Bible Strands
1 Kings 10:4
When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator describes the queen of Sheba’s arrival at Jerusalem as she evaluates Solomon’s court to verify his reputation. She observes his intellectual responses and the physical infrastructure he has constructed for royal administration.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַתֵּרֵא (va-têrê) means "and she saw," denoting direct visual perception. It governs the phrase כָּל־חָכְמַת שְׁלֹמֹה (kol-chāḥmāt shəlōmōh), literally "all the wisdom of Solomon."
The thread — The text records this observation immediately after Solomon answers her difficult questions and before she surveys his court’s provisions. Scripture later connects this moment to God’s initial grant of Solomon’s insight in 1 Kings 4:29, the nation’s awe in 1 Kings 3:28, and the later New Testament citation in Matthew 12:42.
Why it lands — The passage first establishes that the queen’s judgment relies on direct visual evidence of wisdom in action. It requires the reader to assess spiritual authority by its tangible administration and public order rather than by claimed reputation.
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 had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built,
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.
- 1 Kings 3:28 When all Israel heard of the judgment the king had given, they stood in awe of him, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.
- 1 Kings 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom, exceedingly deep insight, and understanding beyond measure, like the sand on the seashore.
- 1 Kings 6:1 In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD.
- 2 Chronicles 9:3 When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built,
- Ecclesiastes 12:9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.