9:1 When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, 3 she came to challenge 4 him 5 with difficult questions. 6 She arrived in Jerusalem 7 with a great display of pomp, 8 bringing with her camels carrying spices, 9 a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind.
1 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
2 tn Heb “and they burned for him a large fire, very great.”
3 tn Heb “the report about Solomon.”
4 tn Or “test.”
5 tn Heb “Solomon.” The recurrence of the proper name here is redundant in terms of contemporary English style, so the pronoun has been used in the translation instead.
6 tn Or “riddles.”
7 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
8 tn Heb “with very great strength.” The Hebrew word חַיִל (khayil, “strength”) may refer here to the size of her retinue or to the great wealth she brought with her.
9 tn Or “balsam oil.”