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Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon (Lucas de Heere)
Chapter 10: The Queen of Sheba's Visit and Solomon's Wealth
1 Kings 10:1-13 ~ The Queen of Sheba comes to Jerusalem
The land of the Queen of Sheba is believed to have been located at the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, in modern Yemen. The location permitted lucrative sea trade with both Africa and India. In addition, caravan trade was facilitated by the domestication of the camel, the only pack animal that could survive the long distances between water sources. Sabeans had reputations not only as traders but also as raiders (Job 1:15), and may have been descendants of Abraham through his second wife, Keturah (Gen 25:1-3).
Her testing of Solomon's wisdom by asking hard questions may have included riddles, like Samson's riddle at the wedding feast in Judges 14:12-14. The use of riddles at feasts and special occasions was very popular in the ancient world. Solomon's fame included his gift for proverbs and riddles. To know riddles or "dark sayings" was considered a mark of wisdom: The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel ... for teaching sound judgment to the simple, and knowledge and reflection to the young; for perceiving the meaning of proverbs and obscure sayings, the sayings of the sages and their riddles. Let the wise listen and learn yet more ... (Prov 1:1, 5-6 underlining added).
The Almug tree, also called red sandalwood, is a rare wood that was highly valued in antiquity and today. It is a scented wood with a distinctive wood grain which is why it was used for musical instruments, decorative architectural supports for the Temple, and the royal palace. It ancient palaces it was also used to make furniture. According to 2 Chronicles 2:7, the wood came from the Lebanon, but it also grows in India. Almug wood is mentioned in ancient Akkadian texts from the 3rd millennium BC.(1)
The exchange of gifts was probably part of concluding a successful trade agreement.
1 Kings 10:14-25 ~ King Solomon's wealth
The annual revenue Solomon received was probably from tribute collected from the Arabian tribal chieftains for passage of their caravans through Israeli controlled territory. Large tributes were not uncommon.
Solomon's revenues from taxes, tribute, and trade appears to be enormous. Exotic animals like apes and baboons were collected for royal zoos. That Solomon's riches surpassed all the kings of the earth is hyperbole, but expresses the concept that he was enormously wealthy and admired by neighboring kingdoms.
1 Kings 10:26-29 ~ King Solomon's chariots and cavalry
The expensive chariot from Egypt, costing about 15 pounds (c. 7 kilograms) of silver was probably a chariot only for Solomon's use for ceremonial occasions and the horse costing about 3 ¾ pounds of silver, was also probably for the king or a stallion to improve his herds of horses. Muzur may refer to Egypt or to a province in Cilicia. Cilicia was a territory along the southeastern coast of Asia Minor. It was the same region that was the home of St. Paul. Tarsus, Paul's hometown was located on the eastern plain of Cilicia.
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CHALLENGE: “Herod’s slaughter of Bethlehem’s baby boys (Matt. 2:16) is a myth. We have no historical record of this actually happening.”
DEFENSE: We do have a record of it, and the act is entirely in keeping with the character of Herod the Great.
The Gospel of Matthew is itself a record. It cannot simply be set aside on a “false until proven true” principle. Scholars do not reflexively reject what ancient sources say, particularly when it fits with known facts.
Although we don’t have a non-Christian record of this event, we would not expect to. Bethlehem was small (Micah 5:2), and in Jesus’ day its population was between 300 and 1,000. The number of males under two was likely no more than 25 to 30; perhaps no more than 6 or 7 (Paul Maier, “Herod and the Infants of Bethlehem,” 177–178, in Jerry Vardaman, ed., Chronos, Kairos, Christos II). Given the small scale of the event, most people outside of Bethlehem wouldn’t have been aware of it.
We don’t have any of Herod’s court records, and what knowledge we have of his acts is spotty, being principally derived from Josephus, who was born decades after Herod died. Although Josephus does briefly mention Jesus in a couple of passages, it is unlikely that he would have mentioned a small event like the slaughter of the innocents, if he was even aware of it.
Despite this, the story fits with what was known about Herod. During the latter part of his reign he became paranoid and obsessed with keeping power. He saw plots everywhere and consequently executed his favorite wife and three of his sons. Thus Caesar Augustus allegedly quipped, “It is better to be Herod’s pig than son” (Macrobius, Saturnalia 2:4:2)—the joke being that, as a Jew, Herod wouldn’t eat pork and his pig would be safe.
Herod is known to have ordered mass executions. As his own death approached, he had a large number of prominent men confined in a stadium and ordered that they be killed so every family would grieve upon his death (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 17:6:5–6).
Fortunately, this order was disobeyed when he died, but he was still alive when the slaughter of the innocents occurred, and that order was carried out. It is precisely what we would expect of Herod upon learning a baby was born who had a rival claim to the Jewish throne.
Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist
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