Bible Strands
1 Kings 10:2
She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones. And she came to Solomon and spoke to him all that was on her mind.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The queen of Sheba arrives in Jerusalem with a large retinue to meet King Solomon after hearing reports of his wisdom and the Lord’s name.
The words — גְּ֠מַלִּים [Ge.ma.lim] means camels, and נֹשְׂאִ֨ים [no.se.'Im] means carrying or bearing. These Hebrew terms describe the animals transporting the queen’s spices, gold, and precious stones.
The thread — The motif of a wealthy retinue appears in Acts 25:23, where Agrippa and Bernice enter with great pomp. The spices she brings parallel the fragrant incense and anointing oil prescribed in Exodus 25:6.
Why it lands — The verse records a foreign ruler arriving with material wealth to test a king’s wisdom. A reader must note the concrete transfer of earthly abundance before divine insight without assuming the test’s success or failure.
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 she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
Cross-references
- Acts 25:23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the auditorium, along with the commanders and leading men of the city. And Festus ordered that Paul be brought in.
- Genesis 18:33 When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, He departed, and Abraham returned home.
- Exodus 25:6 olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;
- 1 Kings 10:10 Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again were spices in such abundance brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
- 2 Kings 5:5 “Go now,” said the king of Aram, “and I will send you with a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman departed, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing.
- 2 Kings 5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house.
- 2 Kings 20:13 And Hezekiah received the envoys and showed them all that was in his treasure house—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oil, as well as his armory—all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his palace or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.
- Job 4:2 “If one ventures a word with you, will you be wearied? Yet who can keep from speaking?
- Psalms 4:4 Be angry, yet do not sin; on your bed, search your heart and be still. Selah
- Isaiah 60:6 Caravans of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah, and all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and frankincense and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.