Daily Tanach Tuesday Sefer Melachim 1 Chapter 10: The Queen of Sheba

* The article below is an excerpt from the above Sefer

1.      The Queen of Sheba meets King Shlomo:

  • The Queen of Sheba travels to King Solomon to test him with riddles: The Queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, and that he has been blessed with Divine wisdom. She therefore came to test him with riddles [to test if the rumor regarding his great wisdom is indeed true].
  • She arrives with many spices and gold and precious stones: She arrived to Jerusalem with a very large retinue. She came with camels that were carrying spices and a very large amount of gold and precious gems.
  • The Queen of Sheba has all of her queries answered by Shlomo: She spoke with King Solomon all that was on her heart. Shlomo answered all of her questions and there was nothing that was hidden from the king that he did not know to answer to her.
  • The Queen of Sheba praises Solomon: When the Queen of Sheba saw the great wisdom of Shlomo and the temple that he built, and the food of his table, and the seating of his servants, as well as their garments and beverages, as well as seeing how Shlomo would go up to the temple of G-d [from his palace[1]], she became breathless [stricken with shock and awe of the site]. She then sent to the king, “All that I have heard in my country of your great wisdom is true. Initially I did not want to believe it until I had seen it for myself with my own eyes, and I may now say that I was not even told half of the great wisdom that I have now seen. You have much more wisdom than what I was originally told. Fortunate are your men and fortunate are your servants who stand before you and hear your wisdom. Blessed be Hashem your G-d who desires you and placed you over the throne of Israel. As a result of G-d’s eternal love for the Jewish people he appointed you to be king over them to give justice and righteousness.”
  • The Queen of Sheba gives Shlomo gifts of spices and gold: She gave the king 120 Kikar of gold and a lot of spices and precious stones. There had never been such an abundance of spices that were given to King Shlomo as the Queen of Sheba had given him.

[1] Rashi 10:5

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