Topical Encyclopedia
The Queen of Sheba is a prominent figure in biblical history, known for her visit to King Solomon, as recorded in the Old Testament. Her account is primarily found in
1 Kings 10:1-13 and
2 Chronicles 9:1-12. She is often celebrated for her wisdom, wealth, and the significant encounter she had with Solomon, the king of Israel.
Biblical AccountThe Queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's great wisdom and the fame of his relationship with the LORD, prompting her to visit Jerusalem to test him with difficult questions. As stated in
1 Kings 10:1 , "Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon in relation to the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions."
Upon her arrival, she brought a large entourage with camels carrying spices, gold, and precious stones. The Queen of Sheba engaged Solomon in conversation, and he answered all her questions, leaving her astounded by his wisdom and the prosperity of his kingdom.
1 Kings 10:3 notes, "And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain."
The Queen was deeply impressed by Solomon's wisdom, the splendor of his palace, the food on his table, the organization of his officials, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD. Her response is recorded in
1 Kings 10:6-7 : "She said to the king, 'The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; your wisdom and prosperity far exceed the report I heard.'"
Gifts and ExchangeIn recognition of Solomon's wisdom and the blessings of the LORD upon him, the Queen of Sheba presented him with 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. The biblical narrative highlights the unprecedented nature of her gifts, as noted in
1 Kings 10:10 : "And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again did such abundance of spices come in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon."
In return, Solomon gave the Queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, in addition to what he had already given her from his royal bounty. After this exchange, she returned to her own country with her retinue.
Historical and Cultural ContextThe identity and origin of the Queen of Sheba have been subjects of much speculation and debate. She is traditionally associated with the region of Sheba, which is believed to be located in present-day Yemen or Ethiopia. Her visit to Solomon is often seen as a diplomatic mission, reflecting the international relations and trade networks of the ancient Near East.
The Queen of Sheba's account has also been enriched by various cultural traditions outside the Bible. In Ethiopian tradition, she is known as Makeda and is considered the mother of Menelik I, the founder of the Solomonic dynasty. Islamic tradition also acknowledges her as Bilqis, a wise and powerful ruler.
Theological SignificanceThe account of the Queen of Sheba underscores the fulfillment of God's promise to Solomon regarding wisdom and wealth. Her visit serves as a testament to the far-reaching fame of Solomon's wisdom, which was a direct blessing from God. The narrative also highlights the universal recognition of God's work through Israel, as foreign dignitaries like the Queen of Sheba acknowledged the divine favor upon Solomon.
In the New Testament, Jesus refers to the Queen of Sheba, known as the "Queen of the South," in
Matthew 12:42 : "The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now one greater than Solomon is here." This reference emphasizes the importance of seeking divine wisdom and recognizing God's revelation.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Queen of ShebaQUEEN OF SHEBA
she'-ba (1 Kings 10:1-132 Chronicles 9:1-12, called in Matthew 12:42; Luke 11:31, "the queen of the south" (basilissa notou)):
1. Old Testament Accounts:
The two Old Testament accounts of the coming of the queen of Sheba (see SHEBA) to Solomon differ slightly from one another, and, of the two, that in 1 Kings is the older. (1) The words "concerning the name of Yahweh" (1 Kings 10:1) are lacking in 2 Chronicles; while the Septuagint in 1 Kings has "and the name of Yahweh," apparently a correction of the Massoretic Text. (2) For1 Kings 10:9, "because Yahweh loved Israel for ever,"2 Chronicles 9:8 has "because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever"; the Septuagint in 1 Kings has "because Yahweh loved Israel, to establish it forever." (3) In the last verse of each account we find another difference:2 Chronicles 9:12 says that Solomon gave to the queen all her desire, "besides that which she had brought unto the king." i.e. according to some, besides the equivalent of what she had brought to him;1 Kings 10:13 margin has" besides that which he gave her according to the hand of king Solomon," i.e. besides gifts commensurate with his own wealth and power (SBOT), or be sides gifts which he gave her qua king.
2. The Narrative:
The narrative tells of the queen of Sheba, on hearing of Solomon's great wisdom, coming to test him with perplexing questions or riddles (compareJudges 14:12). She brought presents to the king, and interviewed him: "And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built" (i.e. the palace, not the temple) as well as its arrangements, "and his burnt-offering which he offered in the house of Yahweh (so read and translate with the Revised Version margin in1 Kings 10:5, and also in2 Chronicles 9:4); there was no more spirit in her": the half of Solomon's wisdom had not been told her. "Happy," she said to him, "are thy wives (so read with Septuagint, Syriac and Old Latin versions), happy are these thy servants." She then exchanged gifts with him and returned to her own land.
The narrative is a complement of that in1 Kings 3:16-28, where the king's justice is exemplified; here his wisdom.
3. Employed by Jesus:
The narrative is referred to by Jesus inMatthew 12:42Luke 11:31, where He refuses to accede to the request of the scribes and Pharisees for a sign from Him. He tells them that no sign will be given them except that of Jonah, whose sign was his preaching, one that proved sufficient to the Ninevites; and `behold something greater than Jonah is here.' The men of Nineveh will be a living condemnation of them "in the judgment" (compareLuke 16:31); and so will the "queen of the south" who came from the ends of the earth after hearing of Solomon's wisdom, `and behold something greater than Solomon is here.' The only sign to be given is that of the wisdom of Jesus, a wisdom far greater than that of Solomon (see D. Smith, Days of His Flesh, 176;).
4. Eastern Literature:
Eastern literature has much to say about the queen of Sheba. The Arabs called her Bilqis. Abyssinian legend declares that she came from Ethiopia, her name being Maqeda, and that she had a son by Solomon. See Delitzsch, Iris, 116-27; ZDMG, X, 19 f; J Pr T, VI, 524; -1880. Gressmann (in Schriften des Altes Testament, II, 1,203) has further references to Wilhelm Hertz, Gesammelte Abhandlungen, 1905, 413;; Bezold, Kebra Nagast, 1905, and also ZDMG, 60,666;. For the Mohammedan story, see Koran xxvii, with notes in Sale's translation.
David Francis Roberts
ATS Bible Dictionary
Queen Of ShebaSeeSABEANS2
Library
Queen ofSheba 1Ki 10:1-9
... I KINGS Hymn 34Queen ofSHEBA 1Ki 10:1-9. John Newton 8,8,8,8a.Queen ofSHEBA
1Ki 10:1-9. FromSheba a distant report. Of Solomon's glory and fame,....
Coming to the King.
... "And King Solomon gave unto theQueen ofSheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked,
beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty.""1 Kings 10:13....
A Royal Seeker after Wisdom
... 'And when thequeen ofSheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of
the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions.2. And she came to...
A Ruler who Wronged his People
... When thequeen ofSheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to test
him with puzzling questions. So she came to Jerusalem with...
Men Entrust their Safety Rather to a Just than to a Prudent Man. ....
... (The words which thequeen ofSheba spoke of him are explained.) Also Daniel and
Joseph.... Nay, even thequeen ofSheba came to him and tried him with questions....
But that the Object of Christianity is that we Should Become Wise....
... So wise, moreover, was Solomon, that "thequeen ofSheba, having heard his name,
and the name of the Lord, came to try him with difficult questions, and spake...
The History of Solomon
... that the fame ran, of his sapience and wisdom and of his building and dispense in
his house, through the world, insomuch that thequeen ofSheba came from far...
Results of Transgression
... Thus it was when theQueen ofSheba came to visit Solomon.... "When theQueen ofSheba
had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, . . ....
Book 8 Footnotes
... That thisqueen ofSheba was aqueen of Sabea in South Arabia, and not of Egypt
and Ethiopia, as Josephus here asserts, is, I suppose, now generally agreed....
Thou Dost not Hide Thyself in Thy Bareness, O Pearl!
... 3. TheQueen ofSheba [531] was a sheep [532] that had come into the place of wolves;
the lamp of truth did Solomon give her, who also married [533] her when...
Resources
What is the Queen James Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWho is the Queen of Heaven? | GotQuestions.orgWho was the Queen of Sheba? | GotQuestions.orgQueen: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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