|
When Solomon had finished the
temple, he built a beautiful house for himself. He built also many
cities, and a house for his queen, and a navy of ships. The ships
used to go every year to distant countries, to bring back gold, and
silver, and ivory, and apes, and peacocks. People in those distant
lands wondered very much, when they heard about Solomon's riches and
wisdom. Many came to Jerusalem to see the king, and to hear his
wisdom; and they brought presents with them; gold, and silver, and
garments, and spices, and horses and mules. So Solomon became more
and more rich. He had 1,400 chariots, and 12,000 horsemen. All
his vessels were made of gold, and his throne was of ivory overlaid with
gold. There were six steps going up to the throne, and the figures
of lions upon the steps, and he had in his house many other beautiful
things. He could have all he wanted, because he was so very rich. There
was a queen who came to see Solomon from a very distant country. The
country where she lived is called Sheba in the Bible. We do not know
a country named Sheba; perhaps it was in Arabia or Abyssinia. This
queen heard a great deal in her own country about Solomon, and she wanted
to see him. It was a long journey to Jerusalem, but she did not care
for the trouble and difficulty, because she wished so much to see
Solomon. She brought with her a great many servants, and camels, and
gold, and spices, to give to the king. Was Solomon glad to see
her? Yes, he was kind to the good queen; he showed her all his
possessions; his house, and his throne, and his servants, and the temple
of God. Then the queen asked him many questions, and he answered
them all. He told her about the worship and service of the true God;
and of all the wonderful things He did for His people Israel. This
was new to the Queen of Sheba; she had never heard of these things in her
own country, and she was glad to learn about them. She attended to
all the king told her, and after he had finished, she said, "When I
was in my own country, I heard of thy wisdom; it was very little I heard
there, yet I could not then believe it; but now that I have seen all, I
find thy wisdom and thy possessions are much, much greater than I
thought. Happy are thy servants who stand by thee, and hear thy
wisdom. Happy are the people who have thee for their king, to teach
them the knowledge of God!" Then the queen blessed and praised
Solomon's God, and Solomon gave her everything she wished, and she and her
servants returned to their own country. And did the good queen
forget all the wise and holy things she had learned at Jerusalem; or did
she try to teach her people at home what Solomon had taught her? The
Bible tells us no more about her; but we may hope that she did not forget
Solomon's instructions; and that she, and many of her people began to
serve the true God.
|
