1 Kings 10:1

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

Solomon Entertains a Queen When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וּמַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֗א שֹׁמַ֛עַת אֶת־שֵׁ֥מַע שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לְשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה וַתָּבֹ֥א לְנַסֹּת֖וֹ בְּחִידֽוֹת׃

Transliteration

And malkat-Sheba shomaʿat [was hearing] et-shemaʿ Shelomoh for shem YHWH; wa-tabo to nasoto with ḥidot.

Grammar Details

• *malkat*: construct state, feminine, singular - queen of
• *Sheba*: proper noun - Sheba
• *shomaʿat*: Qal participle, feminine, singular - hearing/having heard
• *et*: direct object marker
• *shemaʿ*: noun, masculine, singular construct - report/fame of
• *Shelomoh*: proper noun - Solomon
• *shem*: noun, masculine, singular construct - name/reputation of
• *YHWH*: proper noun - the LORD/Yahweh
• *wa-tabo*: Qal imperfect with waw consecutive, 3rd person feminine singular - and she came
• *nasoto*: Piel infinitive construct with 3rd masculine singular suffix - to test him
• *ḥidot*: noun, feminine plural - riddles/difficult questions

Word Meanings

• *shomaʿat*: hearing/having heard/was informed about
• *shemaʿ*: report/fame/reputation
• *shem*: name/reputation/renown
• *nasoto*: to test him/to prove him/to examine him

Referenced Verses

• Matt 12:42 : 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon– and now, something greater than Solomon is here!
• Luke 11:31 : 31 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon– and now, something greater than Solomon is here!
• Gen 10:7 : 7 The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.
• Gen 10:28 : 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba,
• Ps 72:10 : 10 The kings of Tarshish and the coastlands will offer gifts; the kings of Sheba and Seba will bring tribute.
• Ps 72:15 : 15 May he live! May they offer him gold from Sheba! May they continually pray for him! May they pronounce blessings on him all day long!
• Judg 14:12-14 : 12 Samson said to them,“I will give you a riddle. If you really can solve it during the seven days the party lasts, I will give you thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes. 13 But if you cannot solve it, you will give me thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes.” They said to him,“Let us hear your riddle.” 14 He said to them,“Out of the one who eats came something to eat; out of the strong one came something sweet.”They could not solve the riddle for three days.
• Isa 60:6 : 6 Camel caravans will cover your roads, young camels from Midian and Ephah. All the merchants of Sheba will come, bringing gold and incense and singing praises to the LORD.
• Jer 6:20 : 20 I take no delight when they offer up to me frankincense that comes from Sheba or sweet-smelling cane imported from a faraway land. I cannot accept the burnt offerings they bring me. I get no pleasure from the sacrifices they offer to me.’
• Ezek 27:22-23 : 22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah engaged in trade with you; they traded the best kinds of spices along with precious stones and gold for your products. 23 Haran, Kanneh, Eden, merchants from Sheba, Asshur, and Kilmad were your clients.
• Ezek 38:13 : 13 Sheba and Dedan and the traders of Tarshish with all its young warriors will say to you,“Have you come to loot? Have you assembled your armies to plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to haul away a great amount of spoils?”’
• 2 Chr 9:1-9 : 1 Solomon Entertains a Queen When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a great display of pomp, bringing with her camels carrying spices, a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind. 2 Solomon answered all her questions; there was no question too complex for the king. 3 When the queen of Sheba saw for herself Solomon’s wisdom, the palace he had built, 4 the food in his banquet hall, his servants and attendants in their robes, his cupbearers in their robes, and his burnt sacrifices which he presented in the LORD’s temple, she was amazed. 5 She said to the king,“The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight was true! 6 I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn’t hear even half the story! Your wisdom surpasses what was reported to me. 7 Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy! 8 May the LORD your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf! Because of your God’s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them, he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions.” 9 She gave the king 120 talents of gold and a very large quantity of spices and precious gems. The quantity of spices the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon has never been matched. 10 (Huram’s servants, aided by Solomon’s servants, brought gold from Ophir, as well as fine timber and precious gems. 11 With the timber the king made steps for the LORD’s temple and royal palace as well as stringed instruments for the musicians. No one had seen anything like them in the land of Judah prior to that.) 12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, more than what she had brought him. Then she left and returned to her homeland with her attendants.
• Ps 49:4 : 4 I will learn a song that imparts wisdom; I will then sing my insightful song to the accompaniment of a harp.
• Job 6:19 : 19 The caravans of Tema looked intently for these streams; the traveling merchants of Sheba hoped for them.
• Job 28:28 : 28 And he said to mankind,‘The fear of the LORD– that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
• John 17:3 : 3 Now this is eternal life– that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
• 1 Cor 1:20-21 : 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the expert in the Mosaic law? Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made the wisdom of the world foolish? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world by its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased to save those who believe by the foolishness of preaching.
• Matt 13:11 : 11 He replied,“You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but they have not.
• Matt 13:35 : 35 This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet:“I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.”
• Mark 4:34 : 34 He did not speak to them without a parable. But privately he explained everything to his own disciples.
• 1 Kgs 4:31 : 31 He was wiser than any man, including Ethan the Ezrahite or Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. He was famous in all the neighboring nations.
• 1 Kgs 4:34 : 34 People from all nations came to hear Solomon’s display of wisdom; they came from all the kings of the earth who heard about his wisdom.
• Gen 25:3 : 3 Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, Letushites, and Leummites.
• Prov 1:5-6 : 5 (Let the wise also hear and gain instruction, and let the discerning acquire guidance!) 6 To discern the meaning of a proverb and a parable, the sayings of the wise and their riddles.
• Prov 2:3-6 : 3 indeed, if you call out for discernment– shout loudly for understanding– 4 if you seek it like silver, and search for it like hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand how to fear the LORD, and you will discover knowledge about God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.