SUMMARY
By coming to Solomon’s court, the Queen of Sheba testifies to Solomon’s wealth and wisdomWisdom encompasses the qualities of experience, knowledge, and good judgment. The Old Testament book of Proverbs, which sometimes invokes a Woman as the personification of Wisdom, is a collection of aphorisms and moral teachings. Along with other biblical passages, it teaches, "The fear of the... More.
ANALYSIS
Sheba, present-day Yemen in southwest Arabia, was an important commercial center in this period controlling most of the trade routes in Arabia and eastern Africa. The queen was probably more interested in determining the extent of this new threat to her commercial enterprises than testing Solomon’s wisdom with “hard questions,” the usual Hebrew word for “riddles” (Judges 14:12; Ezekiel 17:2). Since understanding “the words of the wise and their riddles” is one of the goals of true wisdom (Proverbs 1:6, emphasis added), Solomon’s answers displayed his capable leadership. A short notice in the text, “there was nothing hidden from the king” (1 Kings 10:3b), shows the divine source of Solomon’s sagacious responses, and the queen’s breathless reaction to his mental proficiency resulted in praise of God (v. 9), trade agreements between the queen and SolomonThird king of Israel who was known for wisdom and building the first Temple. More as implied in her parting gifts, and yet more wealth for Solomon (v. 10).
It is important to note that the (unnamed) Queen of Sheba is one of the few women in the Hebrew Bible who has power and agency in her own right. She is not forced to resort to “feminine wiles” to influence the people around her. King Solomon relates to her as an equal, engaging with her in debate and discussion. He also honors her rule by offering her a royal gift (v. 13) that acknowledges her equivalent position as a ruling monarch.
