1 Kings 10:1-13 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 10:1-13

We have here an account of the visit which the queen of Sheba made to Solomon, no doubt when he was in the height of his piety and prosperity. Our Saviour calls her the queen of the south, for Sheba lay south of Canaan. The common opinion is that it was in Africa; and the Christians in Ethiopia, to this day, are confident that she came from their country, and that Candace was her successor, who is mentioned Acts 8:27. But it is more probable that she came from the south part of Arabia the... read more

John Gill

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

And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon ,.... Josephus F21 Antiqu. l. 8. c. 6. sect. 2, 5. calls her a queen of Egypt and Ethiopia; but Sheba was in the southern part of Arabia Felix; her name with the Ethiopians is Maqueda F23 Ludolf. Ethiop. Hist. l. 2. c. 3. , and with the Arabic geographer F24 Clim 1. par. 6. Belequis. Some F25 Vid. Coryli Disser. de Reg. Austral. c. l. sect. 1, 2. think that Sheba, or Saba, is not the name of a country, but of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:2

And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train ,.... With many of her courtiers and principal men, as well as with a large retinue of servants: with camels that bare spices ; her country abounded both with camels and spices; See Gill on Isaiah 60:6 ; see Gill on Jeremiah 6:20 , and as Pliny F6 Nat. Hist. l. 12. c. 14. observes, who says their spices used to be carried on camels, particularly frankincense, for which Sheba was famous, and is therefore called by him "regio... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:3

And Solomon told her all her questions ,.... Answered them, told her the meaning of everything she inquired about, expounded her riddles, solved her objections, and gave her satisfaction in all things she proposed unto him: there was not anything hid from the king, which he told her not ; there was not anything, though ever so abstruse and difficult, but what he understood, and gave her a clear and plain solution of. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:4

And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom ,.... Which she perceived by his answers to things relative to all sorts of science, natural, civil, and divine: and the house that he had built ; the singular for the plural, "house for houses"; the house of the Lord, his own house, that for Pharaoh's daughter, and the house of the forest of Lebanon; in all which there appeared not only surprising grandeur and magnificence, but exquisite art and skill; there was a great display... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:5

And the meat of his table ,.... The various sorts of it, the different dishes, and the multitude of them; see 1 Kings 4:22 . and the sitting of his servants ; at table, either with him, or at tables by themselves, yet in his presence; for these were his nobles and courtiers, who were placed in order, according to their rank and degree, which showed wisdom: and the attendance of his ministers ; or the "standing" F17 מעמך "statum", Tigurine version, Vatablus, Junius &... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:6

And she said to the king ,.... When she was a little come to herself: it was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom ; which she was ready to call in question when she first heard it; at least she thought it was greatly exaggerated, but now she found it was strictly true. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:7

Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it ,.... That is, she did not believe the whole of what was related to her; somewhat of it she credited, and supposed there was something grand and extraordinary in it, or she would never have taken such a journey; but she did not believe that all could be true; she thought things were too much magnified: and, behold, the half was not told me ; of what she now saw and heard: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:8

Happy are thy men ,.... The men of Israel, that had a king over them so wise, so great, so good: happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom ; who were now present, and to whom she pointed, and may respect not his nobles and courtiers only, but his menial servants, who had an opportunity of often hearing the wise sayings which dropped from his lips; and which no doubt were means of greatly improving their knowledge and understanding in things... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:9

Blessed be the Lord thy God ,.... Of whom she might have better notions than when she came out of her own country: which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel ; loved him with a love of complacency and delight, was Jedidiah, as he called him, beloved of the Lord, and therefore he chose him and preferred him to be king before his elder brother: because the Lord loved Israel for ever ; to establish them as a kingdom for ever as they were, so long as obedient to him;... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 10:1-13

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 10:9

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