Bible Strands
1 Kings 10:1
Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The narrator records the queen of Sheba arriving in Jerusalem after hearing about Solomon's reputation regarding the name of the LORD. She comes to confront Solomon directly with difficult questions to test his wisdom.
The words — The phrase u./mal.kat- she.Va' literally renders "and the queen of Sheba." The verb sho.Ma.'at conveys the active sense of "[was] hearing" the report or fame.
The thread — This event is later cited by Jesus as the Queen of the South rising at judgment to condemn her generation (Matthew 12:42; Luke 11:31). The name Sheba also appears in Genesis 10:28 as part of a genealogical line.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that genuine inquiry requires traveling to the source of wisdom. It asks readers to examine whether they pursue truth with the same deliberate action as the queen.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Matthew 12:42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now One greater than Solomon is here.
- Luke 11:31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now One greater than Solomon is here.
- Genesis 10:28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba,
- 2 Chronicles 9:1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon, she came to test him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. And she came to Solomon and spoke with him about all that was on her mind.
- Psalms 72:15 Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him; may they bless him all day long.
- Genesis 10:7 The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. And the sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.
- Genesis 25:3 Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were the Asshurites, the Letushites, and the Leummites.
- Judges 14:12 “Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can solve it for me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.
- 1 Kings 4:31 He was wiser than all men—wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and wiser than Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread throughout the surrounding nations.
- 1 Kings 4:34 So men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.