1. 1 Kings 10:1 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What were these hard questions that the queen of Sheba asked Solomon?

1 Kings 10:1 (ESV)

1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions.

For questions, the same word is used here as is used for the riddle during Samson’s wedding (Judges 14:14), namely, the riddle of the lion and the honey. Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet. It is about questions and riddles that wreck your brains—brainteasers. In the East, riddle games were sometimes held as some kind of spiritual tournament. But the wisdom of Solomon, given to him by the God of Israel, knows the answer to every question of the visiting queen. The wise God, Creator of heaven and earth, Creator of all thought and knowledge, knows all the problems in the world as well as their solutions. A thought to include here, is what is said in Proverbs 1:7: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Honour and respect for this God is the best attitude for delving into the questions of the world and thinking of answers. In other words: you will not obtain a real solution for the world’s problems when you do not acknowledge and trust God, the almighty Creator.