Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 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 forever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.
9. Blessed be the Lord thy God ] We need not suppose from the use of this language that the queen had become a convert to Judaism, any more than that Hiram was so from the words put into his mouth above in chap. 1Ki 5:7. It could not matter, in the mind of the heathen queen, whether she included one divinity more or less in the number of those she honoured. To her, Jehovah was for Israel what her own divinity was for her own people, the national god to whom the prosperity of the king and his subjects had been a special care.
to set thee on the throne of Israel ] In 2Ch 9:8 the sentence runs ‘to set thee on His throne, to be king for the Lord thy God.’ This turn of the sentence harmonizes entirely with the tone of the Chronicler, who views everywhere the king as Jehovah’s representative and vicegerent.
The LXX. expands the closing words of the verse, but not in such wise as to change the sense.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Blessed be the Lord thy God – This acknowledgment of Yahweh falls below the confessions of Hiram 2Ch 2:12 and Cyrus Ezr 1:3. It does not imply more than an admission of His power as a local deity; namely, that He is the God of the Jews and of their country.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
1Ki 10:9
Because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made He thee king.
Christ appointed King
The Queen of Sheba acknowledgeth and praiseth Jehovah, as the author of Solomons advancement. She observes, that it was an evidence of Gods special regard to him, that he was set on the throne of Israel, Gods peculiar people. And she further observes, that it was a token of Gods great and everlasting love to Israel, that so wise and pious a prince was set over them. With much more justice may these words be applied to our Lord Jesus Christ, whom God hath set as king, on His holy hill Zion. Let us see how the words are applicable to Christ, and what reason we have to bless God for so wise and gracious an appointment.
I. The designation or appointment of Christ to be head and king of the Church was an evident instance of Gods delight in Him. Thus a great honour was conferred upon the Son of God. It is an honour to be any way employed for God. In this view the work of Christian ministers is honourable, and it becomes them to magnify their office. It is an honour to the angels to be the ministers of God and do His pleasure. But signal honour was conferred upon Christ, in being invested with so great authority, exalted to so extensive a dominion, and having all things put under His feet. This was an evidence that He loved righteousness and hated iniquity, that God thus exalted Him.
II. The appointment of Christ to be King of the Church, is a remarkable instance of Gods love to man. Because He loved the world, He made Jesus Christ king, to do justice and judgment. It was an evidence of Gods love to men, that He appointed prophets and teachers to instruct and reclaim an ignorant, idolatrous, sinful world. But in proportion to the excellency of the persons commissioned to this work, will the Divine love and grace be apparent. It is a merciful scheme, to rescue the world from ignorance, superstition and vice; to erect a spiritual kingdom in it; to destroy the works of the devil, and to deliver men from the worst slavery. But to manifest His Son for this purpose, was an astonishing instance of mercy. The perfections of His nature, and especially His moral excellences, qualify Him for this work. (J. Orton.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Blessed be the Lord thy God; he deserves all blessing and praise, for delighting to honour and advance so worthy a person.
To set thee on the throne of Israel; for it was Gods special act to make him king rather than his elder brother.
To do judgment and justice, i.e. to execute just judgment among them, to govern them with right and equity. She tacitly admonisheth Solomon, that he was not made king that he might live in ease, and pleasure, and splendour, but for the good of his people.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. Blessed be the Lord thy God(Seeon 1Ki 5:7). It is quitepossible, as Jewish writers say, that this queen was converted,through Solomon’s influence, to the worship of the true God. Butthere is no record of her making any gift or offering in the temple.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Blessed be the Lord thy God,…. Of whom she might have better notions than when she came out of her own country:
which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel; loved him with a love of complacency and delight, was Jedidiah, as he called him, beloved of the Lord, and therefore he chose him and preferred him to be king before his elder brother:
because the Lord loved Israel for ever; to establish them as a kingdom for ever as they were, so long as obedient to him; see 2Ch 9:8,
therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice; not merely for the sake of honour and glory, much less to indulge to pleasure and luxury, and still less to oppression and tyranny; but to administer justice and judgment to the people, which is the principal end of government; see Ps 72:1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
9. Blessed be the Lord thy God The queen had learned much of Jehovah and of the history of Israel, and here expresses her reverence; but we have no credible evidence that she became a convert to the true worship of Jehovah. Her case in this respect was much like that of Hiram. See note on 1Ki 5:7.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“ Blessed be YHWH your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel. Because YHWH loved Israel for ever, therefore he made you king, to do justice and righteousness.”
She also expressed her full appreciation of YHWH Who had set him on the throne of Israel. But even her reference to YHWH almost made it sound as if it was YHWH Who was privileged to have been able to establish Solomon’s throne. He had chosen Solomon because out of His love for Israel because none could be found who compared with him. No doubt she had learned all about YHWH’s covenant with David, and His promise of an everlasting throne, and how YHWH required him to rule in justice and righteousness. Solomon was proud of all these facts, and would not have hesitated to have spoken of them. And kings in those days always gave due credit to their gods, while at the same time, of course, keeping some for themselves. So even her worship of YHWH was eclipsed by her appreciation of Solomon. How careful we have to be that we do not take away the glory from God.
1Ki 10:10
‘ And she gave the king a 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’
The Queen brought much gold, and large quantities of spices and precious stones (compare 1Ki 10:2). As she had accompanied the caravan she would not want it to come short in any particular. It had to reveal her own worth. It was thus much larger than usual, and beyond compare. She would, of course, expect to return to her country with reciprocal gifts of equal value (1Ki 10:13). But that went without saying.
For the one hundred and twenty talents of gold compare the 150 talents of gold was which extracted from Metten II of Tyre by Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria c. 730 BC. It is thus not an abnormal ‘present’, and may well have acknowledged treaty obligations.
1Ki 10:11
‘ And the navy also of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug-trees and precious stones.’
Meanwhile Solomon’s other trading avenues continued, and his ships as supplemented by Hiram, also brought in almug-trees and precious stones, as well as gold. The word ‘almug’ is found only here, but is witnessed to at Ugarit. It would appear to have been a particularly fine wood, as its use in musical instruments suggests. At Alalakh it appears to have been used to make fine furniture.
1Ki 10:12
‘ And the king made of the almug-trees pillars for the house of YHWH, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for the singers. There came no such almug-trees, nor were seen, to this day.’
Solomon’s importance was such that only the very best was sent to Solomon. The word for ‘pillars’ is obscure, but clearly refers to something, probably decorative, requiring particularly fine wood. The harps and psalteries (both stringed instruments) are a reminder of David’s prowess, and of the musical background to Temple worship (compare Amo 5:23), Such musical instruments were known at Ugarit, and going far back in time (Gen 4:21).
“To this day” again probably comes from the original source, but was taken over by the author.
1Ki 10:13
‘ And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides what Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.’
Having supplied her ‘gifts’ the Queen was now asked to provide details of what gifts she ‘desired’ in exchange, that being on top of his own magnificent gifts. And once that had been satisfactorily settled, the caravan was loaded up and she returned with her array of ministers and attendants to her own land, no doubt well satisfied with the outcome of her visit. There was nothing romantic about it. It had been a hard-headed business trip.
The description of all this is, of course, double-edged. On the one hand it reveals all the wealth that YHWH piled on Solomon, and the great ‘name’ that He had given him. But on the other it is all part of what so possessed Solomon’s interests that he forsook YHWH. It is doubtful if the prophet gave it full-hearted approval.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
1Ki 10:9. Blessed be the Lord, &c. That the government of the Jews was only a vice-royalty, may be inferred from this circumstance. The throne and kingdom of Judea is all along expressly declared to be God’s throne and God’s kingdom. Thus the queen of Sheba, who visited Solomon to be instructed in his wisdom, and who, doubtless, had been informed by him of the true nature of his kingdom, compliments him in these words: “Blessed be the Lord thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on his throne, to be king for the Lord thy God;” as it is read 2Ch 9:8.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
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.
Ver. 9. To set thee on the throne of Israel. ] Called the throne of God. 2Ch 9:8 The Church is called God’s throne of glory, Jer 14:21 and crown of glory. Isa 62:3 It was wont to be said, Anglia est regnum Dei. “The Lord is our King, he will save us.” Isa 33:22
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
delighted. See note on Num 14:8. 2Sa 15:26.
justice = righteousness.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Blessed: 1Ki 5:7, Psa 72:17-19
delighteth: Psa 18:19, Psa 22:8, Isa 42:1, Isa 62:4
because the: Deu 7:8, 1Ch 17:22, 2Ch 2:11
to do: 2Sa 8:15, 2Sa 23:3, Psa 72:2, Pro 8:15, Pro 8:16, Isa 9:7, Isa 11:4, Isa 11:5, Isa 32:1, Isa 32:2, Jer 23:5, Jer 23:6, Rom 13:3, Rom 13:4
Reciprocal: Num 14:8 – delight 2Sa 5:12 – his people 2Sa 15:26 – General 1Ki 2:24 – set me 2Ki 9:6 – over the people 1Ch 14:2 – because 2Ch 9:8 – General Isa 16:5 – judging Jer 22:15 – and do Jer 52:3 – through
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 10:9. Blessed be the Lord thy God All blessing and praise are due to him, for delighting to honour and advance so worthy a person. To set thee on the throne of Israel It was Gods special act to make him king rather than his elder brother. To do judgment and justice To execute just judgment among them, to govern them according to right and equity. Thus she tacitly admonishes Solomon that he was not made king that he might live in ease, and pleasure, and splendour, but for the good of his people. Such views even the wise heathen had, considering civil government as appointed of God, not for the emolument or aggrandizement of the governor, but for the good of society. Thus Aristotle, in a letter to Alexander, exhorts him to keep in mind, that his kingdom was given him by God for the sake of mankind, that he might do them good, and not tyrannise over them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
10:9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which {d} 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 {e} judgment and justice.
(d) It is a chief sign of God’s favour, when godly and wise rulers fit in the throne of justice.
(e) This is the reason kings are appointed.