History · Chapter 10 of 22

1 Kings 10

The queen of Sheba, hearing of Solomon's fame connected with the name of the LORD, comes to test him with hard questions. He answers all, and overwhelmed by his wisdom and wealth, she blesses the LORD and exchanges lavish gifts. The chapter details Solomon's staggering annual gold, his ivory throne, golden shields, and trade in horses and luxury goods. His riches and wisdom exceed all the kings of the earth.

What happens in 1 Kings 10

Drawn by Solomon's fame, which is tied to the name of the LORD, the queen of Sheba travels to Jerusalem with a caravan of spices, gold, and precious stones to test him with hard questions. Solomon answers everything; nothing is hidden from him. Seeing his wisdom, his palace, the food of his table, his servants and their attire, and his ascent to the temple, she is left breathless, confessing the half was not told her. She blesses the LORD who set Solomon on the throne to do justice, and gives him abundant gold, spices, and stones, receiving royal gifts in return.

The narrative then catalogs Solomon's wealth: six hundred sixty-six talents of gold yearly, golden shields and targets, a great ivory throne overlaid with gold and flanked by lions, drinking vessels all of gold, and a fleet bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. He surpasses all earthly kings in riches and wisdom, and the whole earth seeks his presence.

1 Kings 10 in context

This chapter marks the pinnacle of Solomon's glory and the fulfillment of God's promise to give him unmatched riches and wisdom. Sheba was likely in southern Arabia, a center of the spice trade. The queen's visit shows the nations drawn to Israel because of God, exactly the witness the temple was meant to give.

Yet beneath the splendor lie warning signs: the accumulation of gold, horses from Egypt, and the ominous figure of six hundred sixty-six talents hint at the excess that will corrupt his heart in the next chapter.

Main themes of 1 Kings 10

1 Kings 10 (KJV)

1And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. 2And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, 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. 3And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. 4And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built, 5And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. 6And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. 7Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. 8Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. 9Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice. 10And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, 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. 11And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones. 12And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day. 13And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants. 14Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold, 15Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country. 16And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target. 17And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. 18Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold. 19The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays. 20And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom. 21And all king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. 22For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. 23So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. 24And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 25And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year. 26And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem. 27And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance. 28And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price. 29And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

Verses to carry from 1 Kings 10

“And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.”1 Kings 10:1

“Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.”1 Kings 10:7

“So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.”1 Kings 10:23

Reflection

A foreign queen crossed a desert to hear wisdom, and she went home praising God. Yet we, who have access to a greater than Solomon, will not cross the room to seek him. Let her eagerness rebuke our indifference.

What effort are you willing to make to encounter the wisdom of Christ? The half has not been told, but only the seeking heart discovers it.

A prayer from 1 Kings 10