Första KungabokenKapitel 10

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When the queen of Sheba heard how famous Solomon was—a fame bound up with the name of the LORD—she came to test him with hard questions.

She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large retinue—camels loaded with spices, a great quantity of gold, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and spoke with him about everything that was on her mind,

and Solomon answered all her questions. Nothing was too obscure for the king to explain to her.

When the queen of Sheba had seen all of Solomon's wisdom, and the palace he had built,

the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he presented at the house of the LORD, it left her breathless.

She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your accomplishments and your wisdom was true."

"But I did not believe it until I came and saw it with my own eyes. And in fact, I was not told the half of it! Your wisdom and your prosperity go far beyond the report I heard."

"How fortunate are your people! How fortunate these servants of yours, who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom!"

"Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel. Because the LORD loves Israel forever, he has made you king to administer justice and righteousness."

Then she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again did such an abundance of spices come as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

Hiram's fleet, which had carried gold from Ophir, also brought from there a great supply of almug wood and precious stones.

The king used the almug wood to make supports for the house of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to make lyres and harps for the singers. Never again has such almug wood been imported or seen, down to this day.

King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she asked for, besides what he gave her out of his royal bounty. Then she and her servants returned to her own country.

The weight of the gold that came to Solomon in a single year was six hundred sixty-six talents,

not counting the revenue from the traveling merchants, the traders, all the kings of Arabia, and the governors of the land.

King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold, six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield,[^1] [^1]: The Hebrew reads simply "six hundred of gold"; the unit of weight is not stated but is most likely shekels.

and three hundred small shields of hammered gold, three minas of gold in each. The king placed them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

The king also made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with refined gold.

The throne had six steps, and its back was rounded at the top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each armrest,

and twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any kingdom.

All King Solomon's drinking vessels were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Silver was not used, for in Solomon's days it counted for nothing.

The king had a fleet of Tarshish ships at sea along with Hiram's fleet. Once every three years the fleet would come in, carrying gold and silver, ivory, apes, and baboons.[^1] [^1]: "Tarshish ships" refers to large ocean-going trading vessels. The final item in the list is uncertain; it may mean baboons or peacocks.

So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in wealth and in wisdom.

The whole world sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart,

and each one brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules—year after year.

Solomon accumulated chariots and horses. He had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.

The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as the sycamore fig trees of the foothills.

Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue; the king's traders bought them from Kue at the going price.

A chariot was imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred fifty. They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.

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Kapitel 10

Main Theme: Solomon's wisdom and wealth reach their peak, confirmed through the visit of the Queen of Sheba and his immense prosperity.

Content: The Queen of Sheba comes to Jerusalem to test Solomon's wisdom with riddles and is overwhelmed by his knowledge, magnificent court, and temple. She praises the God of Israel who placed Solomon on the throne to exercise justice and righteousness. The chapter describes Solomon's enormous wealth: 666 talents of gold annually, a magnificent ivory throne with lions, golden shields, and ships from Tarshish that brought gold, silver, ivory, and exotic animals. Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in wealth and wisdom, and people from all over the world sought his presence.

Key Words/Images:

Queen of Sheba: Represents the world's recognition of Solomon's God-given wisdom and Israel's greatness.
Ivory Throne: A magnificent throne adorned with gold and twelve lions, a symbol of royal power and unmatched splendor.
666 Talents of Gold: The annual income in gold illustrating Solomon's extraordinary material wealth.
Ships of Tarshish: The merchant fleet that brought exotic goods every three years, symbolizing international trade and influence.

Historisk kontext

Historical and Cultural Context for 1 Kings 10

People

The Queen of Sheba (מַלְכַּת־שְׁבָא) is one of the most well-known figures from ancient South Arabia. Sheba was a kingdom in what is now Yemen, famous for its immense wealth derived from trade in frankincense, myrrh, and other precious goods. Sabaean inscriptions confirm that women could hold high positions in this society, including religious and political roles. The queen's visit likely represented both diplomatic and commercial interests—she sought to establish or secure trade agreements with the Israelite king who controlled important trade routes.

Hiram is mentioned again in connection with the fleet that brought gold from Ophir. This refers to King Hiram of Tyre, who had an established partnership with Solomon regarding maritime expeditions. The Phoenicians were the premier sailors of antiquity, and this partnership gave Israel access to distant markets.

Places

Ophir (אוֹפִיר) was a legendary wealthy region known for its gold. Its location is debated—scholars have proposed South Arabia, East Africa (Somalia/Ethiopia), or even India. An ostracon (potsherd) from Tell Qasile near Tel Aviv from the 800s BC bears the inscription "Gold of Ophir to Beth-Horon—thirty shekels," confirming that Ophir was a known term in ancient Israel.

Tarshish (תַּרְשִׁישׁ) refers either to a specific place (possibly Tartessos in Spain) or to a type of large merchant ship built for long voyages. The expression "ships of Tarshish" was often used for large seagoing vessels regardless of destination.

The House of the Forest of Lebanon (בֵּית יַעַר הַלְּבָנוֹן) was part of Solomon's palace buildings in Jerusalem, so named because of its many columns made from cedar trees imported from Lebanon.

Events and Customs

Riddle-solving (חִידוֹת) was an important part of the wisdom tradition in the ancient Middle East. Solving riddles demonstrated not only intelligence but also divine wisdom and the ability to discern hidden truths. Such intellectual exchanges between kings were a diplomatic practice where each tested the other's worthiness as allies.

Gift exchange between monarchs was a formalized practice in the ancient Middle East, documented in texts such as the Amarna letters. The queen's gifts of 120 talents of gold (about 4 tons) and Solomon's return gifts "with royal generosity" established mutual obligation and alliance.

Key Terms

Almugim wood (עֲצֵי אַלְמֻגִּים) is difficult to identify with certainty. It may be red sandalwood or a type of juniper imported from Ophir. The tree was so rare that the text emphasizes that "such wood has never been seen since."

Shachut gold (זָהָב שָׁחוּט) means "hammered" or "stretched" gold—thin sheets of gold used to cover shields. These were ceremonial objects, not battle shields.

Shenhabim (שֶׁנְהַבִּים) is ivory, literally "elephant tooth." Along with apes (קֹפִים) and peacocks or baboons (תֻכִּיִּים), this indicates trade in exotic goods from Africa or India.

Chapter-Specific Findings

Archaeological discoveries from South Arabian cultures confirm the rich commercial activity described in the chapter. Sabaean inscriptions from the 900s to 700s BC document a well-organized kingdom with extensive trade in frankincense and myrrh along the "Incense Route." Excavations in Yemen have revealed monumental buildings and irrigation systems that testify to considerable wealth.

Regarding Solomon's wealth, archaeologists have found traces of copper mining in the Timna Valley and in Wadi Faynan in Jordan that may be linked to this period. Although the biblical description of 666 talents of gold annually (about 22 tons) is difficult to verify, archaeological findings confirm that the tenth century BC was a period of increased trade and wealth in the region.

Personer2

God1 Solomon11

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Nyckelord10

Solomon — A king of Israel, known for his wisdom and wealth, who ruled after King David.
The Queen of Sheba — A legendary queen from Sheba (an ancient kingdom in present-day Yemen and Ethiopia) who visited King Solomon to test his wisdom.
Gifts — Valuable items given as a sign of respect, honor, or friendship between two parties.
Wealth — An abundance of valuable resources, possessions, or money.
Wisdom — The ability to think and act with knowledge, experience, understanding, and sound judgment.
Temple — A holy place where people worship and honor God, often associated with prayer and sacrifice.
Ships — Large watercraft used for transporting goods and people across the sea.
Gold — A precious metal highly valued for its beauty and rarity, often used as currency, jewelry, and decoration.
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