1 Kings 10:2

1Ki 10:2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

Ver. 2. That bare spices, and very much gold and precious stones.] These were the commodities of her country; with all which, together with the pleasures of her court, she freely parted, for the love of divine learning. Yea, she could have been content to change her throne for Solomon’s footstool. Josephus telleth us, that besides what is here mentioned, she gave Solomon the root of precious balsam, which the wicked queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, afterwards took away.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ki_10:2

She came to Jerusalem with . . . camels that bare spices.

A gospel of sweet spices

1. All theologians agree in making Solomon a type of Christ, and in making the Queen of Sheba a type of every truth-seeker; and I will take the responsibility of saying that all the spikenard, and cassia, and frankincense which the Queen of Sheba brought to King Solomon is mightily suggestive of the sweet spices of our holy religion. Christianity is not a collection of sharp technicalities, and angular facts, and chronological tables, and.dry statistics. Our religion is compared to frankincense and to cassia, but never to nightshade. It is a bundle of myrrh. It is a dash of holy light. It is a sparkle of cool fountains. It is an opening of opaline gates. It is a collection of spices. Would God that we were as wise in taking spices to our Divine King as Queen Balkis was wise in taking the spices to the earthly Solomon.

2. We need to put more spice and enlivenment in our religious teaching; whether it be in the prayer-meeting, or in the Sunday school, or in the church. We ministers need more fresh air and sunshine in our lungs, and our heart, and our head. Do you wonder that the world is so far from being converted when you find so little vivacity in the pulpit.and in the pew? We want, like the Lord, to plant in our sermons and exhortations more lilies of the field. In other words, we want more cinnamon and less gristle. Let this be so in all the different departments of work to which the Lord tails us. Let us be plain. Let us be earnest. When we talk to the people in a vernacular they can understand, they will be very glad to come and receive the truth we present. Would to God that Queen Balkis would drive her spice-laden dromedaries into all our sermons and prayer-meeting exhortations.

3. More than that, we want more life and spice in our Christian work. The poor do not want so much to be groaned over as sung to. With the bread and medicines and garments you give them, let there be an accompaniment of smiles and brisk encouragement.

4. Religion is sweetness and perfume, and spikenard, and saffron, and cinnamon, and cassia, and frankincense, and all sweet spices together. Just put it on the stand beside the pillow of sickness. It catches in the curtains and perfumes the stifling air. It sweetens the cup of bitter medicine, and throws a glow on the gloom of the turned lattice. It is a balm for the aching side, and soft bandage for the temple stung with pain. It lifted Samuel Rutherford into a revelry of spiritual delight, while he was in physical agonies. It helped Richard Baxter until, in the midst of such a complication of diseases as perhaps no other man ever suffered, he wrote The Saints Everlasting Rest. And it poured light upon John Bunyans dungeon,--the light of the shining gate of the shining city. And it is good for rheumatism, and for neuralgia, and for low spirits, and for consumption; it is the catholicon for all disorders. Yes, it will heal all your sorrows. Some one could not understand why an old German Christian scholar used to be always so calm, and happy, and hopeful, when he had so many trials, and sicknesses, and ailments. A man secreted himself in the house. He said, I mean to watch this old scholar and Christian; and he saw the old Christian man go to his room and sit down on the chair beside the stand, and open the Bible and begin to read. He read on and on, chapter after chapter, hour after hour, until his face was all aglow with the tidings from Heaven, and when the clock struck twelve, he arose, and Shut his Bible, and said, Blessed Lord, we are on the same old terms yet. Good-night. Good-night. (T. De Witt Talmage, D. D.)

She communed with him of all that was in her heart.--

Heart-communing

I. We ought to commune with Jesus of all that is in our heart.

1. Tell Jesus all that is in your heart, for neglect of intercourse with Christ, of the most intimate kind, is ungenerous towards him.

2. And we must tell him all that is in our heart, because to conceal anything from so true a friend betrays the sad fact that there is something wrong to be concealed.

3. If we cannot tell Jesus all that is in our heart, it shows a want of confidence in His love, or His sympathy, or His wisdom, or His power.

4. I am quite certain that if you will carry out the plan I am commending to you, it will bring you great ease of mind; whereas, if you do not, you will continue to have much uneasiness.

5. If you do not come to Jesus and commune with Him of all that is in your heart, you will lose His counsel and help, and the comfort that comes from them.

6. Sometimes our habit of reticence towards Jesus is aggravated by our eagerness to tell our troubles to others. In the time of trial we often imitate King Asa, who, when he was sick, sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians.

II. We need not cease communing with Christ for want of topics.

1. There are, first, your sorrows.

2. Then, also, tell him your joys, for He can have aa much true fellowship with the joyous as with the sad.

3. You may also go to Jesus and tell Him all about your service.

4. Then, next, go and tell Jesus all your plans

5. When you have any successes, go and tell Him. The seventy disciples returned to Jesus with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy name.

6. And when you have any failures,--when your hopes are disappointed,--go and tell it all to Jesus.

7. Tell Him all your desires. If thou desirest anything that thou oughtest to desire, and mayest desire, let Him know it. Tell Him also all your fears. Tell Him that you are afraid of falling.

8. Tell Him all your loves.

III. We shall never cease communing with Christ for want of reasons.

1. For, first, it is most ennobling to have fellowship with the Son of God; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

2. It is also highly beneficial to commune with Christ.

3. How consoling it is to do this! You forget your griefs while you commune with Him. How sanctifying it is! A man cannot take delight in sin while he walks with Christ. How delightful it is, too, to commune with Jesus! There is no other joy that is at all comparable with it, and it prepares us for the higher joys above. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ki 10:2-3. She communed with him of all that was in her heart — Of all the doubts and difficulties wherewith her mind was perplexed. She had liberty to propound whatsoever she desired to be resolved about. Solomon told her all her questions — Answered them to her satisfaction. There was not any thing — which he told her not — There was nothing concerning which she inquired, however difficult, which be did not reveal to her.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10:2 The queen of Sheba arrived as royalty, with a large entourage and camels loaded with precious commodities. This was a high-level meeting, as demonstrated by Solomon’s generous gifts to her (10:13).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels--A long train of those beasts of burden forms the common way of travelling in Arabia; and the presents specified consist of the native produce of that country. Of course, a royal equipage would be larger and more imposing than an ordinary caravan.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 2. She came to Jerusalem with - spices, c.] Those who contend that she was queen of the Sabaeans, a people of Arabia Felix, towards the southern extremity of the Red Sea, find several proofs of their opinion:

1. That the Sabaeans abounded in riches and spices.

India mittit ebur, molles sua thura Sabaei

"India furnishes ivory, and the effeminate

Sabaeans their frankincense."

VIRG. Geor. i., ver. 57.

And again: -

Divisae arboribus patriae: sola India nigrum

Fert ebenum solis est thurea virga Sabaeis.

Geor. ii., ver. 116.

All sorts of trees their several countries know:

Black ebon only will in India grow;

And odorous frankincense on the Sabaean bough.

DRYDEN.

______ Ubi templum illi centumque Sabaeo

Thure calent arae.

Where to her fame a hundred altars rise,

And pour Sabaean odours to the skies.

PLINY (Hist. Nat. lib. xii., c. 17) observes,

Non alia ligni genera in usu sunt quam odorata; cibosque Sabaei coquunt thuris ligno; alii myrrhae.

"The Sabaeans use odorous wood only, and even use the incense tree and myrrh to cook their victuals."

2. All ancient authors speak, not only of their odoriferous woods, but of their rich gold and silver mines, and of their precious stones. See Pliny, Hist. Nat. lib. xxxvii., c. 6, &c.

3. It is also well known that the Sabaeans had queens for their sovereigns, and not kings. So Claudian, in Eutrop. lib. i.

_____ Medis levibusque Sabaeis

Imperat hic sexus, reginarumque sub armis

Barbariae pars magna jacet.

By this is meant, says Mr. Bruce, the country between the tropic and mountains of Abyssinia, the country of shepherds, from berber, a shepherd. And he contends that these Sabaeans were a distinct people from the Ethiopians and the Arabs, and that SABA was a distinct state.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(2) Spices.—The “spices” of Arabia were famous in all ages. Sheba is mentioned in Eze_27:22 as trafficking with Tyre “in chief of all spices, and precious stones, and gold.” The spices of “the incensebearing sands” of Arabia are constantly dwelt upon both in Greek and Roman literature. Frankincense especially was imported from Arabia into Palestine (see Isa_60:6; Jer_6:20), although now it comes chiefly from India. Myrrh also was in ancient times drawn chiefly from Arabia. Cassia is a product of Arabia and India. Of all spices, the frankincense for sacrifice and the myrrh for embalming the dead would be most in request.

Gold, and precious stones.—These may have been native products of Sheba, or have been brought from the farther East. Gold is not now known to exist in Arabia, nor any precious stones except the onyx and the emerald. But in ancient times it was commonly believed to produce both gold and precious stones largely.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. spices] For which Arabia has always been famous.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train,.... With many of her courtiers and principal men, as well as with a large retinue of servants:

with camels that bare spices; her country abounded both with camels and spices; See Gill on Isa 60:6; see Gill on Jer 6:20, and as Pliny (f) observes, who says their spices used to be carried on camels, particularly frankincense, for which Sheba was famous, and is therefore called by him "regio thurifera", the frankincense country (g), being to be had nowhere else; and Strabo (h) speaks of "cinamon, cassia", and other spices here in such plenty, that the inhabitants burnt the wood of them for fuel; and Diodorus Siculus (i) represents this country as exceeding odoriferous, and as having besides the above spices, balsam, myrrh, calamus, costus, and others, in such abundance that they heated their ovens with them:

and very much gold; see Kg1 10:10, the gold of Sheba is spoken of in Psa 72:15 and Pliny (k) observes, that the Sabeans are exceeding rich, as in other things, so in gold; and Diodorus Siculus (l) and Strabo (m) speak of gold found here in large lumps, very pure, and of a fine colour:

and precious stones; as crystals, emeralds, beryls, and chrysolites, mentioned by Diodorus (n) as in those parts; and a late traveller says (o), that Arabia Felix abounds with balsam, myrrh, cassia, manna, dates, gold, frankincense, and pearl:

and when she was come to Solomon; unto his palace, and admitted into his presence:

she communed with him of all that was in her heart; which she had in her mind to discourse with him about, and which she had laid up in her memory for that purpose; and some things which she had kept to herself, and had never imparted to any before, as some think; all which she had full liberty from Solomon to propound unto him.

(f) Nat. Hist. l. 12. c. 14. (g) Ibid. "----Molles sua thura Sabaei", Virg. Georg l. 1. v. 57. & l. 2. v. 117. Thurilegos Arabes, Ovid. Fast. l. 4. Vid. Plant. Trinum. Act. 4. Sc. 2. v. 89. (h) Geograph. l. 16. p. 535. (i) Bibliothec. l. 2. p. 132. (k) Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 28. (l) Ut supra, (Bibliothec. l. 2.) p. 133. l. 3. p. 181. (m) Ut supra. (Geograph. l. 16. p. 535.) (n) Ut supra, (Bibliothec. l. 2.) p. 134. & l. 3. p. 181. (o) Ovington's Voyage to Surat, p. 421.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

See 1Ki 10:10 note.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

i.e. Of all the doubts and difficulties wherewith her mind was perplexed.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. With a very great train — Such as corresponded with her position and power.

Spices… gold… precious stones — The products of her land.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And she came to Jerusalem a great undertaking in those days. Our Lord lays stress on this long journey, ejk twn peratwn thv ghv, Mat_12:42; Luk_11:31 with a very great train Heb. with a very heavy force or host (lyij). Thenius understands the words of an armed escort, which may well have been necessary considering the countries through which she passed, and the treasures she carried. It would also be quite in the spirit of the age that the queen should be escorted by a band of her soldiers. But it is not so certain that this idea was in the historian"s mind, with not in Hebrews camels 2Ch_9:1 has and camels." But the word is here explicative of the lyij preceding (Keil).

It does not, however, decide against an armed force, as camels would be in any ease required. The camel was a familiar object to the Jews (Exodus Lev_11:4; Deu_14:7, etc.) but such a procession as this would create great astonishment in Jerusalem, and we may imagine how the people would line the bazaars as she passed, and the acclamations with which they would greet the queen (cf. 1Ki_1:40; Mat_21:9) and her swart attendants that bare spices Heb. balsams; hence spices generally; LXX hJdusmata. Exo_25:6 Exo_35:28; Eze_27:22. The perfumes of Arabia are proverbial (see Heb 3:107-113), and Yemen is the chief spice country (Dict. Bib. 1. p. 91), and very much gold Psa_72:15. Gold is not now found in Arabia, nor are there any traces of gold mines; but Strabo and Diodorus both state that it was found there, and, according to the latter, in nuggets of considerable size (Dict. Bib. 1. p. 707). It is quite possible, however, that much of the "gold of Arabia" came to its emporiums from other lands. This particular present was doubtless brought by the queen because she had heard of the extensive use made of it by Solomon, and of the enormous quantities he required. "Strabo relates that the Sabeans were enormously wealthy, and used gold and silver in a most lavish manner in their furniture, their utensils, and even on the walls, doors, and roofs of their houses" (Rawlinson) and precious stones the onyx, emerald, and turquoise are still found in Arabia, and in former times the variety was apparently much greater (Plin., Nat. Hist. 37.); and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of Heb. spake to him all that was in her heart. The words are not to be restricted, as by Keil, to riddles. There may well have been, as the earlier interpreters supposed, religious discourse gravissimas et sacras quaestiones .

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

All her heart - Of all the doubts and difficulties wherewith her mind was perplexed.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.