Traditions: Jewish biblical; Islamic Qur’anic Motif: Visiting queen tests or recognizes Solomon Connection verdict: Shared figure and encounter with major Qur’anic expansion Article status: Expanded Date: 2026-10-25
Summary
The queen of Sheba visits Solomon in 1 Kings 10:1–13, while Qur’an 27:20–44 presents an extended diplomatic and religious encounter between Solomon and a southern queen. The people and meeting connect the traditions. The scenes used to tell their meaning—riddles and lavish gifts in one, a hoopoe, a relocated throne, and a glass floor in the other—show how differently the encounter is shaped.
The queen’s questions in 1 Kings
In 1 Kings 10:1–13, the queen hears of Solomon’s reputation and comes to test him with difficult questions. She brings spices, gold, and precious stones. Solomon answers her questions, and the splendor of his court overwhelms her. She praises the wisdom and justice of his rule and the God who established him. Gifts are exchanged. The episode contributes to the book’s portrait of Solomon’s wisdom and international prestige, even as the larger Solomon narrative later raises questions about wealth and loyalty.
The queen’s decision in Qur’an 27
In Qur’an 27:20–44, a hoopoe informs Solomon about a queen whose people worship the sun. Solomon sends a letter. The queen consults her advisers and sends a gift, but Solomon rejects wealth as the decisive issue. Her throne is brought before him, and a polished palace floor appears to her to be water. The encounter ends with her acknowledgment of God. The queen is not named in these verses; names commonly used for her come from later tradition.
More than one version of wisdom
Both accounts involve a renowned ruler, a visiting queen, gifts, and recognition of Solomon’s extraordinary status. Yet 1 Kings centers on wisdom demonstrated by answers and courtly order. Qur’an 27 develops a conversation about worship, political judgment, and recognition through a series of signs. The hoopoe and glass floor cannot be cited as if they occur in 1 Kings. The biblical riddles cannot be inserted into the Qur’anic narrative as its stated reason for the visit.
A conversation worth having
The queen is not merely a prop for Solomon. Both texts give her agency to investigate, evaluate, and respond. Her role can open a discussion about listening across borders and reconsidering inherited assumptions without pretending that the accounts teach precisely the same view of God.
Sources and reading notes
- 1 Kings 10:1–13, Sefaria — questions, wisdom, praise, and gifts.
- Qur’an 27:20–44, Quran.com — hoopoe, letter, throne, glass floor, and response.
Research limit
The sources show a connected Solomon–Sheba encounter, but not the path by which each distinctive scene entered its surviving text.