And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.
Ver. 1. And when the queen of Sheba.] Nicaula, Josephus a calleth her; the Rabbis, b Nicolas; others, c Maqueda. Her country some make to be Arabia Felix, others Ethiopia Southward it lay, and far from Jerusalem. Mat 12:42 A sibyl some make her to be.
Concerning the name of the Lord.] What great things God had done for Solomon, and what he had done by way of thankful retribution to God, in building him a house, and setting up his sincere service there. The Rabbis think that by this expression is imported, that she took Solomon for the promised Messiah. d
She came to prove him with hard questions.] Such as elsewhere she could not get a satisfying solution to. With these problems or riddles, of great importance, doubtless, she both proved and profited by his wisdom.
a In lib. Juchas
b Dam. a Goes. Genebrard.
c Glycas
d Gelatin., lib. viii. cap. 3.