S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

The Queen of Sheba, according to the biblical narrative, was a woman of great wealth, beauty, and power. Sheba, believed to be either in Ethiopia or Yemen by most biblical scholars, was a well-esta...

Login or Sign Up to view the rest of this answer.

July 01 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Faith Cross Supporter Pastor/Line Supervisor at a car parts factory

Michael Houdmann has given an excellent answer. I would like to add that even today, in Ethiopa, their highly developed form of Orthodox Christianity is a mix of Judaism and Christianity, based on the concept that they are decendants of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Also, the black Jews of Ethiopia consider themselves to be descendants of this union. Even though this is all considered speculative, I am certain that for their religious traditions to have developed to the degree that it has, history has been recorded enough that there is a basis of truth in there.

Also, the Queen of Sheba would have been a descendant of the Sheba mentioned in Genesis 10:7, a decendant of Ham. They settled in the northern parts of Africa, (Egypt and Ethiopia) while the Sheba mentioned in Genesis 10:28 is a descendant of Shem. It says that they settled the hill contry to the east of Ararat, which would be to the north east area of Turkey. This would coincide with the reference of her being the Queen of the South.

It stands to reason that Candace of Ethiopia, mentioned in Acts, was her descendant.

February 12 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

John Appelt Supporter

“Unwrapping the Pharaohs” by David Down and John Ashton, gives a probable answer to the question. The following is derived primarily from this book: 

According to them, the queen of Sheba was Hatshepsut, the most powerful woman to ever rule Egypt. She ruled for 22 prosperous years. 

Hatshepsut was one of two daughters of Thutmosis I. Some scholars believed the one daughter, Nefrubity, died early, but there is the possibility that she was the daughter of Pharaoh who Solomon married, I Kings 3:1.

Hatshepsut’s title ‘Queen of Sheba’ is more apt to refer to Ethiopia rather than Arabia. Due to her father quelling a revolt of the Nubians to the south, Ethiopia became part of the territory of Egypt. This is how Josephus could write, “There was then a woman, queen of Egypt and Ethiopia…” She is called the ‘queen of Sheba,’ I Kings 10:1, I Chronicles 9:1 and also the ‘queen of the south,’ Matthew 12:42, Luke 11:31. 

Concerning how she got to the throne, she married her half-brother Thutmosis II, but this marriage produced no sons. Thutmosis II married a secondary wife who bore a son, Thutmosis III. When he was about twelve, his father died and although Thutmosis III was legally entitled to the throne, he and his aunt Hatshepsut co-reigned. She was the dominant ruler and he the junior coregent until ‘Year Twenty’ when he was equal with her. She died when she was in her 50s. For some unknown reason, two decades after her death, he caused her name to be erased from monuments and smashed statues of her and vandalized her temple. 

The most notable event Biblically was her trip to Jerusalem, I Kings 10:1-13 and II Chronicles 9:1-12. Josephus wrote, “When this queen heard of the virtue and prudence of Solomon, she had a great mind to see him…Accordingly she came to Jerusalem with great splendor and rich furniture.” 

On a wall of a temple she built, Hatshepsut recorded her historic trip north to the ‘Land of Punt’ She referred to it as ‘God’s land,’ and described it as a beautiful land. The expedition was by both water and land. Reliefs on the walls show trees being transported on poles between two carriers as well as piles of gold, incense, frankincense, myrrh, ebony, and monkeys that Solomon’s ships had obtained from trading at Tarshish, I Kings 10:22, II Chronicles 9:21. Her scribes, who recorded the gifts of Solomon had given her, wrote, “Never were brought such things to any king since the world was.” 

When Jesus mentioned her, Matthew 12:42, Luke 11:31, He reminded the people that the queen of the South, a Gentile, was willing to travel a great distance to hear the wisdom of Solomon about the Lord, which the Pharisees, leaders of the Jews, were not willing to receive from a greater than Solomon. She would naturally have the right to stand as a witness and condemn ‘this evil generation’ in the time of judgment for their blind foolishness.

February 21 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report