A Queen Brings Gifts

A long line of camels sways across the desert, loaded with sacks of spices, bags of gold, and boxes of precious stones. At the front rides a queen, who has heard a rumour and is determined to find out if it is true.

Far to the south of Israel lies the land of Sheba, a rich kingdom famous for its spices and incense. News travels along the trade roads, and the queen of Sheba has heard about Solomon, the son of King David, now king in Jerusalem. People say God has given him astonishing wisdom. That he can answer any question. That his kingdom is peaceful and splendid. The Bible says she heard of his fame concerning the name of the Lord. And she decides to see for herself. Not by sending a messenger. She goes in person, with a very great company, on a journey that would have taken weeks.

She arrives in Jerusalem with camels carrying spices, a great deal of gold, and precious stones. And she comes to Solomon with hard questions, riddles and puzzles she has been saving, and she tells him everything that is on her heart. Solomon answers every one. There is nothing hidden from the king that he cannot explain to her. Then she looks around. She sees the house he has built. The food on his table. The seating of his officials. His servants and their clothing. His cupbearers. And the burnt offerings he offers at the house of the Lord. And the Bible says there was no more spirit in her. She was breathless.

She says to the king, “It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts and of your wisdom. But I did not believe the words until I came and my eyes had seen it. Look, the half was not told me! Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard.” Then she does something remarkable for a foreign queen. She praises Israel's God. “Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel. Because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore he made you king, to do justice and righteousness.” The queen sees that Solomon's wisdom is not just clever. It is a gift from God, given so that he can rule fairly.

Then come the gifts. She gives the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, a huge amount, and spices in great abundance, and precious stones. The Bible says there never again came such an abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. And Solomon gives back too. He gives her everything she asks for, besides gifts of his own royal generosity. Then she turns, and goes back to her own land, with her servants, her camels, and a story to tell.

Where was Sheba? Most historians link it with Saba, an ancient kingdom in what is now Yemen, in the south-west corner of Arabia. Saba grew rich from the trade in frankincense and myrrh, fragrant tree resins grown in southern Arabia and carried north by camel caravans to the lands around the Mediterranean. The spices the queen brought were exactly what her country was famous for.

A queen brings gifts. You can read it in First Kings chapter ten, verses one to thirteen. Centuries later the prophet Isaiah said that people from Sheba would come bringing gold and incense to praise the Lord. And Jesus himself mentioned this queen, saying she came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon, and that someone greater than Solomon was here. Christians remember her at Christmas, when other travellers from the east came with gold, frankincense and myrrh. So here is a question to carry with you. The queen travelled a long way to find wisdom and brought her best gifts. What would you travel for, and what would you bring?