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For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.

² Chronicles ²Chronicles 8 ¹⁷Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and Elath on the coast of Edom. ¹⁸And Hiram sent him ships commanded by his own officers, men who knew the sea. These, with Solomon’s men, sailed to Ophir and brought back four hundred and fifty talents of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon. ²Chronicles 9 ¹When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan-with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones-she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind. ²Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. ³When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built, 4 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed. ⁵She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. ⁶But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. ⁷How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! ⁸Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the LORD your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.” ⁹Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 10 (The men of Hiram and the men of Solomon brought gold from Ophir; they also brought algumwood and precious stones. ¹¹The king used the algumwood to make steps for the temple of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen in Judah.) ¹²King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

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Solomon’s ambitions extended to developing trade routes with the help of a merchant fleet, which could sail the Mediterranean Sea and even beyond. His influence and fame continued to grow. Drawn by his reputation for wisdom and his celebrity status, the Queen of Sheba came to inspect, possibly as part of a trade delegation. Although she brought gifts to impress her host, for her nation also was wealthy, she was bowled over by what she heard and saw. Letting political correctness drop, she just told it as it was (9:6). The hard questions were not just riddles but probably dealt with complex diplomatic and ethical problems. The test was not a quiz show, but rather a way to gauge whether Solomon would be a trustworthy business partner and a reliable ally capable of giving help.

We often underestimate how important wisdom is for living and as a vehicle in mission. Sadly, commitment to faith can sometimes be associated with extreme views. This only confirms the opinion that Christians are religious obsessives. We need a thought-out godliness for a faith to live by. Wisdom is the ability to make sound judgments and decisions based on a deep understanding of God’s will and principles.

The queen’s testimony effectively sealed the reputation of Solomon’s reign and his right to the throne. It also brought honor to Solomon’s God. She recognized that where the leader is wise, all the people benefit, and good government is established. Their meeting, at a practical level, through the exchange of lavish gifts, was mutually beneficial. The Queen of Sheba’s gifts, together with the fruits of his expanded trading empire, enabled Solomon to complete the temple, both its furnishings and its musical capabilities. All that remained was for the nation to keep God at its center.

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