. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 1:16
    And Solomon had horses imported from Egypt and Ke-veh'; the king's merchants bought them in Ke-veh' at the current price.
  13. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 9:24
    Each man brought his present: articles of silver and gold, garments, armor, spices, horses, and mules, at a set rate year by year.
    Psalms 72:10
    The kings of Tarshish and of the isles Will bring presents; The kings of Sheba and Seba Will offer gifts.
  14. Cross References
    1 Kings 14:26
    And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king's house; he took away everything. He also took away all the gold shields which Solomon had made.
  15. Cross References
    1 Kings 7:2
    He also built the House of the Forest of Lebanon; its length was one hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits, with four rows of cedar pillars, and cedar beams on the pillars.
  16. Cross References
    1 Kings 10:22
    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.
    2 Chronicles 9:17
    Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.
    Psalms 45:8
    All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, Out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad.
  17. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 9:20
    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.
  18. Cross References
    Genesis 10:4
    The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
    2 Chronicles 20:36
    And he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion Geber.
  19. Cross References
    1 Kings 9:26 - 28
    King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at Ezion Geber, which is near Elath on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom.
    1 Kings 22:48
    Jehoshaphat made merchant ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber.
    Psalms 72:10
    The kings of Tarshish and of the isles Will bring presents; The kings of Sheba and Seba Will offer gifts.
  20. Cross References
    1 Kings 3:12
    Behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.
    1 Kings 3:13
    And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days.
    1 Kings 4:30
    Thus Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt.
    2 Chronicles 1:12
    "wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like."
  21. Cross References
    1 Kings 4:26
    Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
    2 Chronicles 1:14
    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.
    2 Chronicles 9:25
    Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem.
  22. Cross References
    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.'
    1 Kings 9:19
    All the storage cities that Solomon had, cities for his chariots and cities for his cavalry, and whatever Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.
  23. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 17:17
    Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.
    2 Chronicles 1:15 - 17
    Also the king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as abundant as the sycamores which are in the lowland.
  24. Cross References
    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.'
    2 Chronicles 1:16
    And Solomon had horses imported from Egypt and Ke-veh'; the king's merchants bought them in Ke-veh' at the current price.
    2 Chronicles 9:28
    And they brought horses to Solomon from Egypt and from all lands.
  25. Cross References
    Joshua 1:4
    From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory.
    2 Kings 7:6
    For the LORD had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses - the noise of a great army; so they said to one another, "Look, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us!
    2 Kings 7:7
    Therefore they arose and fled at twilight, and left the camp intact - their tents, their horses, and their donkeys - and they fled for their lives.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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