There has been considerable difference of opinion as to the country over which this queen ruled. Both Arabia and Ethiopia have claims to such a name and such a queen. The expression “queen of the south,” applied to the queen of Sheba in Matt. 12:42, would apply equally well to a queen of either Arabia or Ethiopia. Results of recent archeological researches in southern Arabia tend to identify the queen with this territory and her capital with Marib, in Yemen. The Arabian Sheba was a great spice country, and many are inclined to believe that this was the Sheba whose queen made a visit to Solomon (see Vol. I, pp. 131, 275).

 The spices of Arabia have long been famous. In Eze. 27:22 Sheba is mentioned as trading with Tyre in spices, precious stones, and gold.

Doubtless questions that had to do with diversified fields of learning. To these questions Solomon gave helpful, intelligent answers, which directed the queen’s mind to the true source of his wisdom and prosperity.

Heb. ’olah, generally translated “burnt offering,” which would make good sense here. The queen may have witnessed one of these sacrifices in which a prodigious number of animals were used. If the translation “ascent” is to be retained, the reference has been thought by some to be a causeway leading from the lower city to the Temple area.

 After the queen of Sheba had witnessed Solomon’s wisdom and works, she answered, not in words that showed a mere formal appreciation for the hospitality that had been accorded her, but in words that revealed that her heart had been deeply moved. In her response she touched but lightly on all the external magnificence and evidence of worldly prosperity and placed the main emphasis on extolling the God of Solomon, who had given him his wisdom and prosperity, and his fame, which had gone throughout the world. Instead of extolling the human agent she had rightfully been led to give glory to God. Her visit may have led to her conversion. There is reason to believe that the queen will be among the saved in the kingdom of God (Matt. 12:24). God intended that many such conversions should result from Israel playing her role among the peoples of earth. From here and there throughout the nations, men were to go to Israel and there become acquainted with Israel’s God. By such means light was to go out among all nations.

What the queen of Sheba gave to Solomon in the way of material things was small recompense for what she received in the way of spiritual things. She gave gold, precious stones, and fragrant spices, but received in return heavenly treasures beyond the value of men.

 Chapter 9:28 mentions the bringing of gold from Ophir, to be followed in ch. 10:1-10 by the account of the visit of the queen of Sheba. Now v. 11 again speaks of the gold of Ophir. There is probably some significance in this arrangement. The same sequence prevails in 2 Chron. 8:18; 2 Chron. 9:1-10. There seems to be some connection between the gold of Ophir brought by the servants of Hiram and Solomon and the gold brought by the queen of Sheba. It was probably Solomon’s Ophir trade that brought news to the queen of the wisdom and wealth of Israel’s king that resulted in her visit to Jerusalem.

 Called “algum trees” in 2 Chron. 9:10. What kind of wood was here referred to is a matter of uncertainty. No such tree as the almug or algum is known. Many think it refers to the sandalwood.

 Heb. mis‘ad, literally “supports.” The parallel passage in 2 Chron. 9:11 has mesilloth, the same word that is translated “highway” in Judges 20:31; 1 Sam. 6:12; Isa. 40:3. Such a meaning is quite unlikely here, and it is probable that the word should be read mis‘ad, as in Kings.

In the Orient it is a custom not only to desire gifts but to ask for them. The Amarna Letters contain many items regarding the exchange of gifts from one royal house to another, and there are many requests for gifts such as ivory, ebony, chariots, horses, and gold. Solomon not only received but also gave. The queen of Sheba returned with more than she had contributed, for in addition to her material gifts she returned home with that which is of infinite worth—a knowledge of the true God.

The sum given as Solomon’s annual income, 666 talents of gold, is an enormous figure. The same weight of gold estimated at modern values would total more than $18,000,000. This is more than the reported income of Persia from its 20 satrapies, which amounted to 14,560 silver talents a year. It should be noted, however, that these figures represent only the present value of the ancient weights and do not represent the actual buying power of this income in ancient times.

Solomon’s income consisted, not only of actual revenues from tributary states and taxes upon his subjects, but also of large gains from his own extensive merchandising activities and levies imposed upon international trade.

Large shields, or bucklers, covering the length of the body. The ones made by Solomon were probably for purposes of display, perhaps being worn by the royal bodyguard. Gold was lavishly used in Oriental lands, as can be seen by the golden chariots and coffins in Egypt.

 These were smaller shields than the “targets” of v. 16, and were probably round. Since there were 200 targets and 300 shields, the total would be 500 in all. David’s bodyguard numbered 600 men (2 Sam. 15:1). It may be that Solomon’s personal bodyguard numbered 500 men, and that the golden shields were used by them on state occasions, at other times to adorn the walls of the imposing “house of the forest of Lebanon.” A body of troops thus equipped with shields of glittering gold, marching before their king, would make a magnificent display.

 The throne itself was probably of wood, and the ivory, cut into thin slabs and carved into decorative patterns, inlaid with gold, was applied externally as a veneer. Striking examples of this type of work have been found in Palestine, both at Samaria and Megiddo. Probably the “ivory palaces” of Ps. 45:8, and the “houses of ivory” of Amos 3:15, employed the same type of decorative effects.

The throne itself was no doubt on a raised platform approached by six steps, evidently to set it apart in a commanding position.

Heb. ‘agol, which could be spelled ‘egel, making the phrase read “a calf’s head at the back.” That the translators of the LXX read ‘egel for ‘agol is seen from their translation, “and calves in bold relief to the throne behind it.”

Entrances to Assyrian palaces were usually decoratively guarded by great winged bulls, one on either side of the gateway. In other lands lions were employed for similar decorative purposes. For Solomon’s throne there was a lion on either side of each of the six steps, making an imposing approach. The 12 lions were probably emblematic of the 12 tribes.

The lofty elevation implied by the six steps, the double row of flanking lions, and the lavish use of ivory and gold must have produced a throne whose grandeur was unequaled.

Goblets, bowls, and plates of gold were not uncommon in Oriental courts. Yet a draught of water is as sweet and refreshing from an earthen vessel as from the most richly engraved goblet of gold.

 According to v. 27, Solomon “made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones.” It was so plentiful that for a court so magnificent as that of Solomon, silver would not be used even for the more common utensils.

 (more frequently spelled Tharshish). For the name as listed among the descendants of Javan, and as applied to Tartessus in Spain, see on Gen. 10:4. Tartessus was probably the place for which Jonah sailed from Joppa (Jonah 1:3). But Tarshish, meaning “smelting plant,” was probably the name of several places, as in Sardinia or Tunisia, which supplied metals to Tyrian fleets (Isa. 23:1, 6, 14; Eze. 27:12, 25).

 “Ships of Tarshish,” formerly held to mean ships large enough to sail to Spain, are now interpreted as a “refinery fleet.” Solomon’s fleet could not sail from Eziongeber to the Mediterranean, but probably to Ophir (see on ch. 9:26-28).

 This “navy of Tharshish,” operating with the aid of Hiram of Tyre, seems to have been based at Eziongeber (ch. 9:26); it could have sailed from there to distant ports in Africa, India, possibly even in China. Thus a voyage of three years, with frequent stops at ports of call, would be reasonable. It is expressly stated, however, that Solomon’s ships went to Tarshish (2 Chron. 9:21); Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah made ships at “Ezion-gaber” “to go to Tarshish” (2 Chron. 20:36).

Since a fleet sailing from Ezion-geber, on the Gulf of Aqabah, could hardly have gone to Spain, and since the cargoes included “apes and peacocks” (or apes and baboons, see RSV, note), some have held that this was a Tarshish in Africa, probably in Ophir, or Punt, in Somaliland.

 This was in harmony with God’s promise to Solomon (1 Kings 3:13) and to Israel on condition of faithfulness (Deut. 28:1, 13). At the time of Solomon such empires as Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt were in low estate, and it was thus literally true that Solomon’s kingdom ranked first in wisdom, wealth, and splendor.

 It was God’s purpose that Israel should be set “on high above all nations of the earth,” and that it should be “the head, and not the tail” (Deut. 28:1, 13). But the child of God seeks first the kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33, Luke 12:31). The world’s highest wisdom is the wisdom of God, and that wisdom is the foundation of all other wisdom, and the secret of finding the greatest blessings and treasures of earth. The purpose of God was being fulfilled in the exaltation of Israel. The nations who “sought to Solomon” were to hear of Solomon’s God, and receive an invitation to accept the religion of Jehovah. Gradually, through such contacts and through aggressive missionary effort the world was to be evangelized.

The wisdom of Solomon, which all the earth came to hear, was that which came from God and which led to God. In this higher wisdom lay the secret of the real strength and glory of the kingdom of Israel.

This verse indicates clearly the nature of Solomon’s extensive kingdom. It consisted of a loosely compacted group of tributary states who gave allegiance and paid tribute to the dominant kingdom of Israel. Such was the nature of many early Oriental empires. Many of the states then paying tribute to Israel had undoubtedly given tribute to other great neighboring nations.

 See on ch. 4:26. The gathering of chariots and horsemen is a sign of military conquest and extension of empire by force. The accumulation of horses was expressly against the purpose of God, who directed that Israel’s future king should “not multiply horses to himself” (Deut. 17:16). Gains secured in such ways would in the end prove to be only loss. Solomon realized it not. Already he stood at a vital parting of the way. Before him lay the path of obedience, which would lead to continued peace and glory; and the path of disobedience, which would lead to trouble, oppression, and shame.

 These cities were probably in the nature of military posts to hold the subject peoples under control. Stables at Megiddo, most probably Ahab’s, have been excavated (see on ch. 9:15).

 Silver and cedars were common, but piety was rare. Men who multiply gold multiply grief and trouble. Men who multiply true love have riches of peace and contentment that no amount of gold can ever secure (Prov. 16:8, 16).

 Heb. miqweh, translated variously as “gathering together” (Gen. 1:10), “pools” (Ex. 7:19), “plenty” (Lev. 11:36), “hope” (Ezra 10:2; Jer. 14:8, 17:13). Here, however, it is now definitely known to be a proper name, and should therefore be transliterated rather than translated. The LXX, for instance, renders miqweh as “of Thekoue.” The RSV gives it as Kue, which has been identified as an ancient name for Cilicia. It has been suggested, furthermore, that the Hebrew word miṣraim, “Egypt,” should read muṣrim, “Musri,” later known as Cappadocia, a region adjacent to Cilicia, in Anatolia (Asia Minor). Kue and Musri appear together in the famous Shalmaneser III Monolith Inscription, and separately in other Assyrian sources. In the Amarna Letters and various Assyrian texts Musri is mentioned as famous for horse breeding. The Hittites had even published a text on the subject. From Anatolia a knowledge of horse breeding spread to Syria, where a Ugaritic veterinary treatise of the 14th century deals with it.

 Verse 28 may therefore be translated, “And the export of Solomon’s horses [was] from Musri [Cappadocia] and from Kue [Cilicia]; the king’s merchants obtained them from Kue at a price.” The Egyptians, so far as currently available information indicates, did not breed horses for export. There seems to be general agreement, however, that miṣraim, Egypt, is the correct reading in v. 29 (see on Gen. 10:6). Egypt was an important exporter of chariots, though not of horses. As one of his business enterprises, Solomon thus carried on what appears to have been a profitable trade in Cilician horses and Egyptian chariots.

Commerce is an honorable calling and brings many just and worth-while returns. But it also offers many temptations and often provides a swift road to ruin. As the people of Israel became more and more interested in worldly gain, they found themselves straying further and further away from God. Greed took the place of mercy, and the interests of self were served rather than the common interests of all. On such a basis the nation could not endure. People followed the king down a pathway of selfishness and folly, and though oft rebuked by the prophets, persisted in a course that could end only in ruin.

 At the time of Solomon the once great Hittite empire had broken in pieces, and only its fragments remained—a number of petty Hittite states in northern Syria. Both the Hittites and the Egyptians made extensive use of horses and chariots, with the result that there was an active exchange of Egyptian-made chariots and Anatolian horses. Solomon found himself in an advantageous position to act as middleman in this international exchange. As to the Anatolian interest in horse raising and training, see on v. 28. Records exist of Egyptian tribute of horses to Sargon and Ashurbanipal.