1 Kings 10:1

“And the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, for the name of YHWH, and she came to test him with riddles.”
1 Kings 10:1 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

And the queenוּמַלְכַּתof Shebaשְׁבָאheardשֹׁמַעַתof the fameאֶת שֵׁמַעof Solomon,שְׁלֹמֹהfor the nameלְשֵׁםof YHWH,יְהוָהand she cameוַתָּבֹאto test himלְנַסֹּתוֹwith riddles.בְּחִידוֹת

Allusion · Matthew 12:42

Go to Matthew 12:42

Both texts speak of the queen who came from far away to hear the wisdom of Solomon; 1 Kings 10 calls her the queen of Sheba.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

מַלְכַּתmalkatH4436βασίλισσαbasilissaG938“queen”
חָכְמַתjajmatH2451σοφίανsophianG4678“wisdom”
שְׁלֹמֹהshelomoH8010ΣολομῶνοςSolomōnosG4672“Solomon”
שֹׁמַעַתshomaatH8085ἀκοῦσαιakousaiG191“hear, listen”

Allusion · Luke 11:31

Go to Luke 11:31

Both texts speak of the queen who came from far away to hear the wisdom of Solomon; 1 Kings 10 calls her the queen of Sheba.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

מַלְכַּתmalkatH4436βασίλισσαbasilissaG938“queen”
חָכְמַתjajmatH2451σοφίανsophianG4678“wisdom”
שְׁלֹמֹהshelomoH8010ΣολομῶνοςSolomōnosG4672“Solomon”
שֹׁמַעַתshomaatH8085ἀκοῦσαιakousaiG191“hear, listen”

1 Kings 10:1, word by word

And the queenמַלְכַּתmalkat

queen

Queen: a woman who reigns or the chief wife of a king. It is said of the queen of Sheba and of the queens in the book of Esther.

Where else “malkat” appears

of Shebaשְׁבָאsheva

Sheba

Sheba, the name of several men and of a region in southern Arabia known for its trade (the queen of Sheba, 1 Kings 10).

Where else “sheva” appears

heardשֹׁמַעַתshomaat

hear

To hear a sound, or learn of something.

Where else “shomaat” appears

of the fameשֵׁמַעshema

report

What is heard about someone.

Where else “shema” appears

of Solomonשְׁלֹמֹהshelomo

Solomon

Solomon: son of David and Bathsheba, who reigned after him and built the temple. His name comes from "peace" (shalom).

Where else “shelomo” appears

for the nameשֵׁםshem

name of YHWH

YHWH's name: himself, as he makes himself known.

Where else “shem” appears

of YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears

and she cameתָּבֹאtavo

come

To come, arrive: "days are coming".

Where else “tavo” appears

to test himנַסֹּתnasot

test

To put someone in a situation to see how he responds and what is within him.

Where else “nasot” appears

with riddlesחִידוֹתchidot

riddle

Riddle: an obscure saying that must be worked out; a puzzle.

Where else “chidot” appears

Translation note

“For the name of YHWH”: so the Hebrew says; it can be understood that Solomon’s fame was joined to the name of his Elohim. Jesus recalls this visit in Matthew 12:42.

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

The queen of Sheba

2 Chronicles 9:1-12

See them side by side

1 Kings 10:1-13

¹And the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, for the name of YHWH, and she came to test him with riddles. ²And she came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, camels carrying spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and she came to Solomon and spoke to him all that was in her heart. ³And Solomon explained to her all her words; there was not a word hidden from the king that he did not explain to her. ⁴And the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, ⁵and the food of his table, and the seating of his servants, and the station of his attendants and their clothing, and his cupbearers, and his burnt offering that he offered at the house of YHWH; and there was no more spirit in her. ⁶And she said to the king, “True was the word that I heard in my land about your words and about your wisdom. ⁷But I did not believe the words until I came and my eyes saw; and look, not even the half was told me; you have added wisdom and good to the report that I heard. ⁸Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, who stand before you continually, who hear your wisdom! ⁹May YHWH your Elohim be blessed, who took pleasure in you to set you on the throne of Israel; through the love of YHWH for Israel forever, he has set you as king, to do justice and righteousness.” ¹⁰And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and very many spices, and precious stones; never again came such spices in abundance as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. ¹¹And also the ships of Hiram, which carried gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir very much almug wood and precious stones. ¹²And the king made of the almug wood railings for the house of YHWH and for the house of the king, and lyres and harps for the singers; no such almug wood has come or been seen to this day. ¹³And King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all her pleasure, whatever she asked, besides what he gave her according to the hand of King Solomon. And she turned and went to her land, she and her servants.

2 Chronicles 9:1-12

¹The queen of Sheba heard the fame of Solomon, and she came to test Solomon with riddles in Jerusalem, with a very great retinue and camels carrying spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones; she came to Solomon and spoke with him all that was on her heart. ²Solomon explained to her all her words; and there was no word hidden from Solomon that he did not explain to her. ³The queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, ⁴the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the station of his attendants and their clothing, his cupbearers and their clothing, and his ascent by which he went up to the house of YHWH; and there was no more spirit in her. ⁵She said to the king, “True was the word that I heard in my land about your words and about your wisdom. ⁶But I did not believe their words until I came and my eyes saw; and look, not half of the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have added to the report that I heard. ⁷Happy are your men, and happy are these servants of yours who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom! ⁸Blessed be YHWH your Elohim, who delighted in you to set you on his throne as king for YHWH your Elohim! Because of the love of your Elohim for Israel, to keep it firm forever, he has set you over them as king, to do justice and righteousness.” ⁹She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in very great abundance, and precious stones; there were no spices like those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. ¹⁰Also the servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum wood and precious stones. ¹¹The king made of the algum wood causeways for the house of YHWH and for the house of the king, and lyres and harps for the singers; none like them had been seen before in the land of Judah. ¹²King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her wish, whatever she asked, besides what she had brought to the king. Then she turned and went to her land, she and her servants.

The context

1 · This verse (above)

2And she came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, camels carrying spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and she came to Solomon and spoke to him all that was in her heart.

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