As I was reading this, I too immediately thought that Sheba's request was not a straight forward one. Rather a test or a type of riddle. But what if no one had said anything? Would Sheba have made an intervention before the slauter of billions? What was her goal? Because we don't hear anything more from her - she sounds malicious and contemptuous, petulant even. It is curious however that she should rein over a "peaceful" place in other versions of the story. By saying she is also a true ruler, not just a hereditary "rich bitch" in title... Lessens the sexism.
I have a particular fondness for trickster tales - i.e. stories that teach by misdirection. All stories have artifice to them and use suspense and contradiction and misdirection to create an experience of surprise and delight, if not one of enlightenment. And i do feel now that Sheba's request was very much such a riddle/use of misdirection to teach a lesson. And that now has me wondering about how many times in the Old Testament in particular there are instances of such riddle tests. And how many of them were failed.
As I was reading this, I too immediately thought that Sheba's request was not a straight forward one. Rather a test or a type of riddle. But what if no one had said anything? Would Sheba have made an intervention before the slauter of billions? What was her goal? Because we don't hear anything more from her - she sounds malicious and contemptuous, petulant even. It is curious however that she should rein over a "peaceful" place in other versions of the story. By saying she is also a true ruler, not just a hereditary "rich bitch" in title... Lessens the sexism.
I have a particular fondness for trickster tales - i.e. stories that teach by misdirection. All stories have artifice to them and use suspense and contradiction and misdirection to create an experience of surprise and delight, if not one of enlightenment. And i do feel now that Sheba's request was very much such a riddle/use of misdirection to teach a lesson. And that now has me wondering about how many times in the Old Testament in particular there are instances of such riddle tests. And how many of them were failed.