2 Chronicles 9

¹ When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions, with a very great company, and camels that bore spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she talked with him of all that was in her heart. ² Solomon told her all her questions; and there was nothing hidden from Solomon which he didn’t tell her.

³ When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, ⁴ the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his officials, their clothing, his cupbearers also, and their clothing, and his ascent by which he went up to Yahweh’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 the words until I came, and my eyes had seen it. 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 Yahweh your God, who delighted in you, to set you on his throne, to be king for Yahweh your God; because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore made he you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.”

⁹ She gave the king one hundred twenty talents of gold, and spices in great abundance, and precious stones. There was never any spice like that which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

¹⁰ The servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones. ¹¹ The king made of the algum trees terraces for Yahweh’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, besides 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 besides 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 targets of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target. 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, and a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the stays. 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 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 nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. ²¹ For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram. 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 brought every man his present, vessels of silver, vessels of gold, clothing, armor, spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.

²⁵ Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he placed 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 to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance. 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 was buried in David’s city; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.