9
1 When
the queen of
Sheba heard of
the fame of
Solomon, she came
to test Solomon
with hard
questions at
Jerusalem, with a
very great caravan,
including camels
that bore spices,
gold in abundance,
and precious stones.
When she had
come to Solomon,
she talked with
him about all
that was in
her heart.
2 Solomon
answered all her
questions. There wasn’t
anything hidden
from Solomon which
he didn’t tell her.
3 When
the queen of
Sheba had seen
the wisdom of
Solomon, the house
that he had
built,
4 the
food of his
table, the seating
of his servants,
the attendance of
his ministers,
their clothing, his cup bearers
and their clothing,
and his ascent
by which he
went up to
the LORD’s house,
there was no
more spirit in
her.
5 She
said to the
king, “It was
a true report that
I heard in
my own land of
your acts and
of your wisdom.
6 However
I didn’t believe their
words until I
came, and my
eyes had seen
it; and behold
half of the
greatness of your
wisdom wasn’t told
me. You exceed
the fame that
I heard!
7 Happy are
your men, and happy
are these your
servants, who
stand continually
before you and
hear your wisdom.
8 Blessed
be the LORD
your God, who
delighted in you
and set you
on his throne
to be king
for the LORD
your God, because
your God loved
Israel, to
establish them
forever. Therefore
he made you
king over them,
to do justice
and righteousness.”
9 She
gave the king
one hundred and
twenty talents
of gold, spices
in great abundance,
and precious stones.
There was never
before such spice
as the queen
of Sheba gave
to King Solomon.
10 The
servants of Huram
and the servants
of Solomon, who
brought gold
from Ophir, also
brought algum trees
and precious stones.
11 The
king used algum
tree wood to
make terraces for
the LORD’s house
and for the
king’s house, and
harps and stringed instruments
for the singers.
There were none
like these seen
before in the
land of Judah.
12 King
Solomon gave to
the queen of
Sheba all her
desire, whatever
she asked, more
than that which
she had brought
to the king.
So she turned
and went to
her own land, she
and her servants.
13 Now
the weight of
gold that came
to Solomon in
one year was
six hundred
sixty-six talents
of gold,
14 in addition
to that which
the traders and
merchants brought.
All the kings
of Arabia and
the governors of
the country brought
gold and silver
to Solomon.
15 King
Solomon made two
hundred large
shields of beaten
gold. Six
hundred shekels
of beaten gold
went to one
large shield.
16 He
made three hundred
shields of beaten
gold. Three
hundred shekels
of gold went
to one shield.
The king put
them in the
House of the
Forest of Lebanon.
17 Moreover
the king made
a great throne
of ivory, and
overlaid it with
pure gold.
18 There
were six steps
to the throne,
with a footstool
of gold, which
were fastened to
the throne,
and armrests on
either side by
the place of
the seat, and
two lions standing
beside the armrests.
19 Twelve lions
stood there on
the one side
and on the
other on the
six steps. There
was nothing like
it made in
any other kingdom.
20 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. Silver was
not considered
valuable in the
days of Solomon.
21 For
the king had ships
that went to
Tarshish with
Huram’s servants.
Once every three
years, the ships
of Tarshish came
bringing gold,
silver, ivory,
apes, and peacocks.
22 So
King Solomon
exceeded all the
kings of the earth
in riches and
wisdom.
23 All
the kings of
the earth sought
the presence of
Solomon to hear
his wisdom, which
God had put
in his heart.
24 They each
brought tribute: vessels
of silver, vessels
of gold, clothing,
armor, spices,
horses, and mules
every year.
25 Solomon
had four thousand stalls for
horses and
chariots, and
twelve thousand horsemen
that he stationed
in the chariot
cities and with
the king at
Jerusalem.
26 He
ruled over all
the kings from
the River even
to the land
of the Philistines,
and to the
border of Egypt.
27 The
king made silver
as common in
Jerusalem as stones,
and he made cedars
to be as
abundant as the
sycamore trees
that are in
the lowland.
28 They
brought horses for
Solomon out of
Egypt and out
of all lands.
29 Now
the rest of
the acts of
Solomon, first
and last, aren’t they
written in
the history of
Nathan the prophet,
and in the
prophecy of Ahijah
the Shilonite, and
in the visions
of Iddo the
seer concerning
Jeroboam the son
of Nebat?
30 Solomon
reigned in
Jerusalem over all
Israel forty years.
31 Solomon
slept with
his fathers, and
he was buried
in his father
David’s city; and
Rehoboam his son
reigned in his
place.