Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again was such an abundance of spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. Then she gave the kingThis phrase introduces the act of giving by the queen of Sheba to King Solomon. The Hebrew root for "gave" is "נָתַן" (natan), which implies a deliberate and generous act of offering. In the ancient Near Eastern context, such gifts were not merely tokens of goodwill but were often used to establish alliances and demonstrate respect and admiration. The queen's giving reflects her recognition of Solomon's wisdom and the prosperity of his kingdom, as well as her desire to honor him. 120 talents of gold
A "talent" was a unit of weight used in ancient times, and 120 talents would be an enormous amount of gold, estimated to be around 9,000 pounds or 4,080 kilograms. This substantial gift underscores the wealth and opulence of both the queen of Sheba and King Solomon's court. Gold, in biblical times, was a symbol of wealth, power, and divine blessing. The queen's offering of such a vast quantity of gold signifies her acknowledgment of Solomon's God-given wisdom and the prosperity it brought to Israel. a great quantity of spices
Spices were highly valued in the ancient world for their use in cooking, medicine, and religious rituals. The Hebrew word for "spices" is "בְּשָׂמִים" (besamim), which can refer to aromatic substances. The mention of a "great quantity" indicates the extraordinary nature of this gift. Spices from Sheba, likely modern-day Yemen, were rare and precious, symbolizing the queen's generosity and the high regard in which she held Solomon. and precious stones
Precious stones, or "אֲבָנִים יְקָרוֹת" (avanim yekarot) in Hebrew, were treasured for their beauty and rarity. They were often used in the adornment of royal garments and the construction of sacred spaces, such as the temple. The inclusion of precious stones in the queen's gifts highlights the opulence and splendor of the exchange between these two monarchs. It also reflects the biblical theme of God's blessing manifesting in material wealth and beauty. Never again did such an abundance of spices come in
This phrase emphasizes the uniqueness and unparalleled nature of the queen's gift. The hyperbolic language serves to highlight the extraordinary wealth and generosity of the queen of Sheba. It also underscores the historical significance of this encounter, marking it as a moment of exceptional prosperity and divine favor in Solomon's reign. as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon
The queen of Sheba is a figure of intrigue and mystery, often associated with wisdom and wealth. Her visit to Solomon is a testament to his widespread fame and the fulfillment of God's promise to bless him with wisdom and prosperity. The exchange between the queen and Solomon is not merely a diplomatic gesture but a recognition of the divine wisdom bestowed upon Solomon, which drew rulers from distant lands to seek his counsel and witness his God-given splendor. Persons / Places / Events 1. Queen of ShebaA monarch from a wealthy and distant land, often associated with the region of modern-day Yemen or Ethiopia. She visited King Solomon to test his wisdom and brought lavish gifts. 2. King SolomonThe son of King David and Bathsheba, Solomon was known for his wisdom, wealth, and building projects, including the Temple in Jerusalem. His reign is often seen as a high point in Israel's history. 3. JerusalemThe capital city of Israel, where Solomon's palace and the Temple were located. It was the center of political and religious life in Israel. 4. Talents of GoldA talent was a large unit of weight used in ancient times, and 120 talents of gold represented a significant amount of wealth. 5. Spices and Precious StonesThese were luxury items in the ancient world, often used in trade and as gifts to signify wealth and honor. Teaching Points The Pursuit of WisdomThe Queen of Sheba's journey to seek Solomon's wisdom underscores the value of pursuing wisdom, even at great cost. As believers, we are called to seek God's wisdom through His Word and prayer. Generosity and HonorThe lavish gifts given by the Queen of Sheba demonstrate the importance of generosity and honoring those who are wise and godly. We are encouraged to be generous in our giving, reflecting God's generosity to us. Recognition of God's BlessingsSolomon's wealth and wisdom were blessings from God. We should recognize and be thankful for the blessings in our lives, using them to glorify God and serve others. The Greater SolomonJesus is the greater Solomon, possessing divine wisdom and offering salvation. We are called to recognize and respond to His wisdom and authority in our lives. Bible Study Questions 1. What motivated the Queen of Sheba to visit Solomon, and how can her pursuit of wisdom inspire our own spiritual journey? 2. How does the generosity of the Queen of Sheba challenge us in our own giving and stewardship of resources? 3. In what ways can we seek and apply God's wisdom in our daily lives, and how does this compare to the wisdom of Solomon? 4. How does the account of the Queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon point us to the greater wisdom and authority of Jesus Christ? 5. Reflect on a time when you recognized God's blessings in your life. How can you use these blessings to honor God and serve others? Connections to Other Scriptures Matthew 12:42Jesus refers to the Queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon, highlighting her recognition of Solomon's wisdom and contrasting it with the generation that failed to recognize Jesus' greater wisdom. 2 Chronicles 9:1-9This passage parallels the account in 1 Kings, providing additional details about the Queen of Sheba's visit and the gifts she brought. Proverbs 3:13-15These verses extol the value of wisdom, comparing it to precious stones and riches, similar to the gifts brought by the Queen of Sheba. People Arabians, Aram, Hiram, Hittites, Ophir, Solomon, Tarshish, TharshishPlaces Egypt, House of the Forest of Lebanon, Jerusalem, Kue, Ophir, Sheba, Shephelah, Syria, TarshishTopics Abundance, Gold, Hundred, Large, Precious, Quantities, Queen, Sheba, Solomon, Spices, Stones, Store, Talents, TwentyDictionary of Bible Themes 1 Kings 10:10 4466 herbs and spices
5260 coinage 1 Kings 10:1-10 5487 queen
5849 exaltation 1 Kings 10:1-13 5745 women 1 Kings 10:10-11 4333 gold
4342 jewels Library Coming to the King.
"And King Solomon gave unto the Queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty."--1 Kings x. 13. The beautiful history recorded in the chapter from which the above words are quoted is deeply instructive to those who have learned to recognise CHRIST in the Scriptures. The reference to this narrative by our LORD Himself was surely designed to draw our attention to it, and gives it an added interest. The blessings, too, received by the Queen …
J. Hudson Taylor—A Ribband of BlueA Royal Seeker after Wisdom
'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. 2. And 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. 3. And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. 4. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Gift
"There came no more such abundance of spices as those which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon."--1 Kings x. 10. Mechthild of Hellfde, 1277. tr., Emma Frances Bevan, 1899 "What dost thou bring me, O my Queen? Love maketh thy steps to fly." Lord, to Thee my jewel I bring, Greater than mountains high; Broader than all the earth's broad lands, Heavier than the ocean sands, And higher it is than the sky: Deeper it is than the depths of the sea, And fairer than the sun, Unreckoned, as if the stars …
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen and Others (Second Series) Of the Weight of Government; and that all Manner of Adversity is to be Despised, and Prosperity Feared.
So much, then, have we briefly said, to shew how great is the weight of government, lest whosoever is unequal to sacred offices of government should dare to profane them, and through lust of pre-eminence undertake a leadership of perdition. For hence it is that James affectionately deters us, saying, Be not made many masters, my brethren (James iii. 1). Hence the Mediator between God and man Himself--He who, transcending the knowledge and understanding even of supernal spirits, reigns in heaven …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great Meditations of the Blessed State of the Regenerate Man after Death.
This estate has three degrees:--1st, From the day of death to the resurrection; 2d, From the resurrection to the pronouncing of the sentence; 3d, After the sentence, which lasts eternally. As soon as ever the regenerate man hath yielded up his soul to Christ, the holy angels take her into their custody, and immediately carry her into heaven (Luke xvi. 22), and there present her before Christ, where she is crowned with a crown of righteousness and glory; not which she hath deserved by her good works, …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety There is a Blessedness in Reversion
Blessed are the poor in spirit. Matthew 5:3 Having done with the occasion, I come now to the sermon itself. Blessed are the poor in spirit'. Christ does not begin his Sermon on the Mount as the Law was delivered on the mount, with commands and threatenings, the trumpet sounding, the fire flaming, the earth quaking, and the hearts of the Israelites too for fear; but our Saviour (whose lips dropped as the honeycomb') begins with promises and blessings. So sweet and ravishing was the doctrine of this …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 Commerce
The remarkable change which we have noticed in the views of Jewish authorities, from contempt to almost affectation of manual labour, could certainly not have been arbitrary. But as we fail to discover here any religious motive, we can only account for it on the score of altered political and social circumstances. So long as the people were, at least nominally, independent, and in possession of their own land, constant engagement in a trade would probably mark an inferior social stage, and imply …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life The Fact of the Redeemer's Return was Typified in the Lives of Joseph and Solomon.
In the Old Testament there are numerous references to the Second Coming of Christ, references both direct and typical, but in every instance it was His return to the earth which was in view. The secret coming of Christ into the air, to catch up the saints to Himself, was an event quite unknown to the Old Testament prophets, an event kept secret until revealed by God to the apostle Paul who, when writing to the Corinthians upon this particular aspect of our subject, said, "Behold, I show you a mystery …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return "Let any Man Come. "
[7] "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."--John 7:37-38. THE text which heads this paper contains one of those mighty sayings of Christ which deserve to be printed in letters of gold. All the stars in heaven are bright and beautiful; yet even a child can see that "one star differeth from another in glory" …
John Charles Ryle—The Upper Room: Being a Few Truths for the Times Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 1 Kings 10:10 NIV1 Kings 10:10 NLT1 Kings 10:10 ESV1 Kings 10:10 NASB1 Kings 10:10 KJV
1 Kings 10:10 Commentaries
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