1 Kings 10:1–13

The Queen of Sheba

^1aNow the ^bqueen of ^cSheba heard the report about Solomon concerning the name of Yahweh. So she came ^dto test him with riddles.

²She came to Jerusalem with a very glorious retinue, with camels ^acarrying spices and very much gold and precious stones. And she came to Solomon and spoke to him about all that was in her heart.

³And Solomon declared to her the answer to all her matters; there was not a matter which was hidden from the king which he did not declare to her.

⁴Then the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,

⁵the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the disposition of his attendants and their attire, his cupbearers, and ¹his stairway by which he went up to the house of Yahweh, so that there was no more spirit in her.

⁶Then she said to the king, “The word is true which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom.

⁷“Nevertheless I did not believe those words, until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not declared to me. You exceed, in wisdom and prosperity, the report which I heard.

⁸“How ^ablessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom.

⁹“^aBlessed be Yahweh your God who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel; ^bbecause Yahweh loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, ^cto do justice and righteousness.”

^10aThen she gave the king ¹120 talents of gold and a very great amount of spices and precious stones. Never again did such abundance of spices come in as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

^11aAlso, the ships of Hiram, which carried gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir a very great number of almug trees and precious stones.

^12aAnd the king made of the almug trees supports for the house of Yahweh and for the king’s house, also lyres and harps for the singers; such almug trees have not come in again nor have they been seen to this day.

¹³Thus King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire which she asked, besides what he gave her according to ¹his royal bounty. Then she turned and went to her own land, she and her servants.