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| 1 And the queen of Sheba is hearing of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of Jehovah, and cometh to try him with enigmas, |
Queen of Sheba – Presumed to have been a Negress. In modern times the Emperor of Abyssinia claimed to be a descendant of Solomon by this Queen. R3043:1
A more-than-ordinarily brilliant woman. R2067:2
She came – From far-off southern Arabia, a journey of 1500 miles. R2067:2, R5722:1
Thus she put to shame the people of Israel who later disregarded the superior wisdom of Jesus, the greater than Solomon. PD44/53
At about the middle, or 20th year, of Solomon's reign, when he was in all his glory. R5722:1, R2067:2
Hard questions – Probably relating to the sciences, arts, wise government, and respecting God and the future life. R2067:2, R3284:5, R5722:4
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| 2 and she cometh to Jerusalem, with a very great company, camels bearing spices, and very much gold, and precious stone, and she cometh unto Solomon, and speaketh unto him all that hath been with her heart. |
She came – A journey of 1500 miles, to Jerusalem and back, consuming five months. R5722:1, R3284:2
Spices – From India. R2067:5
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| 3 And Solomon declareth to her all her matters there hath not been a thing hid from the king that he hath not declared to her. |
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| 4 And the queen of Sheba seeth all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he built, |
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| 5 and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the standing of his ministers, and their clothing, and his butlers, and his burnt-offering that he causeth to ascend in the house of Jehovah, and there hath not been in her any more spirit. |
His ascent – The corridor, or grand stairway, which led from his house to the Temple was a marvel of architecture. R3284:6, R5722:1
Spirit in her – It took her breath away. R3284:6
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| 6 And she saith unto the king, 'True hath been the word that I heard in my land, concerning thy matters and thy wisdom; |
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| 7 and I gave no credence to the words till that I have come, and my eyes see, and lo, it was not declared to me the half; thou hast added wisdom and goodness unto the report that I heard. |
I believed not – Reports of Solomon's greatness. R3284:2
Mine eyes have seen it – The appreciation of values depends much upon the eye. So the eyes of our understanding must be opened truly to appreciate spiritual things. PD44/53
Half was not told – Applies (though not as an antitype) to the Gospel Church. Once afar off, they come and confess that the half was never told them of the riches of divine grace in our Lord. R2068:4
"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath in reservation for them that love him." (1 Cor. 2:9) R3285:2
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| 8 O the happiness of thy men, O the happiness of thy servants these who are standing before thee continually, who are hearing thy wisdom! |
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| 9 Jehovah thy God is blessed who delighted in thee, to put thee on the throne of Israel; in Jehovah's loving Israel to the age He doth set thee for king, to do judgment and righteousness. |
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| 10 And she giveth to the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices very many, and precious stone; there came not like that spice any more for abundance that the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. |
120 talents of gold – Estimated at $3,000,000. R2067:5
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| 11 And also, the navy of Hiram that bore gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir almug-trees very many, and precious stone; |
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| 12 and the king maketh the almug-trees a support for the house of Jehovah, and for the house of the king, and harps and psalteries for singers; there have not come such almug-trees, nor have there been seen [such] unto this day. |
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| 13 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire that she asked, apart from that which he gave to her as a memorial of king Solomon, and she turneth and goeth to her land, she and her servants. |
All her desire – Richly rewarded by having her every inquiry answered and by seeing the Temple built to the glory of God. R2067:5
Of his royal bounty – It was a custom for kings and princes to give presents according to their wealth, and Solomon was no doubt more wealthy than the queen. R2067:6
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| 14 And the weight of the gold that hath come to Solomon in one year is six hundred sixty and six talents of gold, |
The weight of gold – King Solomon's annuity is supposed to have been more than ten million dollars. R4722:3
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| 15 apart from [that of] the tourists, and of the traffic of the merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the land. |
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| 16 And king Solomon maketh two hundred targets of alloyed gold six hundred of gold go up on the one target; |
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| 17 and three hundred shields of alloyed gold three pounds of gold go up on the one shield; and the king putteth them [in] the house of the forest of Lebanon. |
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| 18 And the king maketh a great throne of ivory, and overlayeth it with refined gold; |
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| 19 six steps hath the throne, and a round top [is] to the throne behind it, and hands [are] on this [side] and on that, unto the place of the sitting, and two lions are standing near the hands, |
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| 20 and twelve lions are standing there on the six steps, on this [side] and on that; it hath not been made so for any kingdom. |
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| 21 And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon [are] of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon [are] of refined gold there are none of silver; it was not reckoned in the days of Solomon for anything, |
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| 22 for a navy of Tarshish hath the king at sea with a navy of Hiram; once in three years cometh the navy of Tarshish, bearing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. |
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| 23 And king Solomon is greater than any of the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom, |
Solomon exceeded – In glory, attracting the wonder and admiration of the world. C244
Illustrates the tendencies of wisdom and riches to lead imperfect men away from God, the source of wisdom and riches. R4297:3
Solomon typified the Church glorified. PD44/53
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| 24 and all the earth is seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom that God hath put into his heart, |
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| 25 and they are bringing each his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, the matter of a year in a year. |
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| 26 And Solomon gathereth chariots, and horsemen, and he hath a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, and he placeth them in the cities of the chariot, and with the king in Jerusalem. |
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| 27 And the king maketh the silver in Jerusalem as stones, and the cedars he hath made as the sycamores that [are] in the low country, for abundance. |
Made silver ... as stones – The glitter of success held the nation loyal to him, notwithstanding the fact that it was achieved by oppressive measures. R2324:1
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| 28 And the outgoing of the horses that king Solomon hath [is] from Egypt, and from Keveh; merchants of the king take from Keveh at a price; |
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| 29 and a chariot cometh up and cometh out of Egypt for six hundred silverlings, and a horse for fifty and a hundred, and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Aram; by their hand they bring out. |
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