2Chronicles 9:1 ¶ And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
2Chronicles 9:2 And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not.
This chapter starts with a record of the visit from the Queen of Sheba. Easton’s Dictionary defines Sheba as follows: “Sheba, in fact, was Saba in Southern Arabia, the Sabaeans of classical geography, who carried on the trade in spices with the other peoples of the ancient world. They were Semites, speaking one of the two main dialects of Himyaritic or South Arabic. Sheba had become a monarchy before the days of Solomon. Its queen brought him gold, spices, and precious stones (1 Kings 10:1-13). She is called by our Lord the ‘queen of the south’ (Matt. 12:42).”
The NIV Commentary provides more insight about this location: “It is the best-watered and most fertile area of Arabia. By employing an extensive irrigation system, it developed a strong agricultural economy. But its chief strength lay in its being a center of trade. Its location kept it fairly secure from the power struggles in the Fertile Crescent and at the same time enabled it to be a convenient trade depot for traffic involving Africa, India, and the Mediterranean countries. It was famous for its trade in perfumes, incense, gold, and precious stones.”
I’ve heard it suggested that the area of southern Arabia now known as Yemen has been identified with Sheba.
This queen had evidently heard a lot about Solomon’s wealth and wisdom and decided to visit him herself to ascertain the truth of what she had heard. She traveled with a large caravan bringing gifts of spices and a great amount of gold and precious stones. She also came prepared with a list of hard questions to prove his wisdom. “Hard questions” is defined as referencing a puzzle or riddle. JFB explains: “The Orientals delight in this species of intellectual exercise and test wisdom by the power and readiness to solve them.”
When he received her, she shared with him all that was in her heart. He, in turn, answered all her questions; he held nothing back and answered every question thoroughly.
2Chronicles 9:3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,
2Chronicles 9:4 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.
The queen was overwhelmed after witnessing his wisdom, his palace, the bounty of his table, the comportment and dress of his servants, administrative ministers and cupbearers, and the great burnt offerings (from the Hebrew for “ascent”) he made at the house of the LORD.
2Chronicles 9:5 And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom:
2Chronicles 9:6 Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.
2Chronicles 9:7 Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.
2Chronicles 9:8 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.
2Chronicles 9:9 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon.
The Queen of Sheba declared to Solomon that everything she had heard about him was true. She admitted that she did not believe it until she had witnessed it first hand. She revealed that what she had heard had not done justice by half to the truth that she had witnessed. She noted that those who served him were quite blessed to benefit from his wisdom.
The queen then pronounced a blessing on the “LORD thy God” that had been pleased to place him on “His” throne and serve as “His” king. She declared that it was because of God’s love for Israel that He had established them as a kingdom forever and made Solomon king to rule over them with justice and righteousness.
This woman recognized what a blessing it was to serve such a good and wise king. We, as believers, are privileged to serve the best and wisest King. I think we sometimes lose sight of that blessing in light of the cares and distractions of this world.
Guzik made a great observation: “Jesus used the Queen of Sheba as an example of a seeker: The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. (Matthew 12:42) If the Queen of Sheba sought Solomon and the splendor of his kingdom so diligently, how much more should people today seek Jesus and the glory of His Kingdom. She will certainly also rise up in judgment with this generation.”
The queen gave Solomon a gift of 120 talents of gold as well as a great amount of spices and precious stones. The record in Kings clarifies that it was the abundance of spices that she gave that was so unique.
1 Kings 10:10 “…there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.”
The IVP Commentary quantifies the gold as “amounting to nearly eight thousand pounds (four tons).” As I looked for today’s dollar equivalent, the amounts varied by source; but it seems clear that it would be over $100,000,000.
Wiersbe notes that often one who lives surround by wealth faces the danger of beginning “to take our life and livelihood for granted; then, before long, we don’t value them at all. This can apply to spiritual treasures as well as material wealth."
2Chronicles 9:10 And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones.
2Chronicles 9:11 And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the LORD, and to the king’s palace, and harps and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.
2Chronicles 9:12 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants.
It is noted that in addition to the gold from the Queen of Sheba, the fleet of ships sent out by Hiram and Solomon brought back gold from Ophir, algum trees and precious stones. The king used the algum trees to make terraces to the temple and his palace and musical instruments for the singers at the temple. These types of instruments had never before been seen in the land of Judah; this is probably a reference to how the sound of the instrument is affected by the type of wood used to make it.
Solomon did not allow the queen’s generosity to go unreciprocated. Not only did he answer all her questions, he also gifted her from his own treasuries. She then returned to her own country.
Guzik notes: “According to tradition – fanciful stories, perhaps – the Queen of Sheba wanted a son by Solomon, and he obliged her. Her child was named Menilek, and he became the ancestor of all subsequent Ethiopian monarchs.”
I liked the following observation from Courson.
Solomon had wisdom from God. Jesus is the wisdom of God.
Solomon was a great king. Jesus is the King of kings.
Solomon spoke practically to his nation. Jesus spoke powerfully to all creation.
Solomon gave the queen all her heart desired. Jesus gives exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think.s
2Chronicles 9:13 ¶ Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold;
2Chronicles 9:14 Beside that which chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.
It is noted that Solomon received a tribute of 666 talents (22-25 tons) of gold each year. This didn’t even include what he received from merchantmen, the profit from trade with spice merchants, and the tribute from the kings of Arabia and governors throughout the land.
Guzik notes that this amount of gold would value just under $1,000,000,000,000 in 2015.
2Chronicles 9:15 And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target.
2Chronicles 9:16 And three hundred shields made he of beaten gold: three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
Solomon even used the gold to make targets (shields). He made 200 targets of beaten gold, using 600 shekels or 15 pounds of gold for each target. He also made 300 smaller targets of beaten gold, using 3 pounds of gold for each. He then put all the shields in “the house of the forest of Lebanon,” in the weapons depository.
The NIV Commentary notes: “These verses describe the ceremonial shields that Solomon kept in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. They were wood or basket-work, covered with gold plate instead of leather. The large shield was either oval or rectangular to cover the whole body. The small shield was carried by archers (2Ch 14:8). The weights per shield were about seven and one-half and three and three-fourths pounds respectively.”
2Chronicles 9:17 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.
2Chronicles 9:18 And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on each side of the sitting place, and two lions standing by the stays:
2Chronicles 9:19 And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom.
Solomon also made a large throne out of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. The throne had six steps ascending to it and a footstool made of gold, both of which were connected to the throne. Armrests were on each side of the seat, and two lions stood on each side of the armrests. A lion also stood on each side of the six steps. There was not another throne like it in any kingdom.
Gill makes this comment concerning the lions: They were “expressive of majesty, and of undaunted courage and resolution to do justice, and of the danger such expose themselves to, who oppose magistrates in the discharge of their office; and in which Solomon was a type of Christ, the lion of the tribe of Judah; and for the same reasons were the like portraits on the steps, as follows.”
2Chronicles 9:20 And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: none were of silver; it was not any thing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
2Chronicles 9:21 For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
All of the drinking cups used by Solomon were made of gold, and all of the utensils in the house of the forest of Lebanon were made of pure gold. Silver wasn’t used because it was not valued in the days of Solomon since gold was so abundant.
King Solomon sent his navy out with Hiram’s navy every three years to bring back gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks from Tarshish. No one can positively identify where Tarshish was located, but three years was allowed for each trip.
2Chronicles 9:22 And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
2Chronicles 9:23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart.
2Chronicles 9:24 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
2Chronicles 9:25 And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.
2Chronicles 9:26 And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.
The writer declares that Solomon far surpassed other earthly kings in both wealth and wisdom. People came from all over the world to hear wisdom from Solomon—wisdom that God had put in his heart. Every person that came brought a gift—vessels of silver, vessels of gold, clothing, armor, spices, horses, and mules. This continued from year to year.
The IVP Old Testament Commentary adds this note: “Typically a chariot team included three horses with only two being used at any one time and the third kept as a reserve. The three would be stabled together, so twelve thousand horses for four thousand pens is the correct proportion, indicating four thousand chariot teams.”
2Chronicles 9:27 And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the low plains in abundance.
Solomon’s actions caused silver to be no more valuable than stones and either planted and/or imported cedar trees so that they were as common as sycamore trees.
2Chronicles 9:28 And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all lands.
As wise as Solomon was, he was not smart enough to obey the LORD’s command regarding the possession of horses.
Deuteronomy 17:14–16 “When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me; Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose….But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.”
I would assume he reasoned to himself as many do today. Surely the LORD didn’t mean that for me. Times are different now. You can’t always take the LORD’s word literally. And he was just as wrong as those who choose to put their own spin on God’s word today.
2Chronicles 9:29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?
2Chronicles 9:30 And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.
2Chronicles 9:31 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
The Chronicler makes reference to other sources of information about Solomon—the book of Nathan the prophet, the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and the visions of Iddo the seer regarding Jeroboam the son of Nebat (who became ruler of the Northern Kingdom after its split).
The writer closes his account abruptly by noting that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over Israel for 40 years. He was buried in the city of David his father, and his son Rehoboam succeeded him to the throne.
The Chronicler carefully avoided any reference to Solomon’s sin in turning away from God in disobedience in his later years as recorded in 1 Kings. It would seem from the book of Ecclesiastes that he repented of his sin before his death.
2Chronicles 10:1 ¶ And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.
2Chronicles 10:2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.
2Chronicles 10:3 And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying,
The IVP Old Testament Commentary makes a statement on the date of these events. “The year of these events is pretty firmly established at 931 B.C.”
It seems that Shechem was the place chosen for all of Israel to accept and acknowledge Rehoboam as their new king. Guzik makes this observation: “All in all, it showed that Rehoboam was in a position of weakness, having to meet the ten northern tribes on their territory, instead of demanding that representatives come to Jerusalem.”
JFB adds this note: “Shechem lay thirty miles north of Jerusalem in Ephraim, on the border of Manasseh (Jos 17:7). It formed a center for the northern tribes and after this event became their first capital (1Ki 12:25).”
The Chronicler notes that Jeroboam, son of Nebat, had fled from Solomon and sought refuge in Egypt. Once his friends notified him in some way that Solomon was dead, he returned to Israel to take part in the gathering at Shechem. Jeroboam and all the people of Israel wanted to know one thing from Rehoboam before accepting him as their king.
The record in 1Kings provides more of the backstory to these events. It tells us that Solomon married many foreign wives, and they succeeded in turning his heart away from the LORD to follow after their “gods.” This made God angry, and He deemed it necessary to judge Solomon by taking much of the kingdom away from his son. The LORD told Solomon that He would not take action against him out of respect for how his father David had served Him.
1 Kings 11:11–13 “Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.”
The record in Kings also tells us that the LORD had chosen Jeroboam to be the ruler of the 10 tribes that would become known as the Northern Kingdom. Solomon found out about this in some way and sought to kill Jeroboam; so he fled to Egypt.
1 Kings 11:29–35 & 40 “And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field: And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father. Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes: But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes….Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.”
2Chronicles 10:4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.
2Chronicles 10:5 And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.
The people complained to Rehoboam that his father had ruled them with a heavy hand. They asked that he promise to ease their burden; if he did, they would agree to serve him. Rehoboam told them he would give them an answer after three days.
I would think that his response already signaled that he did not want to comply.
2Chronicles 10:6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?
2Chronicles 10:7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.
The new king sought the counsel of the older men that had served as advisors to his father. They told him that if he chose to show kindness to the people and give them an answer that pleased them, they would become his loyal servants.
Sadly, he didn’t even consider consulting God.
2Chronicles 10:8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.
2Chronicles 10:9 And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us?
2Chronicles 10:10 And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.
2Chronicles 10:11 For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
Solomon evidently didn’t like the answer of the older, more experienced men. He decided to seek the counsel of the young men with whom he had grown up and now were in his service. When he asked them how he should answer the people, they advised that he declare his intention to make their burdens even heavier. They suggested he show himself to be even more severe and demanding than his father.
This is obviously the advice that he wanted to hear. This is just another example of how even perceived power can corrupt a man’s thinking. He did not realize that he did not have the power and authority to enforce his decision, as we will see in the following verses.
Another good observation from Guzik: “This is a common phenomenon today - what some call advice shopping. The idea is that you keep asking different people for advice until you find someone who will tell you what you want to hear. This is an unwise and ungodly way to get counsel. It is better to have a few trusted counselors you will listen to even when they tell you what you don’t want to hear.”
2Chronicles 10:12 ¶ So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.
2Chronicles 10:13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,
2Chronicles 10:14 And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
2Chronicles 10:15 So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
Jeroboam and all the people returned on the third day to hear how the king would answer them. He chose to ignore the counsel of the older, wiser men and follow the advice of his peers. Rehoboam boldly declared that he would rule them much more harshly than had his father.
It’s significant to note that the Chronicler revealed that this all happened in accordance with God’s will, giving evidence that God is sovereign even as He works through the choices of men. He ensured that the prophecy declared by Ahijah (related in the verses from 1Kings 11 above) be fulfilled. I liked the way Spurgeon expressed it: “God is in events which are produced by the sin and the stupidity of men. This breaking up of the kingdom of Solomon into two parts was the result of Solomon’s sin and Rehoboam’s folly; yet God was in it: This thing is from me, saith the Lord. God had nothing to do with the sin or the folly, but in some way which we can never explain, in a mysterious way in which we are to believe without hesitation, God was in it all.”
This reminds me of a verse in Proverbs, a book of wise sayings credited to Solomon.
Proverbs 21:1 “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”
2Chronicles 10:16 And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents.
2Chronicles 10:17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
2Chronicles 10:18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
2Chronicles 10:19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
When the people heard the king’s answer, they basically declared that they refused to recognize Rehoboam as their king and went home. He was, however, able to maintain his ruling authority over those that lived in the cities of Judah.
Rehoboam obviously did not realize the consequences of his decision or understand the determination of the people. When he sent Hadoram, the supervisor over the forced labor required by the tribute, the people of Israel stoned him to death. When the king found out, he fled to Jerusalem in his chariot.
The Chronicler notes that the kingdom was still not unified at the time of his writing. The house of David only retained authority in Judah, the Southern Kingdom.
It should be noted that the focus of the Chronicler is on the kingdom of Judah (the Southern Kingdom) and the royal line of David. He will not have much to say about Israel (the Northern Kingdom).