1 Kings 10:2
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.
And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train,.... With many of her courtiers and principal men, as well as with a large retinue of servants:
with camels that bare spices; her country abounded both with camels and spices; See Gill on "Isaiah 60:6",
See Gill on "Jeremiah 6:20", and as Pliny {f} observes, who says their spices used to be carried on camels, particularly frankincense, for which Sheba was famous, and is therefore called by him "regio thurifera", the frankincense country {g}, being to be had nowhere else; and Strabo {h} speaks of "cinamon, cassia", and other spices here in such plenty, that the inhabitants burnt the wood of them for fuel; and Diodorus Siculus {i} represents this country as exceeding odoriferous, and as having besides the above spices, balsam, myrrh, calamus, costus, and others, in such abundance that they heated their ovens with them:
and very much gold; see 1 Kings 10:10, the gold of Sheba is spoken of in Psalms 72:15 and Pliny {k} observes, that the Sabeans are exceeding rich, as in other things, so in gold; and Diodorus Siculus {l} and Strabo {m} speak of gold found here in large lumps, very pure, and of a fine colour:
and precious stones; as crystals, emeralds, beryls, and chrysolites, mentioned by Diodorus {n} as in those parts; and a late traveller says {o}, that Arabia Felix abounds with balsam, myrrh, cassia, manna, dates, gold, frankincense, and pearl:
and when she was come to Solomon; unto his palace, and admitted into his presence:
she communed with him of all that was in her heart; which she had in her mind to discourse with him about, and which she had laid up in her memory for that purpose; and some things which she had kept to herself, and had never imparted to any before, as some think; all which she had full liberty from Solomon to propound unto him.
{f} Nat. Hist. l. 12. c. 14.
{g} Ibid. "----Molles sua thura Sabaei", Virg. Georg l. 1. v. 57. & l. 2. v. 117. Thurilegos Arabes, Ovid. Fast. l. 4. Vid. Plant. Trinum. Act. 4. Sc. 2. v. 89.
{h} Geograph. l. 16. p. 535.
{i} Bibliothec. l. 2. p. 132.
{k} Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 28.
{l} Ut supra, (Bibliothec. l. 2.) p. 133. l. 3. p. 181.
{m} Ut supra. (Geograph. l. 16. p. 535.)
{n} Ut supra, (Bibliothec. l. 2.) p. 134. & l. 3. p. 181.
{o} Ovington's Voyage to Surat, p. 421.