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| 1 And the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon in connection with the name of Jehovah, and came to prove 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 came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bore spices and gold in very great abundance, and precious stones; and she came to Solomon, and spoke to him of all that was in 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 explained to her all she spoke of: there was not a thing hidden from the king that he did not explain to her. |
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| 4 And when the queen of Sheba saw all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, |
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| 5 and the food of his table, and the deportment of his servants, and the order of service of his attendants, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up to the house of Jehovah, there was no more spirit in her. |
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 said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thine affairs, and of thy wisdom; |
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| 7 but I gave no credit to the words, until I came and mine eyes had seen; and behold, the half was not told me: in wisdom and prosperity thou exceedest 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 Happy are thy men! happy are these thy servants, who stand continually before thee, who hear thy wisdom! |
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| 9 Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel! Because Jehovah loves Israel for ever, therefore did he make thee king, to do judgment and justice. |
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| 10 And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in very great abundance, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as those which 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 the fleet also of Hiram, which carried gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir sandal-wood in very great abundance, and precious stones.
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| 12 And the king made of the sandal-wood a balustrade for the house of Jehovah, and for the king's house, and harps and lutes for the singers. There came no such sandal-wood, nor was there seen to this day.) |
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| 13 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides what he gave her of the bounty of king Solomon. And she turned and went to her own 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 gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-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 besides what came by the dealers, and by the traffic of the merchants, and by all the kings of Arabia, and by the governors of the country. |
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| 16 And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold, --he applied six hundred shekels of gold to one target; |
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| 17 and three hundred shields of beaten gold, --he applied three minas of gold to one shield; and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. |
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| 18 And the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with refined gold: |
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| 19 the throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was rounded behind; and there were arms on each side at the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the arms; |
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| 20 and twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom. |
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| 21 And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of precious gold: none were of silver, which was not of the least account in the days of Solomon. |
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| 22 For the king had on the sea a Tarshish-fleet, with the fleet of Hiram: once in three years came the Tarshish-fleet, bringing gold and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. |
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| 23 And king Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in 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 sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. |
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| 25 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and clothing, and armour, and spices, horses and mules, a rate year by year. |
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| 26 And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; and he had a thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; and he placed them in the chariot-cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. |
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| 27 And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he as the sycamores that are in the lowland 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 exportation of horses that Solomon had was from Egypt: a caravan of the king's merchants fetched a drove of horses, at a price. |
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| 29 And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty; and so they brought them by their means, for all the kings of the Hittites and for the kings of Syria. |
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