1 Kings 10

King James Version

Full text for 1 Kings Chapter 10

1¶ And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.

2And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

3And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not [any] thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

4And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built,

5And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

6And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.

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

8Happy [are] thy men, happy [are] these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, [and] that hear thy wisdom.

9Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.

10And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.

11And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.

12And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.

13And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside [that] which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

14¶ Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,

15Beside [that he had] of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.

16And king Solomon made two hundred targets [of] beaten gold: six hundred [shekels] of gold went to one target.

17And [he made] three hundred shields [of] beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

18Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.

19The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne [was] round behind: and [there were] stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays.

20And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom.

21And all king Solomon's drinking vessels [were of] gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon [were of] pure gold; none [were of] silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.

22For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

23So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.

24And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.

25And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.

26And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.

27And the king made silver [to be] in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he [to be] as the sycomore trees that [are] in the vale, for abundance.

28And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.

29And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred [shekels] of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring [them] out by their means.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

The Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon, drawn by his fame and wisdom, to test him with hard questions. She was profoundly astonished by his understanding, the grandeur of his kingdom, and his immense wealth, confessing that his renown surpassed all reports. She presented him with lavish gifts, and he reciprocated, demonstrating his unparalleled prosperity and wisdom among all kings of the earth.

Medium Summary

King Solomon's renown for wisdom and prosperity reached the Queen of Sheba, who traveled to Jerusalem to test him with difficult questions. Upon her arrival, she witnessed his profound understanding, the magnificence of his palace, the order of his court, and his ascent to the house of the LORD, leaving her overwhelmed. She confessed that his wisdom and prosperity far exceeded the reports she had heard, blessing the LORD God for setting him on Israel's throne to execute judgment and justice. The Queen presented Solomon with a vast quantity of gold, spices, and precious stones, receiving in return all her desires and royal bounty. The chapter then details Solomon's annual gold intake, his creation of golden shields and an elaborate ivory throne overlaid with gold, and his use of pure gold for all vessels. His navy, in conjunction with Hiram's, brought in exotic goods every three years, further contributing to his immense wealth. Solomon's wisdom, directly from God, attracted rulers from all lands who brought him annual presents. He also amassed a formidable military with numerous chariots and horsemen, making silver as common as stones in Jerusalem and cedars as abundant as sycomore trees.

Long Summary

The fame of King Solomon's wisdom, particularly concerning the name of the LORD, prompted the Queen of Sheba to undertake a journey to Jerusalem, intending to challenge him with hard questions. She arrived with a magnificent retinue, bearing a great abundance of spices, gold, and precious stones. Solomon answered all her inquiries, revealing nothing hidden from his understanding. Witnessing his profound wisdom, the splendor of his house, the order of his table, the attendance of his servants, and his ascent to the house of the LORD, the Queen was utterly overwhelmed, declaring that the reports of his greatness had been understated. She acknowledged that his wisdom and prosperity far surpassed what she had heard, praising the LORD God for delighting in Solomon and establishing him as king over Israel to administer judgment and justice. In tribute, she presented Solomon with one hundred and twenty talents of gold, an unprecedented quantity of spices, and precious stones. In return, Solomon granted her every desire, in addition to his royal bounty, before she departed for her own country. The narrative then shifts to detail Solomon's immense wealth, noting that his annual intake of gold alone was six hundred threescore and six talents, supplemented by trade and tributes from kings and governors. He fashioned two hundred large targets and three hundred shields of beaten gold, placing them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. A grand throne of ivory, overlaid with the finest gold, was also constructed, featuring six steps and twelve lions, unparalleled in any kingdom. All his drinking vessels and the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold, with silver being considered of little value. Solomon's navy, alongside Hiram's, sailed to Tharshish every three years, returning with gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks, further enriching his kingdom. Consequently, King Solomon surpassed all other kings on earth in both riches and wisdom, attracting rulers from every land who sought his God-given wisdom and brought him annual gifts of various treasures. He also established a powerful military, gathering one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, stationed in chariot cities and Jerusalem. Under his reign, silver became as common as stones in Jerusalem, and cedars as abundant as sycomore trees in the vale, signifying extraordinary prosperity. Solomon also engaged in the lucrative trade of horses and chariots from Egypt, supplying them to the kings of the Hittites and Syria.

Core Concepts

  • Wisdom of SolomonSolomon's extraordinary, God-given wisdom is a central theme, demonstrated by his ability to answer all the Queen of Sheba's hard questions and his reputation that drew rulers from all lands.
  • Queen of Sheba's VisitA significant event highlighting Solomon's international renown, where a foreign monarch travels to verify his fame and is utterly astonished by his wisdom and the grandeur of his kingdom.
  • Solomon's Unparalleled WealthThe chapter meticulously details the immense riches accumulated by Solomon, including vast quantities of gold, precious stones, exotic goods, and the lavish use of gold for everyday items and royal artifacts.
  • Divine Favor and PurposeThe Queen of Sheba explicitly blesses the LORD God, acknowledging that He delighted in Solomon and established him as king over Israel because of His eternal love for Israel, to ensure judgment and justice.
  • Grandeur of Solomon's KingdomThe description of Solomon's palace, the order of his court, his golden artifacts, and his formidable military power illustrates the unprecedented splendor and prosperity of his reign.
  • International Trade and InfluenceSolomon's kingdom engaged in extensive international trade, importing gold, silver, ivory, and exotic animals, and exporting chariots and horses, establishing his influence across the region.