10
1 When
the queen of
Sheba heard of
the fame of
Solomon concerning
the LORD’s name,
she came to test
him with hard
questions.
2 She
came to Jerusalem
with a very
great caravan, with
camels that bore
spices, very much
gold, and
precious stones; and
when she had
come to Solomon,
she talked with
him about all
that was in
her heart.
3 Solomon
answered all her
questions. There wasn’t
anything hidden
from the king
which he didn’t
tell her.
4 When
the queen of
Sheba had seen
all the wisdom
of Solomon, the
house that he
had built,
5 the
food of his
table, the sitting
of his servants,
the attendance of
his officials,
their clothing, his cup bearers,
and his ascent
by which he
went up to
the LORD’s house,
there was no
more spirit in
her.
6 She
said to the
king, “It was
a true report that
I heard in
my own land of
your acts and
of your wisdom.
7 However,
I didn’t believe the
words until I
came and my
eyes had seen
it. Behold, not
even half was
told me! Your
wisdom and
prosperity exceed
the fame which
I heard.
8 Happy are
your men, happy
are these your
servants who stand
continually before
you, who hear
your wisdom.
9 Blessed
is the LORD
your God, who
delighted in you,
to set you
on the throne
of Israel. Because
the LORD loved
Israel forever,
therefore he made
you king, to
do justice and
righteousness.”
10 She
gave the king
one hundred twenty
talents of gold,
and a very
great quantity of
spices, and
precious stones. Never
again was there
such an abundance
of spices as
these which the
queen of Sheba
gave to King
Solomon.
11 The fleet
of Hiram that
brought gold
from Ophir also
brought in
from Ophir great quantities
of almug trees
and precious stones.
12 The
king made of
the almug trees
pillars for the
LORD’s house and
for the king’s
house, harps also
and stringed instruments for
the singers; no
such almug trees
came or were
seen to this
day.
13 King
Solomon gave to
the queen of
Sheba all her
desire, whatever
she asked,
in addition to
that which Solomon
gave her of
his royal bounty.
So she turned
and went to
her own land, she
and her servants.
14 Now
the weight of
gold that came
to Solomon in
one year was
six hundred
sixty-six talents
of gold,
15 in addition
to that which
the traders
brought, and
the traffic of the
merchants, and of
all the kings
of the mixed people,
and of the
governors of
the country.
16 King
Solomon made two
hundred bucklers
of beaten gold;
six hundred shekels
of gold went
to one buckler.
17 He
made three hundred
shields of beaten
gold; three minas
of gold went
to one shield;
and the king
put them in
the House of
the Forest of
Lebanon.
18 Moreover
the king made
a great throne
of ivory, and
overlaid it with
the finest gold.
19 There
were six steps
to the throne,
and the top
of the throne
was round behind;
and there were
armrests on either
side by the
place of the
seat, and two lions
standing beside
the armrests.
20 Twelve lions
stood there on
the one side
and on the
other on the
six steps. Nothing
like it was
made in any
kingdom.
21 All
King Solomon’s
drinking vessels
were of gold,
and all the
vessels of the
House of the
Forest of Lebanon
were of pure
gold. None were
of silver, because
it was considered
of little value in
the days of
Solomon.
22 For
the king had
a fleet of ships
of Tarshish at
sea with Hiram’s
fleet. Once every three
years the fleet of
Tarshish came
bringing gold,
silver, ivory,
apes, and peacocks.
23 So
King Solomon
exceeded all the
kings of the earth
in riches and
in wisdom.
24 All
the earth sought
the presence of
Solomon to hear
his wisdom which
God had put
in his heart.
25 Year
after year,
every man brought his
tribute, vessels
of silver, vessels
of gold, clothing,
armor, spices,
horses, and mules.
26 Solomon
gathered together
chariots and
horsemen. He had
one thousand four hundred
chariots and
twelve thousand horsemen.
He kept them
in the chariot
cities and with
the king at
Jerusalem.
27 The
king made silver
as common as stones
in Jerusalem,
and cedars as
common as the
sycamore trees
that are in
the lowland.
28 The
horses which
Solomon had were
brought out of
Egypt. The king’s
merchants received
them in droves,
each drove at a
price.
29 A
chariot was
imported from
Egypt for six
hundred shekels
of silver, and
a horse for
one hundred fifty
shekels; and so
they exported them
to all the
kings of the
Hittites and to
the kings of Syria.