In 2 Chronicles 9 we walk alongside Solomon at the height of his fame, witnessing a moment that feels almost surreal in its blending of wisdom, wealth, and genuine human wonder. Word has traveled far beyond Israel’s borders of a king whose discernment seems to rival the sages of old, and it brings the Queen of Sheba in all her retinue to test his reputation for herself. She arrives with camels laden with spices, gold beyond measure, and precious stones, her heart racing with both skepticism and hope. We see her stepping off her camel, brushing the travel dust from her robes, and approaching Solomon’s throne with questions burning in her eyes.
Solomon welcomes her not with royal rigidity but with a gracious ease that puts her immediately at rest. She poses the riddles of her heart: the difficult questions that have tested every scholar she’s met. And Solomon, drawing on the wisdom God has granted him, answers each one plainly, his words shedding light like lanterns in a dim room. As she listens, her skepticism gives way to astonishment—she cannot hold back exclamations of praise for the Lord’s presence in Solomon’s life, for the way every question seems to unfold into a pathway toward truth. In her amazement, she bids him show her the life of worship that thrives in Jerusalem: the temple’s storerooms filled with cedar and gold, the water basins carved for cleansing, the golden lampstands that gleam like captured stars, and the tables set for showbread, each loaf a token of covenant faithfulness.
As Solomon leads her through his palace and the temple, she sees not only beauty but piety—for every vessel is dedicated to the Lord, and every corner of the temple courtyard whispers of sacrifice and praise. Her eyes fill with tears when she hears the Levites blowing trumpets and cymbals in a living echo of heaven’s choirs. In that moment we feel her heart catch: this is more than a king’s extravagance, more than architectural marvel. It is a temple built on covenant love, a house where heaven touches earth.
Moved by what she has seen, the Queen offers Solomon 120 talents of gold, an astonishing sum, along with boxes of spices and rare stones. She tells him that she has not even mentioned half of her wealth, for her eyes have seen more than any words could capture. In response, Solomon gives her all she desires and asks for, enriching her journey home not only with treasures but with memories of a friendship crowned by wonder. As her caravan winds back through the desert, her mind turns over the lessons she learned: that true wealth lies in wisdom rooted in God, and that a kingdom anchored by worship can draw hearts from every nation.
But this chapter is not solely about that royal encounter. It unfolds into a portrait of a realm at peace and a people flourishing under Solomon’s reign. The wealth she brings is mirrored in the tribute paid by kings and governors across the earth: gold from Ophir, cedars from Tyre, fine linens from Egypt, and every manner of precious item that adorns the temple and the palace. Solomon’s treasuries overflow, yet he is careful that none of his splendor eclipses his devotion to the Lord. He assembles the riches not out of pride but as material symbols of the blessings that flow when a king seeks divine wisdom.
In another measure of his reign’s prosperity, Solomon cultivates horses and chariots at the great cities of the plain—Beth-shean and its surrounding villages, the coastal towns, even beyond to Egypt, that land of equine renown. He imports horses from Egypt for six hundred talents of silver a hundred chariots and twelve hundred horses, and from other regions as well. In every stable we glimpse not the trappings of war but the promise of security: a nation at peace can afford to keep its steeds ready, confident that they will never be called into battle to defend the borders he has secured.
As the narrative draws to a close, Solomon’s outward riches serve as a backdrop to a more enduring legacy. His wisdom has outshone the famed sages of Egypt and the great poets of the east. His temple stands as a beacon for all to see that the God of Israel is not a distant deity but a living presence who delights in the hearts of those who seek Him. The Queen of Sheba’s demonstration of faith, and the tribute of nations near and far, affirm that when a ruler aligns his heart with divine purposes, the world notices. We, reading this chapter today, may not stand before a cedar-paneled temple, but we can still learn from Solomon’s example: to ask for wisdom when life’s questions overwhelm us, to build with generosity rather than greed, and to remember that true wealth is measured not in the weight of gold but in the depth of devotion.
In every line of 2 Chronicles 9 we find an invitation to live with open hands and an open heart: to welcome those who come seeking truth, to steward wisely the resources entrusted to us, and to cultivate lives that reflect the light of divine wisdom wherever we dwell. And as the caravan of the Queen of Sheba recedes into the distance, leaving a trail of wonder behind, we too can carry that wonder into our daily routines, trusting that God’s presence can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary whenever we build our lives on the foundation of covenant love.