According to the Bible, Sheba heard of the great wisdom of King Solomon of Israel and journeyed there with gifts of herbs and spices for the king, as recorded in First Kings 10. The queen was awed by Solomon's wisdom and wealth, and pronounced a blessing on Solomon's God. He also gave her gifts, and she returned with them to her own country.

The Quran names the Queen of Sheba, Bilqis, and records a similar meeting to that in the Old Testament. However, it also has Solomon marching with his armies to Sheba to purge the country of its worship of the sun and moon. Solomon meets Bilqis halfway and they declare peace when Bilqis renounces idol worship, inspired by another display of Solomon's wisdom.

The royal family of Ethiopia has claimed its origin directly from Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, although there is no Biblical evidence to support this tradition.