such domestic slavery, who received the entire care of
them from the king, and instructed them in those labors and operations
wherein he wanted their assistance.

4. Moreover, the king built many ships in the Egyptian Bay of the Red
Sea, in a certain place called Ezion-geber: it is now called Berenice,
and is not far from the city Eloth. This country belonged formerly to
the Jews, and became useful for shipping from the donations of Hiram
king of Tyre; for he sent a sufficient number of men thither for pilots,
and such as were skillful in navigation, to whom Solomon gave this
command: That they should go along with his own stewards to the land
that was of old called Ophir, but now the Aurea Chersonesus, which
belongs to India, to fetch him gold. And when they had gathered four
hundred talents together, they returned to the king again.

5. There was then a woman queen of Egypt and Ethiopia; [16] she was
inquisitive into philosophy, and one that on other accounts also was to
be admired. When this queen heard of the virtue and prudence of Solomon,
she had a great mind to see him; and the reports that went every day
abroad induced her to come to him, she being desirous to be satisfied by
her own experience, and not by a bare hearing; [for reports thus heard
are likely enough to comply with a false opinion, while they wholly
depend on the credit of the relators;] so she resolved to come to him,
and that especially in order to have a trial of his wisdom, while she
proposed questions of very great difficulty, and entreated that he would
solve their hidden meaning. Accordingly she came to Jerusalem with great
splendor and rich furniture; for she brought with her camels laden with
gold, with several sorts of sweet spices, and with precious stones. Now,
upon the king's kind reception of her, he both showed a great desire
to please her, and easily comprehending in his mind the meaning of the
curious questions she propounded to him, he resolved them sooner
than any body could have expected. So she was amazed at the wisdom of
Solomon, and discovered that it was more excellent upon trial than what
she had heard by report beforehand; and especially she was surprised at
the fineness and largeness of his royal palace, and not less so at the
good order of the apartments, for she observed that the king had therein
shown great wisdom; but she was beyond measure astonished at the house
which was called the Forest of Lebanon, as also at the