1 Kings 10
1 Kings 10 is part of “Solomon's Reign” (1–11) in the outline of 1 Kings.
1 Kings 10 summary
Still Solomon looks great, and every thing in this chapter adds to his magnificence. We read nothing indeed of his charity, of no hospitals he built, or alms-houses; he made his kingdom so rich that it did not need them; yet, no question, many poor were relieved from the abundance of his table. A church he had built, never to be equalled; schools or colleges he need not build any, his own palace is an academy, and his court a rendezvous of wise and learned men, as well as the centre of all the circulating riches of that part of the world. I.
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Still Solomon looks great, and every thing in this chapter adds to his magnificence. We read nothing indeed of his charity, of no hospitals he built, or alms-houses; he made his kingdom so rich that it did not need them; yet, no question, many poor were relieved from the abundance of his table. A church he had built, never to be equalled; schools or colleges he need not build any, his own palace is an academy, and his court a rendezvous of wise and learned men, as well as the centre of all the circulating riches of that part of the world. I. What abundance of wisdom there was there appears from the application the queen of Sheba made to him, and the great satisfaction she had in her entertainment there (Kg1 10:1-13), and others likewise (Kg1 10:24). II. What abundance of wealth there was there appears here by the gold imported, with other things, yearly (Kg1 10:14, Kg1 10:15), and in a triennial return (Kg1 10:22). Gold presented (Kg1 10:25), and gold used in targets and shields (Kg1 10:16, Kg1 10:17), and vessels (Kg1 10:21). A stately throne made (Kg1 10:18-20). His chariots and horsemen (Kg1 10:26). His trade with Egypt (Kg1 10:28, Kg1 10:29). And the great plenty of silver and cedars among his people (Kg1 10:27). So that, putting all together, it must be owned, as it is here said (Kg1 10:23), that "king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches, and for wisdom." Yet what was he to the King of kings? Where Christ is, by his word and Spirit, "Behold, a greater than Solomon is there."
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
1 Kings 10 (GNV)
Geneva Bible 1599 (public domain)
The Queen of Sheba Visits
1And the Queene of Sheba hearing ye fame of Salomon (concerning the Name of the Lord) came to proue him with hard questions. 2And she came to Ierusalem with a verie great traine, and camels that bare sweete odours, and golde exceeding much, and precious stones: and shee came to Salomon, and communed with him of all that was in her heart. 3And Salomon declared vnto her all her questions: nothing was hid from the King, which he expounded not vnto her. 4Then the Queene of Sheba sawe all Salomons wisedome, and the house that he had built, 5And the meate of his table, and the sitting of his seruants, and the order of his ministers, and their apparel, and his drinking vessels, and his burnt offrings, that he offered in the house of the Lord, and she was greatly astonied. 6And shee sayde vnto the King, It was a true worde that I heard in mine owne lande of thy sayings, and of thy wisedome. 7Howebeit I beleeued not this report till I came, and had seene it with mine eyes: but lo, ye one halfe was not tolde mee: for thou hast more wisedome and prosperitie, then I haue heard by report. 8Happy are the men, happie are these thy seruants, which stande euer before thee, and heare thy wisedome. 9Blessed be the Lord thy God, which loued thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel, because the Lord loued Israel for euer and made thee King to doe equitie and righteousnesse. 10And she gaue the King sixe score talents of golde, and of sweete odours exceeding much, and precious stones. There came no more such aboundance of sweete odours, as the Queene of Sheba gaue to King Salomon. 11The nauie also of Hiram (that caried gold from Ophir) brought likewise great plentie of Almuggim trees from Ophir and precious stones. 12And the King made of ye Almuggim trees pillars for the house of the Lord, and for ye Kings palace, and made harpes and psalteries for singers. There came no more such Almuggim trees, nor were any more seene vnto this day. 13And King Salomon gaue vnto the Queene of Sheba, whatsoeuer she would aske, besides that, which Salomon gaue her of his kingly liberalitie: so she returned and went to her owne countrey, both shee, and her seruantes.
Solomon's Splendor
14Also the weight of golde, that came to Salomon in one yeere, was sixe hundreth three score and six talents of gold, 15Besides that he had of marchant men and of the marchandises of them that solde spices, and of all the Kinges of Arabia, and of the princes of the countrey. 16And King Salomon made two hundreth targets of beaten golde, sixe hundreth shekels of gold went to a target: 17And three hundreth shieldes of beaten golde, three pound of gold went to one shielde: and the King put them in the house of the wood of Lebanon. 18Then the King made a great throne of yuorie, and couered it with the best golde. 19And the throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind, and there were stayes on either side on the place of the throne, and two lions standing by the stayes. 20And there stoode twelue lions on the sixe steps on either side: there was not the like made in any kingdome. 21And all King Salomons drinking vessels were of golde, and all the vessels of the house of the woode of Lebanon were of pure golde, none were of siluer: for it was nothing esteemed in the dayes of Salomon. 22For the King had on the sea the nauie of Tharshish with the nauie of Hiram: once in three yere came the nauie of Tharshish, and brought golde and siluer, yuorie, and apes and peacockes. 23So King Salomon exceeded all the kings of the earth both in riches and in wisedome. 24And al the world sought to see Salomon, to heare his wisedome, which God had put in his heart, 25And they brought euery man his present, vessels of siluer, and vessels of golde, and raiment, and armour, and sweete odours, horses and mules, from yeere to yeere. 26Then Salomon gathered together charrets and horsemen: and he had a thousand and foure hundreth charets, and twelue thousande horsemen, whome hee placed in the charet cities, and with the King at Ierusalem. 27And the King gaue siluer in Ierusalem as stones, and gaue cedars as the wilde figtrees that growe abundantly in the plaine. 28Also Salomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and fine linen: the Kings marchants receiued the linen for a price. 29There came vp and went out of Egypt some charet, worth sixe hundreth shekels of siluer: that is, one horse, an hundreth and fiftie and thus they brought horses to all the Kings of the Hittites and to the Kings of Aram by their meanes.