Bible Location

Sheba

Also known as: Sheba Pre-Arab state in Yemen

Sheba was an ancient South Arabian kingdom famous for wealth, incense, spices, and long-distance trade. It is generally associated with the kingdom known from South Arabian inscriptions as Saba, centered principally in what is now Yemen.

The best-known biblical representative of Sheba is the queen who traveled to Jerusalem to test Solomon with difficult questions and to see his wisdom and prosperity.

Sheba also appears in biblical poetry and prophecy as a distant and wealthy trading land whose merchants brought gold, incense, spices, and precious goods.

Biblical Significance

First Kings 10 and 2 Chronicles 9 describe the queen of Sheba hearing of Solomon's fame and traveling to Jerusalem with a great caravan carrying spices, gold, and precious stones.

She tested Solomon with difficult questions and was deeply impressed by his wisdom, palace, administration, servants, worship, and prosperity.

The Psalms and prophets portray Sheba as a distant wealthy land associated with gold, incense, and trade.

Jesus later referred to the queen of the South, who came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon's wisdom, and contrasted her response with those who failed to recognize something greater than Solomon.

Historical Background

The kingdom of Saba developed in southwestern Arabia and became one of the most important states of ancient South Arabia.

Its prosperity was connected with agriculture, irrigation, and long-distance commerce, especially the trade in frankincense, myrrh, aromatics, and other luxury goods moving between southern Arabia and markets to the north.

Marib became an important Sabaean center. Monumental temples, inscriptions, and the great irrigation works associated with the Marib oasis testify to the kingdom's organization and wealth.

South Arabian inscriptions provide extensive evidence for Saba, although no known contemporary inscription identifies the queen who visited Solomon.

Modern Identification

Biblical Sheba is generally identified with the ancient kingdom of Saba centered in southwestern Arabia, principally in modern Yemen.

Sabaean influence and commercial activity extended beyond the core kingdom, and connections existed across the Red Sea with the Horn of Africa.

Later Ethiopian tradition developed an important account of the queen of Sheba, but the geographical heartland of the ancient Sabaean kingdom was in South Arabia.

Scripture References

1 Kings 10:1 2 Chronicles 9:1 Job 6:19 Psalms 72:10 Isaiah 60:6 Ezekiel 27:22 Matthew 12:42

Related Resources

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Sources

Bible: 1 Kings 10:1-13, 2 Chronicles 9:1-12, Job 6:19, Psalms 72:10-15, Isaiah 60:6, Jeremiah 6:20, Ezekiel 27:22-23, Matthew 12:42, Luke 11:31; South Arabian inscriptions; archaeological and historical studies of Saba and ancient Marib