1 Kings 10:1-13 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:10

And she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold ,.... The same sum that Hiram sent him; see Gill on 1 Kings 9:14 this fulfilled the prophecy, so far as it respected Solomon, Psalm 72:15 . and of spices very great store, and precious stones ; see 1 Kings 10:2 there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon; that is, into Judea. Josephus reports F20 Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 8. c. 6.) sect. 6. , that some say that the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:11

And the navy also of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir ,.... This perhaps was before Solomon was concerned with Hiram in navigation and merchandise; though in 2 Chronicles 9:10 both their servants are said to bring it; and it is here inserted perhaps to show that Solomon had not his gold, at least all of it, from the queen of Sheba; but much from Hiram, who fetched it from Ophir; and as this was in India, as observed on 1 Kings 9:28 , many writers make mention of gold in that part of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:12

And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the Lord, and for the king's house ,.... Or terraces, as in 2 Chronicles 9:11 , causeways; and means the ascent or causeway he made from his own house to the temple; the pavement of which, as Jarchi interprets the word here, was made of the wood of these trees; or the supports of it, or rather the rails on each side, on which men might stay themselves as they passed along, as Ben Gersom; and since this ascent was admired by the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:13

And King Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire , whatsoever she asked ,.... Some curious things she saw, and was desirous of, she asked for, and had them: besides that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty ; of his own good will and pleasure, without asking: so she turned and went to her own country : the country of Sheba in Arabia Felix: she and her sergeants : the train or retinue she brought with her, which was large, 1 Kings 10:2 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 10:1

When the queen of Sheba heard - As our Lord calls her queen of the south, ( Matthew 12:42 ;), it is likely the name should be written Saba, Azab, or Azaba, all of which signify the south. She is called Balkis by the Arabians, but by the Abyssinians Maqueda. See the account at the end of this chapter, 1 Kings 10:29 ; (note). With hard questions - בחידות bechidoth ; Septuagint, εν αινιγμασι , riddles. With parables and riddles, says the Arabic. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 10:2

She came to Jerusalem with - spices , etc. - Those who contend that she was queen of the Sabaeans, a people of Arabia Felix, towards the southern extremity of the Red Sea, find several proofs of their opinion: That the Sabaeans abounded in riches and spices. India mittit ebur, molles sua thura Sabaei "India furnishes ivory, and the effeminate Sabaeans their frankincense." Virg. Geor. i., ver. 57. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 10:3

Solomon told her all her questions - Riddles, problems, fables, apologues, etc., formed the principal part of the wisdom of the East; indeed they use and delight in them to the present day. See the case of Samson and his friends, Judges 14:12 ; (note), Judges 14:14 ; (note), and the notes there. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 10:4

Had seen all Solomon ' s wisdom - By the answers which he gave to her subtle questions. And the house that he had built - Most probably his own house. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 10:5

The meat of his table - The immense supply of all kinds of food daily necessary for the many thousands which were fed at and from his table. See 1 Kings 4:22-23 ; (note). And the sitting of his servants - The various orders and distinctions of his officers. The attendance of his ministers - See the account of these and their attendance, 1 Kings 4:1 , etc. And their apparel - The peculiarity of their robes, and their splendor and costliness. ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 10:8

Happy are thy men - All these are very natural expressions from a person in her state of mind. read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:13

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 10:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 10:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 10:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 10:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 10:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 10:8

Group of Brands