1 Kings 10:13 - The Queen of Sheba
King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired—
This phrase highlights Solomon's generosity and the wealth of his kingdom. The queen of Sheba's visit is a testament to Solomon's widespread fame and wisdom, as she traveled a great distance to test him with hard questions. The giving of "all she desired" suggests a fulfillment of her expectations and a recognition of Solomon's ability to meet her needs. This act of giving can be seen as a reflection of God's abundant provision, as Solomon's wisdom and wealth were gifts from God (1 Kings 3:12-13).
whatever she asked—
The phrase indicates that Solomon was willing to grant the queen's requests, showcasing his diplomatic skills and the prosperity of his reign. This willingness to give whatever was asked can be seen as a parallel to God's promise to grant the desires of those who seek Him (Psalm 37:4). It also reflects the cultural practice of royal generosity and hospitality in the ancient Near East, where rulers would often exchange gifts to establish alliances and demonstrate their wealth and power.
besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty.
This part of the verse emphasizes the extent of Solomon's generosity. The "royal bounty" refers to the wealth and resources at Solomon's disposal as king. The additional gifts beyond what she requested highlight the abundance of Solomon's kingdom and his willingness to share it. This can be seen as a type of Christ, who gives abundantly beyond what we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). The royal bounty also underscores the fulfillment of God's promise to make Solomon exceedingly prosperous (1 Kings 3:13).
Then she left and returned to her own country,
The queen's departure signifies the completion of her mission and the successful diplomatic exchange between her and Solomon. Her return to her own country suggests that she was satisfied with her visit and the answers she received. This journey back can be seen as a metaphor for the spiritual journey of seeking wisdom and returning enriched. The queen of Sheba's visit is later referenced by Jesus in Matthew 12:42, where He uses her example to illustrate the importance of seeking wisdom and recognizing God's work.
along with her servants.
The mention of her servants indicates the queen's status and the entourage that accompanied her, which was typical for a royal visit. This detail highlights the logistical and diplomatic efforts involved in such a journey. The presence of her servants also underscores the importance of the visit, as they would have witnessed the exchange and carried the news of Solomon's wisdom and wealth back to Sheba. This aligns with the broader biblical theme of testimony and witness, as the queen's experience would have spread Solomon's fame even further.
Persons / Places / Events
1. King Solomon
The son of King David and Bathsheba, Solomon is renowned for his wisdom, wealth, and building projects, including the Temple in Jerusalem. His reign is marked by peace and prosperity in Israel.
2. Queen of Sheba
A monarch from the region of Sheba, likely located in modern-day Yemen or Ethiopia. She visited Solomon to test his wisdom with hard questions and was impressed by his wealth and the splendor of his court.
3. Royal Bounty
Refers to the wealth and gifts that Solomon gave to the Queen of Sheba, demonstrating his generosity and the abundance of his kingdom.
4. Return to Her Own Country
After receiving gifts and having her questions answered, the Queen of Sheba returned to her homeland, signifying the successful diplomatic and cultural exchange between her kingdom and Israel.
Teaching Points
Generosity as a Reflection of God's Abundance
Solomon's generosity to the Queen of Sheba reflects the abundance of God's blessings. As believers, we are called to be generous with what God has given us, sharing our resources and wisdom with others.
The Pursuit of Wisdom
The Queen of Sheba's journey to seek Solomon's wisdom underscores the importance of pursuing godly wisdom. We should seek wisdom through prayer, scripture, and godly counsel.
Cultural and Diplomatic Engagement
The interaction between Solomon and the Queen of Sheba illustrates the value of engaging with different cultures and peoples. As Christians, we are called to be ambassadors of Christ, building bridges and sharing the gospel across cultural boundaries.
Recognition of God's Work
The Queen of Sheba recognized the hand of God in Solomon's wisdom and prosperity. We should be attentive to recognizing and acknowledging God's work in our lives and the lives of others.
(13) All her desire.--The terms here employed indicate a position of inferiority, although well graced and honoured, in the queen of Sheba. Her present is of the nature of tribute. Solomon gives her of "his bounty," both what she asked for (probably by praising it) and what else he would.
Verse 13. - And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba an her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. [Heb. according to the hand of king Solomon. The chronicler has, "beside that which she had brought unto the king." That is to say, in addition to the fitting presents which he made in return for her gifts, he freely gave her whatsoever she asked for. To ask for a coveted thing is no breach of Oriental propriety. The Ethiopian Christians find in these words (and considering the character of Solomon and the license of that age, perhaps not altogether without reason) a basis for their belief that she bore Solomon a son, Melimelek by name, from whom, indeed, the present sovereigns of Abyssinia claim to derive their descent.] So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants. Bishop Wordsworth has remarked (p. 44) that the record of this visit disappoints us. He says, "He (Solomon) answered her hard questions. He showed her his palace... but we do not hear that he invited her to go up with him into the house of the Lord," etc. Again: "The visit of the queen of Sheba seem to have been without any spiritual result." "In like manner," he adds, "we hear nothing of any attempt on Solomon's part to improve his friendship and commercial relations with Hiram into an occasion for communicating the better merchandise of Divine truth to the Sidonians." But surely this criticism overlooks the fact that Judaism was not a missionary religion, and that the chosen people had no sort of commission to convert the heathen, It is, no doubt, a mystery; but it is a fact, that for 2,000 years the light of God's truth was, by the counsel and purpose of God, restricted within the extremely narrow confines of Israel, and that the "fulness of the time," when the Gentiles should be "fellow heirs," was distant from Solomon's day by a whole millennium.,
CHAPTER 10:14-29. SOLOMON'S WEALTH, POMP, AND POWER. The visit of the Queen of Sheba, in itself a striking proof of the fame and greatness of Solomon, is followed by a description of his revenues, his throne, and various other particulars of his wealth and magnificence, some of which are related here because they were the products of the voyages of that same fleet which had been the means of acquainting the queen with Solomon and his glory. Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
King
וְהַמֶּ֨לֶךְ (wə·ham·me·leḵ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king
Solomon
שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה (šə·lō·mōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8010: Solomon -- David's son and successor to his throne
gave
נָתַ֣ן (nā·ṯan)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set
the queen
לְמַֽלְכַּת־ (lə·mal·kaṯ-)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 4436: Queen -- a queen
of Sheba
שְׁבָ֗א (šə·ḇā)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7614: Sheba -- a territory in soutwest Arabia, also the name of one or more descendant of Noah
all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every
she desired—
חֶפְצָהּ֙ (ḥep̄·ṣāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2656: Pleasure, desire, a valuable thing, a matter
whatever
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that
she asked—
שָׁאָ֔לָה (šā·’ā·lāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7592: To inquire, to request, to demand
besides
מִלְּבַד֙ (mil·lə·ḇaḏ)
Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 905: Separation, a part of the body, branch of a, tree, bar for, carrying, chief of
what
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that
he had given
נָֽתַן־ (nā·ṯan-)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set
her
לָ֔הּ (lāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew
out of [his]
שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה (šə·lō·mōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8010: Solomon -- David's son and successor to his throne
royal
הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king
bounty.
כְּיַ֖ד (kə·yaḏ)
Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027: A hand
Then she
הִ֥יא (hî)
Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are
left
וַתֵּ֛פֶן (wat·tê·p̄en)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6437: To turn, to face, appear, look
and returned
וַתֵּ֥לֶךְ (wat·tê·leḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk
to her own country,
לְאַרְצָ֖הּ (lə·’ar·ṣāh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land
along with her servants.
וַעֲבָדֶֽיהָ׃ (wa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·hā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant
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1 Kings 10:13 Catholic BibleOT History: 1 Kings 10:13 King Solomon gave to the queen (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)