1 Kings 10:2

And she came to Jerusalem [a great undertaking in those days. Our Lord lays stress on this long journey, ἐκ τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς , Matthew 12:42 ; Luke 11:31 ] with a very great train [Heb. with a very heavy force or host ( חַיִל ). Thenius understands the words of an armed escort, which may well have been necessary considering the countries through which she passed, and the treasures she carried. It would also be quite in the spirit of the age that the queen should be escorted by a band of her soldiers. But it is not so certain that this idea was in the historian's mind], with [not in Hebrews] camels [ 2 Chronicles 9:1 has " and camels." But the word is here explicative of the חַיִל preceding (Keil). It does not, however, decide against an armed force, as camels would be in any ease required. The camel was a familiar object to the Jews ( Exodus 9:3 ; Le Exodus 11:4 ; Deuteronomy 14:7 , etc.); but such a procession as this would create great astonishment in Jerusalem, and we may imagine how the people would line the bazaars as she passed, and the acclamations with which they would greet the queen (cf. 1:40; Matthew 21:9 ) and her swart attendants] that bare spices [Heb. balsams ; hence spices generally; LXX . ἡδύσματα . Exodus 25:6 ; Exodus 35:28 ; Ezekiel 27:22 . The perfumes of Arabia are proverbial (see Herod. 3:107-113), and Yemen is the chief spice country. It is quite possible, however, that much of the "gold of Arabia" came to its emporiums from other lands. This particular present was doubtless brought by the queen because she had heard of the extensive use made of it by Solomon, and of the enormous quantities he required. "Strabo relates that the Sabeans were enormously wealthy, and used gold and silver in a most lavish manner in their furniture, their utensils, and even on the walls, doors, and roofs of their houses" (Rawlinson)] and precious stones [the onyx, emerald, and turquoise are still found in Arabia, and in former times the variety was apparently much greater (Plin; Nat. Hist. 37.)]; and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of [Heb. spake to him ] all that was in her heart. [The words are not to be restricted, as by Keil, to riddles. There may well have been, as the earlier interpreters supposed, religious discourse —gravissimas et sacras quaestiones .