the queen of sheba visits solomon solomon’s...

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Landmark Publications, Inc., 1045 Maynor Street, Nashville, TN., U.S.A., John C. Sewell, Ph.D., Editor

THE QUEEN OF SHEBA VISITS SOLOMON

SOLOMON’S SPLENDOR

1 KINGS 10:1-29

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Landmark Publications, Inc., 1045 Maynor Street, Nashville, TN., 37216, U.S.A., John C. Sewell, Ph.D., Editor

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The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon

Solomon’s Splendor

Text: 1 Kings 10:1-29, 1. When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the LORD, she came to test Solomon with hard questions. 2. Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. 3. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4. When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, 5. the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed. 6. She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. 8. How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9. Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.”




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10. And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 11. (Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir; and from there they brought great cargoes of almugwood and precious stones. 12. The king used the almugwood to make supports for the temple of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. So much almugwood has never been imported or seen since that day.) 13. King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country. 14. The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, 15. not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the territories. 16. King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. 17. He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three minas of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. 18. Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. 19. The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. 20. Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. 21. All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days.




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22. The king had a fleet of trading ships at sea along with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons. 23. King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. 24. The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. 25. Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules. 26. Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 27. The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. 28. Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price. 29. They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans. (NIV) Introduction: I. 1 Kings 10:1-29 and 2 Chronicles 9:1-28 are parallel references.

A. 1 Chronicles 9:1-28, When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of




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Solomon, as well as the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed. She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the LORD your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.” Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. (The servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon brought gold from Ophir; they also brought algumwood and precious stones. The king used the algumwood to make steps for the temple of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen in Judah.) King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country. The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, not including the revenues brought in by merchants and traders. Also all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the territories brought gold and silver to Solomon. King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of




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hammered gold went into each shield. He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three hundred shekels of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with pure gold. The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s day. The king had a fleet of trading ships manned by Hiram’s servants. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons. King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. All the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, and robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules. Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from all other countries. (NIV)

II. This chapter presents Solomon’s opulence, trappings of power and prestige, Hamilton wrote.




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A. Powerful trade partners, extravagant use of abundance of gold and silver, majestic ornamentation, wealth, wisdom and fame, a fleet of trading ships, military prowess and certainly God’s blessings embellished his status as a renowned ruler. (See Hamilton.) B. From an earthly viewpoint, Coffman wrote, Solomon achieved glory and splendor, but spiritually speaking his reign was a climax of sensuality and materialism, full of gaudy ostentation and glitter.

1. Jesus said that the beautiful lilies of the field surpassed Solomon in all his glory.

a. Matthew 6:28-29, And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (KJV)

Commentary:

The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon

1 Kings 10:1, When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the LORD, she came to test Solomon with hard questions. (NIV) I. When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the Lord, . . .




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A. Sheba (Yemen) was “a mountainous country in southwest Arabia, identified as the land of ‘the queen of the South’ ”. . . (Youngblood)

1. Luke 11:31, The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. (KJV) 2. Matthew 12:42, The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. (KJV) 3. “Some scholars believe Sheba was the region of Ethiopia, south of Egypt.” (Youngblood) 4. Josephus wrote that the “Queen of Sheba was a princess who ruled over Ethiopia and Egypt.” Coffman appears to have agreed with this view.

B. Clarke stated she was queen of the Sabeans, a people of Arabia who lived toward the southern extremity of the Red Sea.

1. These people abounded in riches, spices, gold, silver mines and precious stones. 2. It is also well known that the Sabeans had queens for their sovereigns, and not kings.

C. The Pulpit Commentary wrote, “This tribe would seem to have grown richer and stronger than all the other Arabian




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peoples by means of its commercial enterprise, famed for its gold, gems, and spices.”

1. Ezekiel 27:22, “‘The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; for your merchandise they exchanged the finest of all kinds of spices and precious stones, and gold. (NIV) 2. Jeremiah 6:20, What do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me.” (NIV) 3. Isaiah 60:6, Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD. (NIV) 4. Psalm 72:10, May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts. (NIV)

D. The traders who came through Sheba were likely the source of the queen’s information about Solomon’s majesty. E. The precise identity of the queen of Sheba is not certainly known and her name is unknown. (Smith)

1. “She was one of several prominent queens ruling trading colonies in southern Arabia during this time,” Smith wrote.

II. she came to test him with hard questions.




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A. Youngblood and Smith suggested she also came to Solomon to increase trade and to assure the unhindered movement of her caravans in the areas controlled by Solomon.

1. Sheba was a strong commercial power active in international trade. (Youngblood)

B. Knowledge and wisdom were often tested and were regarded as indications of awareness of the affairs and culture of the world of that time. (Smith)

1. These hard questions likely included enigmas, riddles and parables, Clarke observed. 2. Test is the key word here; that is, the queen of Sheba came to examine Solomon’s status to see if what she had heard was true.

1 Kings 10:2, Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. (NIV) I. Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—

A. The journey from Sheba to Jerusalem was a distance of some fifteen hundred (1,500) miles.

1. Matthew 12:42, The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. (KJV)




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2. Luke 11:31, The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. (KJV)

B. This was a great, large caravan and may have been guarded by an armed escort considering the valuables being transported. (The Pulpit Commentary)

II. she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind.

A. The queen of Sheba, the south, was looking forward to this interview and had a number of things she wanted to discuss with Solomon.

1. Serious discussions followed, not just riddles. 2. These probably involved religion, warfare, com-merce, science, politics, all the wisdom of the age.

1 Kings 10:3, Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. (NIV) I. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her.

A. Solomon was gifted in the knowledge of many things, natural history, philosophy, religion. B. Riddles, problems, fables, apologues formed a principal part of the wisdom of the east and Solomon was able to explain them as well. (See Clarke.)




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1. Judges 14:12-18, “Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes. If you can’t tell me the answer, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” “Tell us your riddle,” they said. “Let’s hear it.” He replied, “Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet.” For three days they could not give the answer. On the fourth day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Coax your husband into explaining the riddle for us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to steal our property?” Then Samson’s wife threw herself on him, sobbing, “You hate me! You don’t really love me. You’ve given my people a riddle, but you haven’t told me the answer.” “I haven’t even explained it to my father or mother,” he replied, “so why should I explain it to you?” She cried the whole seven days of the feast. So on the seventh day he finally told her, because she continued to press him. She in turn explained the riddle to her people. Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town said to him, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” Samson said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle.” (NIV) 2. Jesus spoke often in parables. 3. Genesis 41:17-40, Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven




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cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows came up—scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up. “In my dream I saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none of them could explain it to me.” Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine. “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon. “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint




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commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.” The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.” (NIV) 4. Daniel 5:5-31, Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking. The king summoned the enchanters, astrologers and diviners. Then he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.” Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant. So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled. The




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queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!” she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.” So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom. The wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not explain it. Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.” Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means. “Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. Because of the high position he gave him, all the




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nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes. “But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription. “This is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN “Here is what these words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. That very night Belshazzar, king of the




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Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two. (NIV)

1 Kings 10:4, When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, (NIV) I. When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, . . .

A. The queen of Sheba was much impressed with the astute answers Solomon gave to her questions. B. She was also very impressed with his palace, his architectural and construction accomplishments.

1 Kings 10:5, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed. (NIV) I. the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, . . .

A. Everything about Solomon’s achievements greatly impressed the queen of Sheba.

1. 1 Kings 4:1, 22-23, So King Solomon ruled over all Israel. Solomon’s daily provisions were thirty cors of the finest flour and sixty cors of meal, ten head of stall-fed cattle, twenty of pasture-fed cattle and a hundred sheep and goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks and choice fowl. (NIV)




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2. 1 Kings 4:7, Solomon had twelve district gover-nors over all Israel, who supplied provisions for the king and the royal household. Each one had to provide supplies for one month in the year. (NIV)

B. Solomon’s sacrifices were elaborate and profuse.

1. 1 Kings 8:63, Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the LORD: twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the temple of the LORD. (NIV) 2. 1 Kings 9:25, Three times a year Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the LORD, burning incense before the LORD along with them, and so fulfilled the temple obligations. (NIV)

C. These officials must have been elaborately attired.

II. she was overwhelmed; (amazed, had “no more spirit in her?)”

A. “She was greatly impressed, overpowered with astonishment,” Clarke wrote.

1. Joshua 5:1, Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites. (NIV) 2. Joshua 2:11, When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because




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of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. (NIV)

1 Kings 10:6, She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. (NIV) I. She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true.

A. 1 Kings 4:20-34, The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy. And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought tribute and were Solomon’s subjects all his life. Solomon’s daily provisions were thirty cors of the finest flour and sixty cors of meal, ten head of stall-fed cattle, twenty of pasture-fed cattle and a hundred sheep and goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks and choice fowl. For he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah to Gaza, and had peace on all sides. During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, everyone under their own vine and under their own fig tree. Solomon had four thousand stalls for chariot horses, and twelve thousand horses. The district governors, each in his month, supplied provisions for King Solomon and all who came to the king’s table. They saw to it that nothing was lacking. They also brought to the proper place their quotas of barley and straw for the chariot horses and the other horses. God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all




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the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom. (NIV) B. Most definitely, everything we hear is not true, but what the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon was absolutely accurate!

1 Kings 10:7, But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. (NIV) I. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes.

A. Being a practical and worldly wise person, she set about to investigate the situation and personally determine the situation as it actually was. B. The queen of Sheba was definitely not gullible.

1. She did not believe everything she heard.

C. In these respects, the queen of Sheba set an example we should follow.

II. Indeed, not even half was told me; . . .




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A. The “newscasters” who carried information about Solomon’s wondrous reign had not been able to do his glory, power and wisdom justice.

1. The half had not been told the queen.

III. in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard.

A. “The wisdom, wealth, and honor promised to Solomon are all confirmed in this episode,” Long wrote.

1. 1 Kings 3:1-15, Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem. The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the LORD. Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. “Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of




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my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court. (NIV)

B. Solomon’s wisdom, wealth (prosperity) and good were greater than that indicated by the report the queen of Sheba had heard.

1 Kings 10:8, How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! (NIV)




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I. How happy your men must be!

A. Interesting is the fact that some versions including the New Revised Standard Version read here, “Happy are thy wives.”

1. In any event, the queen of Sheba complimented Solomon by saying everyone in his court was happy. 2. 1 Kings 4:20-21, The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy. And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought tribute and were Solomon’s subjects all his life. (NIV) 3. 1 Kings 8:66, Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. (NIV) 4. 1 Kings 5:1-6, When Hiram king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king to succeed his father David, he sent his envoys to Solomon, because he had always been on friendly terms with David. Solomon sent back this message to Hiram: “You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD put his enemies under his feet. But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster. I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God, as the LORD told my father David, when he said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the




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throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.’ “So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians.” (NIV) 5. 1 Kings 8:54-61, When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the LORD, he rose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. He stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying: “Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake us. May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other. And may your hearts be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.” (NIV)

6. Psalm 1:1, Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, (NIV)




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7. Psalm 2:12, Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. (NIV) 8. Psalm 33:12, Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. (NIV)

II. How happy your officials (servants), are who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!

A. The happy people mentioned by the queen of Sheba were Solomon’s men, wives, officials.

1. Nothing is said here about the happiness of the citizenry.

a. This matter is addressed elsewhere. b. 1 Kings 4:20, 25, The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy. During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, everyone under their own vine and under their own fig tree. (NIV)

2. Those who worked for Solomon are said to have been happy.

a. Are you happy with your job?

1 Kings 10:9, Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel.




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Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.” (NIV) I. Praise (blessed) be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel.

A. The queen of Sheba attributed all Solomon’s grandeur to his relationship with his God. (Smith) B. This does not mean that the queen of Sheba became a convert to Jehovah.

1. It was customary for people to recognize foreign gods which custom caused Israel great trouble. 2. It indicates she recognized Jehovah as the God of Israel on a parity with the gods of other lands. (See Coffman.)

a. Matthew 12:42, The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. (KJV)

b. 2 Chronicles 2:12, And Hiram added: “Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth! He has given King David a wise son, endowed with intelligence and discernment, who will build a temple for the LORD and a palace for himself. (NIV)

c. Ezra 1:3, Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the




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temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. (NIV)

3. It is interesting that the queen’s gifts were for Solomon with none being offered as sacrifices to Jehovah. (See The Pulpit Commentary.)

C. God had placed Solomon on the throne.

1. 2 Samuel 12:25, Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish.” (NIV) 2. 2 Samuel 7:11-16, and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies. “‘The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’” (NIV)

II. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness.”




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A. The purpose stated here for God’s making Solomon king was “to maintain justice and righteousness.”

1. 1 Kings 3:11, So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, (NIV) 2. 1 Kings 3:28, When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice. (NIV)

B. “In Israel,” Long wrote, “the ideal king is one who administers justice and righteousness for the disen-franchised.”

1. Jeremiah 22:2-3, 13, 15, ‘Hear the word of the LORD to you, king of Judah, you who sit on David’s throne—you, your officials and your people who come through these gates. This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place. “Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his own people work for nothing, not paying them for their labor. “Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well with him. (NIV)




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2. Psalm 72:1-4, 7, 12-14, 17b, Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness. May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; may he crush the oppressor. For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight. Then all nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed. (NIV)

C. Jesus Christ is that kind of king.

1. Jeremiah 23:5, “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. (NIV) 2. The references to David’s eternal kingdom and dynasty refer solely to Jesus Christ. 3. No one on David’s earthly throne qualifies.

a. 2 Samuel 7:14-16, I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from




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before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’” (NIV) b. Matthew 12:42, The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. (KJV) c. Luke 11:31, The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. (KJV)

1 Kings 10:10, And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. (NIV) I. And she gave the king one hundred twenty (120) talents of gold (about 4 ½ tons), large quantities of spices, and precious stones.

A. The queen of Sheba and the king of Israel exchanged generous gifts indicating their mutual respect.

1. Psalm 72:15, Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long. (NIV) 2. The queen gave of the abundance of her country (gold, spices and precious stones) to Solomon.




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a. Ancient writers attest to the presence of these valuables in certain portions of Arabia at the time of Solomon and the queen of Sheba.

II. The queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon a record setting amount of spices.

A. Sheba was famous for its spices, gold and precious stones, as just stated.

Note: Clarke stated verse 13 should be placed here. However, Hiram’s ships may have arrived before the queen of Sheba left for home. Verses 11-12 may be considered as a parenthetical statement telling further of Solomon’s immense wealth. 1 Kings 10:11. (Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir; and from there they brought great cargoes of almugwood and precious stones. (NIV) I. (Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir; and from there they brought great cargoes of almugwood (algumwood) and precious stones.

A. The Algum, Almug tree, while its identity is uncertain, is thought to be the red sandalwood, a large leguminous tree native to India and Ceylon. (Youngblood) The Pulpit Commentary adds, “the coast of Malabar.”

1. 2 Chronicles 9:10-11, (The servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon brought gold from Ophir; they also brought algumwood and precious stones. The king used the algumwood to make steps for the temple of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to




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make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen in Judah.) (NIV) 2. 2 Chronicles 2:8, “Send me also cedar, juniper and algum logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants are skilled in cutting timber there. My servants will work with yours (NIV)

B. Precious stones, gold and silver were frequently referenced in the book of Proverbs as things of great value.

1. Proverbs 1:9, They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. (NIV) 2. Proverbs 3:14-15, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. (NIV) 3. Proverbs 8:10-11, Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. (NIV) 4. Proverbs 10:20, The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value. (NIV)

1 Kings 10:12, The king used the almugwood to make supports for the temple of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. So much almugwood has never been imported or seen since that day.) (NIV) I. The king used the almugwood (algumwood) to make supports for the temple of the Lord and for the royal palace, . . .




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A. These supports may have been “steps with banisters.” (See The Pulpit Commentary.)

II. and to make harps and lyres (psalteries) for the musicians.

A. Psalm 71:22, I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel. (NIV) B. “These were stringed instruments, but their precise shape and character are quite uncertain,” The Pulpit Commentary states.

III. So much almugwood (algumwood) has never been imported or seen since that day.)

A. Hiram’s navy brought a huge amount of treasure to Solomon’s treasury. B. Never again has this amount of almugwood/algumwood been imported or seen in Israel.

1 Kings 10:13, King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country. (NIV) I. King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty.

A. Solomon may well have given the queen of Sheba a satisfactory trade agreement.




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B. Certain Jewish historians, according to Montgomery, interpreted this visit of the queen of Sheba as a desire on her part to have offspring by Solomon.

1. Certain rulers of Ethiopia, including Haile Selassie I, have claimed to be descendants of the queen of Sheba and Solomon, indicating their position that the biblical Sheba was Ethiopian. 2. Clarke pointed to other traditions that indicate Solomon sired a son by the queen of Sheba who succeeded his mother as ruler of Sheba.

II. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

A. When her visit had been completed, the queen returned home to Sheba, greatly impressed.

Solomon’s Splendor

1 Kings 10:14, The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, (NIV) I. The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was six hundred sixty-six (666) talents twenty-five (25) tons, . . .

A. Smith noted that God had forbidden three (3) things, multiplying horses, wives and wealth, all of which Solomon accumulated in great amounts, numbers. (See Smith.) B. Smith well observed that, from this point on, “the story of Solomon is one of steady decline.” (The Pulpit Commentary concurs.)




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1. Deuteronomy 17:16-17, The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. (NIV) 2. Solomon was incredibly rich in worldly goods, but became spiritually bankrupt!

1 Kings 10:15, not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the territories. (NIV) I. not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the land.

A. The “governors of the land” may refer to the twelve (12) mentioned in 1 Kings 4 discussed in an earlier lesson. B. Foreign and domestic contributors brought huge revenues into Solomon’s treasuries. C. The total income received yearly by Solomon was truly unparalleled by the kings of the ancient world.

1 Kings 10:16, King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. (NIV) I. King Solomon made two hundred (200) large (body length) shields of hammered gold; . . .




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A. “Solomon’s golden shields were essentially decorative, and as such were hung in the house of the Lebanon forest, from where Shishak later plundered them during Rehoboam’s reign.

1. 1 Kings 7:2-5, He built the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon a hundred cubits long, fifty wide and thirty high, with four rows of cedar columns supporting trimmed cedar beams. It was roofed with cedar above the beams that rested on the columns—forty-five beams, fifteen to a row. Its windows were placed high in sets of three, facing each other. All the doorways had rectangular frames; they were in the front part in sets of three, facing each other. (NIV) 2. 1 Kings 14:26, He carried off the treasures of the temple of the LORD and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made. (NIV)

B. These shields were large, oblong and covered the entire person.

1. Psalm 5:12, Surely, LORD, you bless the right-eous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. (NIV) 2. 2 Samuel 8:7, David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. (NIV)

II. six hundred (600) bekas (about 7 ½ pounds) of gold went into each shield.




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A. Whether “hammered gold” or an alloy may be open to question. B. Assessing the present value of this gold is also difficult.

1 Kings 10:17, He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three minas of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. (NIV) I. He also made three hundred (300) small shields of hammered gold, with three (3) minas (about 3 ¾ pounds) of gold in each shield.

A. 2 Chronicles 9:16, He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three hundred shekels of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. (NIV) B. Smith observed that these golden ornamental shields were carried by the royal bodyguard on special occasions. (The Pulpit Commentary agrees.)

1. Solomon, in regard to things of this kind, had it exactly right when he said that they were meaningless.

a. Ecclesiastes 1:2, “Meaningless! Meaning-less!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” (NIV) b. Ecclesiastes 2:11, Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. (NIV)




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II. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.

A. When not in use, these shields were displayed in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.

1. Ezekiel 27:10-11, “‘Men of Persia, Lydia and Put served as soldiers in your army. They hung their shields and helmets on your walls, bringing you splendor. Men of Arvad and Helek guarded your walls on every side; men of Gammad were in your towers. They hung their shields around your walls; they brought your beauty to perfection. (NIV)

B. The Pulpit Commentary states that the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon was known as the Tower of David.

1. Isaiah 22:8, “And you looked in that day to the weapon, in the Palace of the Forest.”

1 Kings 10:18, Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. (NIV) I. Then the king made a great throne inlaid with ivory and overlaid with fine gold.

A. “Carved ivory was an important product of Syrian and Phoenician artisans,” Hamilton wrote.

1. Amos 6:4, You lie on beds adorned with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves. (NIV)

B. The Pulpit Commentary advised that Solomon’s throne in all its glory was viewed by a people accustomed to squatting on the ground or to reclining on a sofa.




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1. To them Solomon’s glory was truly awesome.

1 Kings 10:19, The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. (NIV) I. The throne had six (6) steps, and its back had a rounded top, (round behind).

A. The six (6) steps plus the level of the throne made seven (7), a biblical number representing perfection. (See Smith.) B. Clarke noted, “The throne was in the form of one of our ancient round topped, two-armed chairs or perhaps an arched or rounded canopy attached to the back of the throne.

1. This chair was placed on a platform, the ascent to which consisted of six (6) steps, Clarke wrote.

II. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them.

A. The lion was a symbol of royalty.

1 Kings 10:20, Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. (NIV) I. Twelve lions stood on the six (6) steps, one at either end of each step.

A. Smith noted that lions were symbols of royalty in the Near East and were of special significance to the tribe of Judah.




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1. Genesis 49:9, You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? (NIV) 2. Numbers 23:24, The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till it devours its prey and drinks the blood of its victims.” (NIV)

B. These twelve (12) lions were possibly representative of the twelve (12) tribes of Israel indicating that each tribe had an interest in the royal house, throne. (The Pulpit Commentary.)

1. 1 Kings 12:16, When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What share do we have in David, what part in Jesse’s son? To your tents, Israel! Look after your own house, David!” So the Israelites went home. (NIV) 2. 2 Samuel 20:1, Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted, “We have no share in David, no part in Jesse’s son! Every man to his tent, Israel!” (NIV) 3. 1 Kings 18:31, Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” (NIV)




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C. The lion was a familiar emblem of sovereignty among many nations and a symbol of the tribe of Judah and, perhaps, a symbol of Solomon’s regal authority.

1. Genesis 49:9, You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? (NIV) 2. Numbers 23:24, The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till it devours its prey and drinks the blood of its victims.” (NIV) 3. Numbers 24:9, Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse them? “May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!” (NIV)

II. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom.

A. Solomon’s throne was unique, one of a kind, the very best of all the world’s thrones.

1 Kings 10:21, All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days. (NIV) I. All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold.

A. DeVries wrote, “The import of gold was so prolific that Solomon’s drinking vessels were made of it; and of specially




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refined gold, were the implements used in the house of the Lebanon forest.” B. Certain other nations, the Assyrians for example, had similar goblets and household articles. (The Pulpit Commentary.)

II. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days.

A. Gold was the valued metal.

1. Little value was placed on silver because there was so much of it in Jerusalem.

1 Kings 10:22, The king had a fleet of trading ships at sea along with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons. (NIV) I. The king had a fleet (navy) of trading ships (ships of Tarshish) at sea along with the ships of Hiram.

A. “Ships of Tarshish,” Hamilton advised, refers to the style or design of the ships meaning they were able to travel great distances on the open seas, oceans. (The Pulpit Commentary concurs.)

1. 1 Kings 22:49, At that time Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my men sail with yours,” but Jehoshaphat refused. (NIV) 2. 2 Chronicles 9:21, The king had a fleet of trading ships manned by Hiram’s servants. Once every




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three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons. (NIV) 3. 2 Chronicles 20:36-37, He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships. After these were built at Ezion Geber, Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade. (NIV)

B. Some, among which is The Pulpit Commentary, hold there were two (2) fleets, the one discussed in 1 Kings 9:26-28 and the one mentioned here.

1. 1 Kings 9:26-28, King Solomon also built ships at Ezion Geber, which is near Elath in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea. And Hiram sent his men—sailors who knew the sea—to serve in the fleet with Solomon’s men. They sailed to Ophir and brought back 420 talents of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon. (NIV) 2. 2 Chronicles 9:21, The king had a fleet of trading ships manned by Hiram’s servants. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons. (NIV) 3. Psalm 72:10, May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts. (NIV)




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4. Evidently Solomon had joint ventures with one fleet trading in the Mediterranean and the other with home port at Ezion Geber trading the Indian Ocean.

II. Once every three (3) years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons (peacocks or parrots are possible interpretations of the original word).

A. These were trading ships, not military naval vessels. B. Elephant tusks were ivory. Ivory came from Elephants, so trade was with places known to have an elephant population such as India and Africa. C. Apes, baboons, peacocks, parrots and such like things show, The Pulpit Commentary states, evidence of a frivolous, vainglorious love for novel and outlandish objects affordable by wealthy people such as Solomon.”

1 Kings 10:23, King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. (NIV) I. King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth.

A. The Pulpit Commentary says there is something very ominous in this statement.

1. Here riches are put before wisdom, but this was not the case in the beginning of Solomon’s reign.

a. 1 Kings 3:7-14, “Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your




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servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” (NIV)

Kings 10:24, The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. (NIV) I. The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.

A. 1 Kings 4:29-34, God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons




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of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom. (NIV) B. Solomon’s fame spread throughout the world and people from everywhere came to hear “the wisdom God had put in his heart.”

1 Kings 10:25, Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules. (NIV) I. Year after year, everyone who came brought (tribute) a gift—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.

A. These tributes (gifts) from “everyone” were a yearly matter.

1. There is a difference of opinion as to whether these were gifts, taxes or a mixture of both.

B. These gifts or taxes covered a wide variety of com-modities.

1. There is no doubt but that Solomon was extravagantly supplied.

1 Kings 10:26, Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses,




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which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. (NIV) I. Solomon accumulated chariots (or charioteers) and horses; he had fourteen hundred (1,400) chariots and twelve thousand (12,000) horses, . . .

A. The Revised Standard Version, Coffman wrote, makes the meaning of this passage clearer by stating, “Through the king, they (the horses) were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.”

1. Solomon was a master entrepreneur! 2. . . .but he sinned before God in this matter.

a. Deuteronomy 17:16-17, The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. (NIV)

B. This was certainly an impressive number of chariots (1,400) and horses (12,000) which attest to Solomon’s wealth and military power and his intention to surpass all other kings in every comparative area.

1. 1 Kings 4:26, Solomon had four thousand stalls for chariot horses, and twelve thousand horses. (NIV)




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II. which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.

A. 1 Kings 9:19, as well as all his store cities and the towns for his chariots and for his horses—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled. (NIV)

1 Kings 10:27, The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. (NIV) I. The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills.

A. Sycamore-fig trees were huge evergreen trees which grew to a height of forty (40) to fifty (50) feet with a trunk circumference of over twenty (20) feet. The leaves were heart-shaped and resembled mulberry leaves. The fruit was similar to the true fig, but was of an inferior quality. (See Youngblood.) B. Stones and sycamore trees were common in Jerusalem.

1. Solomon made through his prosperity silver and valued cedar trees as abundant, plentiful as rocks and sycamore-fig trees in Jerusalem.

C. The “foothills” were the Shefelah, a broad tract of land of many hundreds of miles in area, which sweeps gently down from the mountains of Judah. This low country consists of low hills, about five hundred (500) feet above sea level.




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1 Kings 10:28, Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price. (NIV) I. Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt (or possibly Muzur, a region of Cilicia) and from Kuel (perhaps Cilicia or Tekoa) — the royal merchants purchased them from Kue.

A. Smith wrote, “During this period the Egyptians imported wood from Syria in order to manufacture chariots. Since Solomon controlled all the important trade routes from Cilicia and Egypt to Syria, he seems to have held a virtual monopoly on the horse and chariot trade in this region of the world. Thus, the neo-Hittite and Aramean kings to the north depended upon Solomon for Egyptian chariots, while the Egyptians depended on him for Cilician horses. As the middleman in this lucrative trade, Solomon no doubt made a handsome profit for himself.” B. The identify of Kue, nowhere else mentioned in the Old Testament by this name, is left in question, opinions ranging from Cilicia to Tekoa as the possible location of Kue.

1 Kings 10:29, They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans. (NIV) I. They imported a chariot from Egypt (or possibly Muzur, a region of Cilicia) for six hundred (600) shekels (about 15 pounds) of silver and a horse for a hundred and fifty (150) (about 3 ¾ pounds).

A. These prices were very probably favorable for Solomon.




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II. They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans.

A. The Old Testament contains many references to the Hittites, a people who flourished in Asia Minor between 1900 and 1200 B.C. Later the Hittites spread into northern Syria and south into Palestine. (See Youngblood.) B. Arameans, from the land of Aram which extended from the Lebanon mountains eastward to the Euphrates river and from the Taurus mountains on the north southward to Damascus, flourished along with the Israelites during much of their history, variably as friends and as enemies. (See Youngblood.) C. These must have been alliances between Solomon and the Hittite and Aramean people who could have become Israel’s enemies.

1. Otherwise, Solomon would have been very unwise to sell military equipment to potential enemies.

Conclusion: I. “In the next chapter, we shall see the shameful end of Solomon’s so-called glorious reign,” Coffman wrote.

A. Did Solomon become the kind of king of whom Samuel had warned the people?

1. 1 Samuel 8:11-18, He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of




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thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.” (NIV) 2. “Solomon is exposed as a self-indulgent leader who has lost sight of his divinely ordained role as shepherd of Israel,” Long wrote.

II. Solomon was a mighty force in his age, rich beyond words, but was he “successful”?

A. The next lesson will attempt to address this question.




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Questions

on

1 Kings 10:1-10

(Questions based on NIV test.)

1. Was Solomon a success? Explain your answer. ____________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Where was Sheba? Give reasons for your answer. __________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Who was the Queen of Sheba? Give background information. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Give information regarding the country the Queen of Sheba ruled. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




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____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Why did the Queen of Sheba decide to visit Solomon? Give as many reasons as possible. ________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Describe the Queen’s entourage. ________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. What do you think the Queen of Sheba had on her mind? _____ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Did Solomon impress the Queen of Sheba? If so, how and how much? ________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. Did the Queen of Sheba convert to Judaism? Explain in this context what she said about Jehovah. _______________________




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______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. How did the Queen of Sheba set us a good example in our response to rumors? _____________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. Were the citizens of Israel happy during Solomon’s reign? Consider 1 Kings 10:8, 1 Kings 4:20, 25 and 1 Kings 12:4. ______ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 12. According to the Queen of Sheba, why had God made Solomon king? Did Solomon discharge these duties well? ______ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 13. References to David’s eternal kingdom and dynasty were fulfilled only in Jesus Christ. Why was this the case? __________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




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____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 14. What gifts were exchanged by Solomon and the Queen of Sheba? _______________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 15. Locate Ophir. For what was Ophir famous? _______________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 16. Describe Algum (Almug) trees? What did Solomon build with this lumber? __________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 17. What does the book of Proverbs say about precious stones, gold and silver? ________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




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18. How were Hiram’s fleet and Solomon’s fleet associated? Which ports did each fleet visit? ___________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 19. “_______________________ ___________________ gave the ________________________ of _____________________ all she ____________________ and asked for, besides what he had given her out of the ____________________ ____________________.” Did this include Solomon’s begetting a son by the Queen of Sheba? _______________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 20. From this point on, the _______________ of ______________ is one of _____________________ ________________________. _____________________ was ____________________________ _________________ in ________________ _________________, but became __________________________________! 21. List all possible sources from which Solomon obtained revenues, income, treasures. ______________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




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22. What use was made of the two hundred (200) large shields and the three hundred (300) smaller shields of verses 16-17? ________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 23. What are bekas? What is “hammered gold?” ______________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 24. Locate the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon? For what was it used? ________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 25. Describe Solomon’s throne, its approaches and its statuary. What did these symbols represent? _________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 26. Describe Solomon’s goblets and household articles. Why was nothing made of silver? __________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________




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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 27. What are “ships of Tarshish”? Locate Tarshish. ____________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 28. There may have been two (2) fleets, Hiram’s and Solomon’s. If so, what was the principal trading area of each? _____________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 29. How long did the voyages take? What cargo did these ships bring to Solomon? Why did Solomon need Baboons? __________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 30. Why did everybody want audiences with Solomon? Were these audiences free? If not, what did they cost? ______________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




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31. For what purpose did Solomon accumulate chariots and horses in abundance? Was this a sin? ____________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 32. Why was silver not highly valued in Jerusalem at that time? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 33. What were Kue and the Shefelah? Where were they? __ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 34. Why would Solomon sell horses and chariots to the Hittites and Arameans, potential enemies? _____________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 35. “In the next chapter, we shall see the _____________________ end of __________________’s so-called ____________________ _____________________________,” Coffman wrote. Long wrote, ____________________ is exposed as a ______________- ____________________ ___________________ who has lost




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sight of his ______________________ _____________________ role as _____________________ of _______________________.”


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