Sheba in the Bible

Meaning: captivity; old man; repose; oath

Exact Match

And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.

And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and gave her the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.

Verse ConceptsShouldersBottle, UsesDeserts, SpecificThe HomelessWater ContainersWanderersThose Who Rose EarlyCarrying Other LoadsExamples Of Love For Children

Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba. Because there they sware both of them.

Verse ConceptsSealing A CovenantWellsPeople Naming Things

So they made a covenant at Beer-sheba. And Abimelech rose up, and Phicol the captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.

Verse ConceptsIndividuals going home

So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beer-sheba. And Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.

And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.

And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran.

Verse ConceptsDepartures

And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.

Verse ConceptsRefugeesSacrifice, In Ot

And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.

Verse ConceptsCartsImmigrants

and Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba, and Biziothiah,

And they had in their inheritance Beersheba, or Sheba, and Moladah,

Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto Jehovah at Mizpah.

Verse ConceptsCongregationShrinesAssembling IsraelUnified PeopleAll Peoplecrusades

And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Jehovah.

Verse ConceptsNamed Prophets Of The Lord

Now the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.

Verse ConceptsFirstborn SonsJudging Israel

to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba.

Verse ConceptsSaul And David

And David send and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

Verse ConceptsInfatuationNamed Wives

And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon. And Jehovah loved him;

Verse ConceptsOne FleshComfort, Of FriendsMarital SexMarital Sex BetweenThe Promise Of A Baby

But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.

Verse ConceptsSandAssembling IsraelActing For OneselfMany In Israel

And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.

Verse ConceptsTentsTrumpetAudacityTrumpets For SignallingNot Sharing

So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

Verse ConceptsPeople Following People

And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

Verse ConceptsFortressesFortified CitiesPeople Possibly Doing Evil

And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

Verse ConceptsAssassinations, CompletedBetrayalStomachsBowelsAnatomyIntestinesKilling Named Individuals

When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

Now Joab went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, even Beth-maacah, and all the Berites; and they assembled and also went after Sheba.

And the army of Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth-maacah, and they built up an assault ramp against the city, and it stood against the outer rampart; and all the people who were with Joab were wreaking destruction to make the wall fall.

Verse ConceptsBattering ramsSiegesWallsSiege MoundsPeople Attacking Their Own

The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.

Verse ConceptsHanding Over People

Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

Verse ConceptsTrumpetBeheadingTrumpets To Stop FightingGroups going home

And the king said to Joab the captain of the host, who was with him, Go now to and fro through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the sum of the people.

Verse ConceptsCensus

and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south of Judah, at Beer-sheba.

Verse ConceptsFortresses

Eventually they proceeded to Beer-sheba in the Judean Negev. After they had traveled throughout the entire land, they returned to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and 20 days.

Verse ConceptsFive Months And More

So Jehovah sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.

Verse ConceptsPestilenceFifty To Ninety ThousandDeath As Punishment

Then Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?

Verse ConceptsMothers Of KingsIgnorant Of FactsMothers And Sons

And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering unto the king.

Verse ConceptsElderlyBedroomsOld Age, Attainment OfPrivate RoomsDeath Approaching

And Bath-sheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?

Verse ConceptsBowingBowing Before David

Then king David answered and said, Call to me Bath-sheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.

Verse ConceptsKings Summoning

Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did obeisance to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

Verse ConceptsBowing Before David

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.

Verse ConceptsMothers Of Kings

And Bath-sheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.

Verse ConceptsSpokesmen

Bath-sheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a throne to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand.

Verse ConceptsQueensRespect, For Human BeingsThroneRight Sides

And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon.

Verse ConceptsFig treeInvitationsSafetyVines

And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.

Verse ConceptsCaravansFameMission, Of IsraelQueensCelebritiesAskingRelationships And Datingconnection

And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built,

Verse ConceptsRoyal Houses

And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.

Verse ConceptsTalentsCoinageGoldHerbs And SpicesPresentsJewelleryPeople Giving Other ThingsWeights Of GoldGifts And Talents

And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

Verse ConceptsGenerosity, HumanQueensSolomon, Character OfPresentsIndividuals going homePeople Giving Other Things

And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

Verse ConceptsFear, Of PersecutionDepressionjezebelimpulsiveness

In the seventh year of Jehu began Jehoash to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.

Verse ConceptsJerusalem, History OfThe Number Forty40 To 50 YearsMothers Of Kings

And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beer-sheba; and he brake down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city.

Verse ConceptsGatesGovernorsHigh Places

And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.

Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan; Sheba, and Dedan.

Verse ConceptsConcubines

And these were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon -- four, of Bath-Sheba daughter of Ammiel:

And they dwelt at Beer-sheba, and Moladah, and Hazarshual,

And their brethren of the house of their fathers were, Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jachan, and Zia, and Heber, seven.

And David said to Joab and to the princes of the people, Go, number Israel from Beer-sheba even to Dan; and bring me word, that I may know the sum of them.

Verse ConceptsCounting Soldiers

And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

Verse ConceptsHerbs And SpicesJewelsMission, Of IsraelQueensVisitingRelationship Troubles

And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,

And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon.

Verse ConceptsCoinageGoldHerbs And Spices

And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants.

Verse ConceptsQueensIndividuals going home

And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again among the people from Beer-sheba to the hill-country of Ephraim, and brought them back unto Jehovah, the God of their fathers.

Verse ConceptsConversion, God's demands for

Joash was seven years old when he began to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Zibiah, of Beer-sheba.

Verse ConceptsJerusalem, History OfThe Number FortyHelpful Children40 To 50 Years

So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem: for they had not kept it in great numbers in such sort as it is written.

Verse ConceptsLargeness

and in Hazar-shual, and in Beer-sheba and the towns thereof,

Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and the fields thereof, Azekah and the towns thereof. So they encamped from Beer-sheba unto the valley of Hinnom.

and they of Sheba fell upon them and took them, and the servants have they smitten with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped, alone, to tell thee.

Verse ConceptsExamples Of EscapingLossActing Alone

{To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David; when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba.} Be gracious unto me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness; according to the abundance of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.

Verse ConceptsAbundant MercyBlottingAssurance, nature ofGrace, In OtLovingkindnessLove, Nature OfMercifulnessAfflictions, Prayer DuringBe Merciful!God Forgive!Infidelity

And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.

Verse ConceptsGoldUnceasingAlways PraisingIndeterminate Sums Of MoneyPrayer During Hard Times

The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.

Verse ConceptsGoldCommerceGood NewsIndeterminate Sums Of MoneyShowing Forth His Praise

To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.

Verse ConceptsPlantsTradeCommerceDelicaciesSweetnessFragranceGood Things From Far AwayNot Pleasing God

The merchants of Sheba and Raamah, they were thy merchants: they occupied in thy fairs with chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold.

Verse ConceptsGoldHerbs And SpicesJewelsCommerceJewelleryGold Transferred

Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad, were thy merchants.

Verse ConceptsEden

Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?

Verse ConceptsPlunderingTradeAmericaAmerica In Biblical Prophecy

and I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the men of Sheba, to a nation far off: for Jehovah hath spoken it.

Verse ConceptsWeights And Measures, DistancesChildren SufferingFar From Here

but seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el shall come to nought.

Verse ConceptsUseless ThingsSeeking For Concrete ThingsExile In Prospectbeer

They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, As thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, As the way of Beer-sheba liveth; they shall fall, and never rise up again.

Verse ConceptsThe Insecurity Of The WickedHarlotsLiving ThingsShame Of IdolatrySwearing

The queen of the South [Note: This queen was from Sheba, I Kings 10:1, which was probably in Arabia] will stand up on the judgment day along with the people of this generation and will condemn them because she came from a great distance to hear [and see] Solomon's wisdom [I Kings 10:1ff] and [now] Someone greater than Solomon is here [i.e., Jesus].

Verse ConceptsQueensSolomon, Character OfSouthOld Testament People As TypesGreatness Of ChristThe Final JudgementPeople From Far AwayThe Dead Are RaisedJudgmentsJudgement DayJudgementcondemnation

The queen of the South [Note: This queen was from Sheba, which was probably in Arabia. See I Kings 10:1] will stand up on the judgment day, along with the people of this generation, and will condemn them because she came from a great distance to hear [and see] Solomon's wisdom [I Kings 10:1ff] and [now] Someone greater than Solomon is here [i.e., Jesus].

Verse ConceptsQueensSouthGreatness Of ChristThe Final JudgementPeople From Far AwayThe Dead Are Raised

Thematic Bible



Sheba traveled through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth Maacah and all the Berite region. When they had assembled, they too joined him. So Joab's men came and laid siege against him in Abel of Beth Maacah. They prepared a siege ramp outside the city which stood against its outer rampart. As all of Joab's soldiers were trying to break through the wall so that it would collapse, a wise woman called out from the city, "Listen up! Listen up! Tell Joab, 'Come near so that I may speak to you.'" read more.
When he approached her, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" He replied, "I am." She said to him, "Listen to the words of your servant." He said, "Go ahead. I'm listening." She said, "In the past they would always say, 'Let them inquire in Abel,' and that is how they settled things. I represent the peaceful and the faithful in Israel. You are attempting to destroy an important city in Israel. Why should you swallow up the Lord's inheritance?" Joab answered, "Get serious! I don't want to swallow up or destroy anything! That's not the way things are. There is a man from the hill country of Ephraim named Sheba son of Bicri. He has rebelled against King David. Give me just this one man, and I will leave the city." The woman said to Joab, "This very minute his head will be thrown over the wall to you!" Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice and they cut off Sheba's head and threw it out to Joab. Joab blew the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each going to his own home. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.


Now a wicked man named Sheba son of Bicri, a Benjaminite, happened to be there. He blew the trumpet and said, "We have no share in David; we have no inheritance in this son of Jesse! Every man go home, O Israel!" So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stuck by their king all the way from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.


She gave the king 120 talents of gold, a very large quantity of spices, and precious gems. The quantity of spices the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon has never been matched.

She gave the king 120 talents of gold and a very large quantity of spices and precious gems. The quantity of spices the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon has never been matched.

May he live! May they offer him gold from Sheba! May they continually pray for him! May they pronounce blessings on him all day long!


Camel caravans will cover your roads, young camels from Midian and Ephah. All the merchants of Sheba will come, bringing gold and incense and singing praises to the Lord.

May he live! May they offer him gold from Sheba! May they continually pray for him! May they pronounce blessings on him all day long!



When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions.

When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a great display of pomp, bringing with her camels carrying spices, a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; there was no question too complex for the king. When the queen of Sheba saw for herself Solomon's extensive wisdom, the palace he had built, read more.
the food in his banquet hall, his servants and attendants in their robes, his cupbearers in their robes, and his burnt sacrifices which he presented in the Lord's temple, she was amazed. She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight was true! I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn't hear even half the story! Your wisdom surpasses what was reported to me. Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy! May the Lord your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf! Because of your God's love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them, he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions." She gave the king 120 talents of gold and a very large quantity of spices and precious gems. The quantity of spices the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon has never been matched. (Huram's servants, aided by Solomon's servants, brought gold from Ophir, as well as fine timber and precious gems. With the timber the king made steps for the Lord's temple and royal palace as well as stringed instruments for the musicians. No one had seen anything like them in the land of Judah prior to that.) King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, more than what she had brought him. Then she left and returned to her homeland with her attendants.


Sheba and Dedan and the traders of Tarshish with all its young warriors will say to you, "Have you come to loot? Have you assembled your armies to plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to haul away a great amount of spoils?"'

The merchants of Sheba and Raamah engaged in trade with you; they traded the best kinds of spices along with precious stones and gold for your products. Haran, Kanneh, Eden, merchants from Sheba, Asshur, and Kilmad were your clients.


Obal, Abimael, Sheba,

Ebal, Abimael, Sheba,


Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, Letushites, and Leummites.

The sons to whom Keturah, Abraham's concubine, gave birth: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan.


The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.

The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.


Camel caravans will cover your roads, young camels from Midian and Ephah. All the merchants of Sheba will come, bringing gold and incense and singing praises to the Lord.


The kings of Tarshish and the coastlands will offer gifts; the kings of Sheba and Seba will bring tribute.


I take no delight when they offer up to me frankincense that comes from Sheba or sweet-smelling cane imported from a faraway land. I cannot accept the burnt offerings they bring me. I get no pleasure from the sacrifices they offer to me.'


May he live! May they offer him gold from Sheba! May they continually pray for him! May they pronounce blessings on him all day long!


Their assigned land included Beer Sheba, Moladah,


Their relatives, listed according to their families, included Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber -- seven in all.



NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible