Strictly speaking, one could even say that the Queen's "riddles" are
not a Biblical question.
There are only two references in the Old Testament, and two references
in the New Testament describing the Queen of Sheba's visit to King
Solomon. The Old Testament says she came "to prove him with hard
questions", but none of the questions are mentioned. In the New
Testament, Jesus, in comparing himself to Solomon, praises "the Queen
of the South" for her determination.
Here is chapter and verse from the King James Version of the Bible,
online at the "Blue Letter Bible", a Biblical search engine:
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1 Kings Chapter 10, verses 1-10:
http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/tools/printer-friendly.pl?book=1Ki&chapter=10&startv=1&endv=10&version=kjv&Go.x=27&Go.y=10
1Ki 10:1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon
concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard
questions.
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.
1Ki 10:3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not [any]
thing hid from the king, which he told her not.
1Ki 10:4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom,
and the house that he had built,
1Ki 10:5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants,
and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his
cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the
LORD; there was no more spirit in her.
1Ki 10:6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard
in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.
1Ki 10:7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes
had seen [it]: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and
prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.
1Ki 10:8 Happy [are] thy men, happy [are] these thy servants, which
stand continually before thee, [and] that hear thy wisdom.
1Ki 10:9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set
thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever,
therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.
1Ki 10:10 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold,
and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no
more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave
to king Solomon.
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2 Chronicles Chapter 9, verses 1-12
http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/tools/printer-friendly.pl?book=2Ch&chapter=9&startv=1&endv=12&version=kjv&Go.x=23&Go.y=11
2Ch 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.
2Ch 9:2 And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing
hid from Solomon which he told her not.
2Ch 9:3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon,
and the house that he had built,
2Ch 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.
2Ch 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:
2Ch 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.
2Ch 9:7 Happy [are] thy men, and happy [are] these thy servants, which
stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.
2Ch 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.
2Ch 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.
2Ch 9:10 And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon,
which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious
stones.
2Ch 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.
2Ch 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.
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Matthew Chapter 12, Verse 42
http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/tools/printer-friendly.pl?book=Mat&chapter=12&startv=42&endv=&version=kjv&Go.x=30&Go.y=13
Mat 12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with
this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost
parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a
greater than Solomon [is] here.
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Luke Chapter 11, Verse 31
http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/tools/printer-friendly.pl?navigated=yes&book=Luk&chapter=011&startv=1&endv=177&version=kjv
Luk 11:31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with
the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the
utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold,
a greater than Solomon [is] here.
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Although the Old Testament book "Song of Songs" (aka the "Song of
Solomon") is widely regarded as a love poem from Solomon to the Queen,
she is not mentioned anywhere in it by name or title.
huntsman |
