“King Shlomo gave the queen of Sh’va everything she wanted, whatever she asked, in addition to the presents he gave her on his own initiative. After this, she returned and went back to her own country, she and her servants.” – 1 Kings 10:13
As the Queen of Saba prepares to depart, she gifts Solomon with approximately four tons of gold, and enough spices and gemstones to feed half of China.
What’s interesting is we’re told Solomon returned the favor in full measure.
What’s going on here is a kind of oriental dance.
According to the culture of the time, Solomon had to reciprocate by giving the Queen of Saba gifts of equal value in return for what he received.
Otherwise, it would have been greatly offensive to the Queen.
To be clear, this was not an alliance being made here.
Alliances were established via marriage, not expensive gift exchanges.
Now, what’s up with the mention of Hiram and his ships?
Did he actually own a whole fleet of ships that he sailed up and down the Red Sea?
To follow one commentator’s lead, this was just part of the business deal between Solomon and Hiram.
Hiram supplied workers and materials to build Solomon’s ships at Eilat.
In return, Solomon paid him back in ships.
Some academic homies have suggested that Hiram took his ships apart on the Mediterranean side, hauled the pieces over land to Eilat, and then put the humpty dumpties back together again.
I dunno about that.
Dragging a fleet across the desert piece by piece?
I doubt it.
Now, there’s something interesting the Jewish sages point out.
The Queen of Saba came to Solomon seeking wisdom.
She got it alright.
In spades!
But it wasn’t just wisdom she attained.
She also gained firsthand knowledge of the wonders of the God of Israel.
Yet, what did she and her entourage do with that knowledge?
The answer is exactly NOTHING.
We don’t read of any conversions taking place.
Queen Saba and her crew returned home to their heathen ways and idolatry.
And that’s your takeaway for today.
How many people, feeling lonely and empty, step into a church…
Experience the love and wisdom of God as the Queen of Saba did.
But then as soon as they get back home…
It’s right back to the internet porn…
Or booze…
Or whatever else they rely on to get through life.
The lesson here is that exposure to God’s wisdom is cool and all.
But it’s what you do with that wisdom that ultimately counts.
Ya feel me?
I think you do.
Done.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.
And it happened, as he sowed,
that some seed fell by the wayside;
and the birds of the air came and devoured it.
Some fell on stony ground,
where it did not have much earth;
and immediately it sprang up
because it had no depth of earth.
But when the sun was up it was scorched,
and because it had no root it withered away.
And some seed fell among thorns;
and the thorns grew up and choked it,
and it yielded no crop.
But other seed fell on good ground
and yielded a crop that sprang up,
increased and produced:
some thirtyfold, some sixty,
and some a hundred.”
– Mark 4:3-8
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