1When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test him with riddles, having a very great retinue and camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she discussed with him all that was on her mind.
The Hebrew word bosem, which is often rendered “balm” (derived from “balsam”), can refer to any type of aromatic healing substance, but it also designates the product of a particular tree, the balsam or opobalsamum Commiphora gileadensis. Arabs call it balasam or balasham. In the Talmud it is called afarsimon. Excavations near En Gedi have uncovered an ancient processing plant for balsam oil.
The opobalsamum tree likes a desert or semi-desert climate. It grows to 2‑3 meters (7‑10 feet) tall and has small, wrinkled, three-part leaves, white flowers, and pea-sized red berries that have a fragrant yellow seed inside. The bark of younger branches is gray, turning brown with age. The resin appears by itself in green droplets from the stems and branches, but collectors also make cuts in the branches to speed the process. The droplets turn from green to brown, clump together, and fall to the ground, where they are collected.
In Bible times, balsam oil was used in holy anointing oil, as medicine, and as an ingredient of perfume.
A generic word or phrase for sweet-smelling substances is appropriate to render bosem, although where a specific name for the balsam tree is available, as in southwestern Arabia and Somalia, this could also be used. At least one hundred species of the genus Commiphora are spread throughout dry areas of the world. Translators in some areas will know the plants; others may know only the dried resin of Commiphora sold in spice markets.
The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated in English as “camel” is translated in Muna as “water buffalo.” René van den Berg explains: “Camels are unknown; the biggest known animal is the water buffalo (though now rare on Muna).”
In Bislama is is translated as buluk: “cow” / “bull” (source: Ross McKerras) and in Bahnar as aseh lăk-đa which is a combination of the Vietnamese loan word for “camel” (lăk-đa) and the Bahnar term for “horse” (aseh) to communicate that the camel is a beast of burden (source: Pham Xuan Tin in The Bible Translator 1952, p. 20ff. ).
In the 1900 Kalaallisut (Greenlandic) translation (a newer version was published in 2000) it was translated as ĸatigagtôĸ or “big-backed ones.” “Katigagtôĸ (modern qatigattooq), which has the literal meaning of ‘something with a big back.’ It comprises the noun ĸatigak (modern qatigak) ‘back’ combined with the suffix –tôĸ (modern –tooq) ‘something possessing a big X.’” (Source: Lily Kahn & Riitta-Liisa Valijärvi in The Bible Translator 2019, p. 125ff.)
In Luke 18:25, Mark 10:25, and Matthew 19:24 some versions of the Peshitta translation in Syriac Aramaic (Classical Syriac) show an ambiguity between the very similar words for “camel” and “rope.” Some translations of the Peshitta, therefore, use the “rope” interpretation, including the Classical Armenian Bible (մալխոյ for “rope”), the English translation by George Lamsa (publ. 1933) (It is easier for a rope to go through the eye of a needle), or the Dutch translation by Egbert Nierop (publ. 2020) (het voor een kabel eenvoudiger is het oog van een naald binnen te gaan).
In the above-mentioned three verses, it is translated in Noongar as “kangaroo” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).
There were two types of camel known in Bible times the most common being the Arabian Dromedary camelus dromedarius, which was indigenous to the area. The two-humped Bactrian Camel camelus bactrianus was also known and prized, but it was imported from Central Asia.
Camels belong to the same family as the South American llama, vicuna, alpaca, and guanaco, but camels are much larger and have a big fatty hump on their backs. Bactrian camels may reach a height of about two meters (6.5 feet), while dromedaries are even bigger. Dromedaries are a uniform light fawn color, while Bactrian camels are darker, especially in winter when they grow longer fur.
Camels do not have hooves but a large footpad with two broad toes ideally suited to walking on sand. In other ways too they are ideally suited to life in desert areas. They store excess food in their humps and this makes it possible for them to go a long time without eating. Special blood cells also enable them to go without water for long periods. They also have a very efficient digestive system and can extract the maximum amount of nutrition from apparently dry vegetation. This adaptation to harsh environments means that camels can make long journeys through dry areas which would be beyond the abilities of other types of pack animal such as donkeys. Camels were used for riding and for carrying heavy loads. They were also used to pull carts.
In winter the fur of camels thickens and grows longer and then when summer comes they shed their winter fur in large wads. These wads of camel hair are collected and twisted into cords and ropes or spun into thread which is then used for weaving coarse cloth. This cloth was usually used for making tents but it was sometimes used for making outer robes.
Camels’ milk was used as food and drink but their meat was considered unclean by the Israelites.
In spite of the fact that camels were considered to be unclean for food they were a symbol of wealth and commerce. People or nations with many camels were automatically viewed as commercially successful and wealthy as the possession of camels opened up the possibility of transporting goods long distances and engaging in trade.
In areas where camels are not known, the word is often transliterated from Hebrew or the dominant language of the area. However, in some languages descriptive names have been invented. In some South American languages names meaning “hump-backed llama” or “big alpaca with a hump” have been used. Elsewhere expressions such as “hump-backed horse” have been used. A fuller description should usually be included in a glossary or word list.
The different Hebrew and Greek terms that are translated as “(olive) oil” and “(animal) fat” in English are translated in Kwere with only one term: mavuta. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:
While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is transliterated as “Solomon” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “wise” referring to 1 Kings 3:12. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 9:1:
Kupsabiny: “There was a lady who ruled the country of Sheba. When that lady heard Solomon being praised, she went to Jerusalem wanting to go and test Solomon with difficult questions. The lady went together with a peace delegation and camels that carried things that smell sweet, stones that cost much money and very much gold. And when she met with Solomon, she asked all the matters that she had.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “The Queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame. And bringing difficult questions she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon. With a large group of attendants [lit.: with people who took care of one crowd] she came bringing camels carrying spices, precious stones and much gold. She met Solomon and put before him the questions in her heart.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “When the queen of Sheba heard the fame of Solomon, she went to Jerusalem to test the wisdom of Solomon through hard questions. She arrived in Jerusalem accompanied with many men, and she brought camels loaded with gifts [linker/(of)] spices, gold which (are) very many, and precious/[lit. expensive] stones. When she-and Solomon met, she asked him everything that she wanted to ask-of.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “The queen who ruled the Sheba area in Arabia heard that Solomon had become famous, so she traveled to Jerusalem to ask him questions that were difficult to answer. She came with a large group of servants, and she brought camels that were loaded with spices, and valuable gems, and a lot of gold. When she met Solomon, she asked him questions about all the things/topics in which she was interested.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Revised Standard Version begins this verse with a long sentence, it will probably be prudent to divide it into two sentences in many languages. The first sentence would introduce the queen of Sheba and tell why she wanted to visit Solomon. The second sentence would then give the details about her caravan.
Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon: The exact location of the country of Sheba is debated, but it was probably located on the southwest coast of the Arabian peninsula, corresponding to modern-day Yemen, about 2,250 kilometers (1,400 miles) from Jerusalem. However, the first-century Jewish historian Josephus called the queen the “Queen of Egypt and Ethiopia” (Jewish Antiquities 8.6.5-6), and Ethiopian tradition says that their kings descend from Solomon and the queen of Sheba.
The Hebrew word translated fame often means “hearing” (coming from the verb “to hear”) or “report.” But in this context it refers to the widespread reputation for wisdom that Solomon had. In some languages this idea is expressed by the word “honor.”
She came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions: Hard questions refers to questions that are not easy to answer because the answers require wisdom or good understanding. Some translations include “enigmatic questions” (Revised English Bible, Osty-Trinquet), “difficult questions” (New Jerusalem Bible), “perplexing questions” (Anchor Bible), and “subtle questions” (New American Bible). In some languages this will be best translated by the word for “riddle.” The purpose of such questions was to test him (literally “to test Solomon”). But this does not indicate any wrong intent on the part of the queen. She simply wanted to find out if Solomon was as wise as she had heard he was.
Having a very great retinue and camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones: Retinue translates a Hebrew noun that has a range of meanings, including “power,” “wealth,” “landowner,” “army,” and “upper class [of a city].” In this context most interpreters understand it as referring to the persons who accompany the queen, so it has been rendered “retinue” (Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible), “group of attendants” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation), and “caravan” (New International Version). However, Osty-Trinquet sees the focus on the wealth itself and not on the persons bringing the gifts. He renders a very great retinue as “immense riches.”
For camels see the comments on 1 Chr 5.21.
Spices translates a Hebrew noun meaning “balsam oil,” but it is to be taken here in the more general sense of various sweet-smelling objects. These spices were expensive because they were imported. They were ground up and mixed with oil and used as perfumes, incense, or embalming substances. They were not used for cooking. Anchor Bible and Bible en français courant translate this noun as “perfumes.”
According to verse 9, the amount of gold was 120 talents.
Precious stones may be rendered “precious gems” ( NET Bible) or “jewels” (Good News Translation, Moffatt). Some languages say “rocks/pebbles of value.”
The text implies that these various items brought by the queen of Sheba were to be given as gifts to Solomon. This information comes in verse 9. However, it seems reasonable to make this explicit here in the receptor language if there is any danger that readers may think that she has some other purpose in mind. Contemporary English Version adds the word “gifts” to make this clear.
She told him all that was on her mind: This nearly literal translation of the Hebrew may suggest the wrong meaning. In contemporary American English, when you “tell someone what is on your mind,” it means to tell someone what is bothering you or what your concerns are. New Revised Standard Version says “she discussed with him all that was on her mind.” Mind translates the Hebrew noun for “heart” (see the comments on this noun in 1 Chr 17.2). Good News Translation renders this clause as “she asked him all the questions that she could think of,” and New American Bible says “[she] questioned him on every subject in which she was interested.”
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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