And they said, “The man asked us straightforward questions about ourselves and our relatives. He said, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down [here to Egypt]’?”

Also bear your disgrace [as punishment], having made judgment favorable for your sisters, for [you virtually absolved them] because of your sins in which you behaved more repulsively than they; they are more in the right than you. Yes, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you made your [pagan] sisters seem righteous.

But David said, “What have I done now? Was it not just a [harmless] question?”

Then David turned away from Eliab to someone else and asked the same question; and the people gave him the same answer as the first time.

So the house of Israel will know [with absolute confidence] that I am the Lord their God from that day forward.

Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with riddles.

Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king which he did not explain to her.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Ask the priests for a ruling:

When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with riddles. She was accompanied by a very large number of attendants, with camels bearing spices (balsam oil) and a large amount of gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she talked with him about all that was on her mind.

Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was hidden from him which he did not make clear to her.

Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and Levites about the heaps.

“If one should want to contend or dispute with Him,
He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.

“Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity [since you question the Almighty],
And array yourself with honor and majesty.

For the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker says this,

“Ask Me about the things to come concerning My sons,
And give Me orders concerning the work of My hands.