And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
A very great train, with camels. These animals could not have come from the shores of the Indian Ocean, both on account of the immense deserts that intervened and the hostile opposition of countless tribes. A long train of those beasts of burden forms the common way of traveling in Arabia; and the presents specified consist of the native produce of that country. Of course, a royal entourage would be larger and more imposing than an ordinary caravan.
Spices. Arabia surpassed every other country in the world for the richness of its spices. Milton, in alluding to these fragrant products, speaks of the breezes which waft far out to sea
`Sabaean odours from the spicy shore Of Araby the blest.'
Among these spices would be myrrh, a product of Arabia Felix, no less than of Abyssinia, being the resinous gum of an odoriferous shrub, valued as a favourite perfume, and frequently given in ancient times as a present on account of its rarity and usefulness; spikenard, an unguent extracted from a species of valerian, which grows on the high and arid pastures of India; the sweet cane, the aromatic calamus of India; cinnamon, procured from Ceylon; and cassia, another species of cinnamon, from the Malabar coast. All these highly-prized spices, which were either the native produce of Arabia, or, being brought to the ports of that country by the Ophir merchantmen, were carried into every part of the land by the trading caravans, were brought to Solomon by the Queen of Sheba, as presents, which she knew would be acceptable to that prince.