1 Kings 10:1

1 Kings 10:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.

Context of 1 Kings 10:1

Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with riddles. 2So she came to Jerusalem with a very large caravan (entourage), with camels carrying spices, a great quantity of gold, and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about everything that was on her mind [to discover the extent of his wisdom]. 3Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king which he did not explain to her.

1 Kings 10:1 word by word

וּמַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֗א שֹׁמַ֛עַת אֶת־שֵׁ֥מַע שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לְשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה וַתָּבֹ֥א לְנַסֹּת֖וֹ בְּחִידֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when the queenמַלְכָּהmalkâh · Queen (of Sheba)H4436
• of Shebaשְׁבָאshebâ' · ShebaH7614
• heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• of the fameשֵׁ֫מַעshêma‛ · reportH8088
• of Solomonשְׁלֹמֹהshelômôh · SolomonH8010
• concerning the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• she cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• to proveנָסָהnâsâh · to testH5254
• him with hard questionsחִידָהchîydâh · riddleH2420

Cross-references for 1 Kings 10:1

• 2 Chronicles 9:1When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with riddles. She was accompanied by a very large number of attendants, with camels bearing spices (balsam oil) and a large amount of gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she talked with him about all that was on her mind.
• Matthew 12:42The Queen of the South (Sheba) will stand up [as a witness] at the judgment against this generation, and will condemn it because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; and now, something greater than Solomon is here.
• Luke 11:31The Queen of the South (the kingdom of Sheba) will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and look, something greater than Solomon is here.
• Genesis 10:7the sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah; Sheba and Dedan.
• Genesis 25:3Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.
• Job 6:19The caravans of Tema looked [for water], The caravans of Sheba waited for them [in vain].
• Psalms 72:10The kings of Tarshish and of the islands will bring offerings; The kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts.
• Isaiah 60:6A multitude of camels [from the eastern trading tribes] will cover you [Jerusalem], The young camels of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba [who once came to trade] will come Bringing gold and frankincense And proclaiming the praises of the Lord.
• Jeremiah 6:20For what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba And the sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable And your sacrifices are not sweet and pleasing to Me.”
• Ezekiel 27:22The merchants of Sheba and Raamah [in Arabia], they traded with you; they paid for your wares with the choicest of all kinds of spices and all kinds of precious stones and gold.
• Ezekiel 38:13Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish (southern Spain), with all its young lions (villages) will say to you, ‘Have you come to take spoil? Have you assembled your hordes [of fighting men] to seize plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take great spoil?’ ” ’
• 1 Kings 4:31For he was wiser than all [other] men, [wiser] than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. His fame was known in all the surrounding nations.
• Job 28:28But to man He said, ‘Behold, the reverential and worshipful fear of the Lord—that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”
• Proverbs 2:3Yes, if you cry out for insight, And lift up your voice for understanding;
• John 17:3Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true [supreme and sovereign] God, and [in the same manner know] Jesus [as the] Christ whom You have sent.
• 1 Corinthians 1:20Where is the wise man (philosopher)? Where is the scribe (scholar)? Where is the debater (logician, orator) of this age? Has God not exposed the foolishness of this world’s wisdom?

Commentaries on 1 Kings 10:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1When 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, , riddles. With parables and riddles, says the Arabic.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Doubt has arisen whether the “queen of Sheba” was an Ethiopian or an Arabian princess. Both countries profess to have traditions on the subject connecting the queen of Sheba with their history; and in both countries, curiously enough, government by queens was common. But the claims of Arabia decidedly preponderate. The Arabian Sheba was the great spice country of the ancient world; whereas Ethiopia furnished no spices. The Arabian Sheba was an important…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon. (1-13) Solomon's wealth. (14-29) Verses 1-13 The queen of Sheba came to Solomon to hear his wisdom, thereby to improve her own. Our Saviour mentions her inquiries after God, by Solomon, as showing the stupidity of those who inquire not after God, by our Lord Jesus Christ. By waiting and prayer, by diligently searching the Scriptures, by consulting wise and experienced Christians, and by practising what we have…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The queen probably heard about Solomon's wisdom and wealth because of his trade trips to Ophir (1 Kings 10:11; see 1 Kings 9:26–28). Sheba, in southwestern Arabia (modern Yemen), was a fertile trade center. The ancient Sabeans traded across vast areas, including Syria, Africa, and India. test … with difficult questions (literally riddles): Arabian literature is known for its riddles and proverbs. The queen tested Solomon's wisdom and explored her own…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-131Ki 10:1-13. The Queen of Sheba Admires the Wisdom of Solomon. 1. the queen of Sheba--Some think her country was the Sabean kingdom of Yemen, of which the capital was Saba, in Arabia-Felix; others, that it was in African Ethiopia, that is, Abyssinia, towards the south of the Red Sea. The opinions preponderate in favor of the former. This view harmonizes with the language of our Lord, as Yemen means "South"; and this country, extending to the shores of the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 10:1

• Queen
• Sheba
• Solomon
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Sheba
• Solomon
• Queen of Sheba
• Exceed
• Gold
• Navy
• Seek
• Fame
• Games
• Hard; Hardiness; Harddiness; Hardly

Commentaries on 1 Kings 10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings