1 Kings 10

The Queen of Sheba

(2 Chronicles 9:1–12)

1Now when the queenH4436 of ShebaH7614 heardH8085 about the fameH8088 of SolomonH8010 concerning the nameH8034 of the LORDH3068, she cameH935 to test himH5254 with difficult questionsH2420. 2She arrivedH935 in JerusalemH3389 with a veryH3966 largeH3515 caravanH2428—with camelsH1581 bearingH5375 spicesH1314, goldH2091 in greatH3966 abundanceH7227, and preciousH3368 stonesH68.

And she cameH935 toH413 SolomonH8010 and spokeH1696 to himH413 allH3605 thatH834 wasH1961 onH5973 her mindH3824. 3And SolomonH8010 answeredH5046 allH3605 her questionsH1697; nothingH3808H1697 wasH1961 too difficultH5956 forH4480 the kingH4428 to explainH5046.

4When the queenH4436 of ShebaH7614 sawH7200 allH3605 the wisdomH2451 of SolomonH8010, the palaceH1004 he had builtH1129, 5the foodH3978 at his tableH7979, the seatingH4186 of his servantsH5650, the serviceH4612 and attireH4403 of his attendantsH8334, his cupbearersH4945, and the burnt offeringsH5930 he presentedH5927 at the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, it took her breathH7307 awayH3808H1961.

6She saidH559 toH413 the kingH4428, “The reportH1697 I heardH8085 in my own countryH776 aboutH5921 your wordsH1697 andH5921 wisdomH2451 isH1961 trueH571. 7But I did notH3808 believeH539 these thingsH1697 untilH5704 I cameH935 and sawH7200 with my own eyesH5869. IndeedH2009, not evenH3808 halfH2677 was toldH5046 to me. Your wisdomH2451 and prosperityH2896 have farH413 exceededH3254 the reportH8052 I heardH8085. 8How blessedH835 are your menH582!1 How blessedH835 are theseH428 servants of yoursH5650 who standH5975 continuallyH8548 before youH6440 and hearH8085 your wisdomH2451! 9BlessedH1288 beH1961 the LORDH3068 your GodH430, whoH834 has delightedH2654 in you to setH5414 you onH5921 the throneH3678 of IsraelH3478. Because of the LORD’sH3068 eternalH5769 loveH157 for IsraelH3478, He has made youH7760 kingH4428 to carry outH6213 justiceH4941 and righteousnessH6666.”

10Then she gaveH5414 the kingH4428 120H3967H6242 talentsH3603 of goldH2091,2 a great quantity ofH7235H3966 spicesH1314, and preciousH3368 stonesH68. NeverH3808 againH5750 were spicesH1314 in suchH1931 abundanceH7230 brought inH935 as thoseH834 the queenH4436 of ShebaH7614 gaveH5414 to KingH4428 SolomonH8010.

11(The fleetH590 of HiramH2438 thatH834 broughtH5375 goldH2091 from OphirH211 alsoH1571 broughtH935 from OphirH211 a great cargoH7235H3966 of almugH4843 woodH6086 and preciousH3368 stonesH68. 12The kingH4428 madeH6213 the almugH484 woodH6086 into stepsH4552 for the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 and for the king’sH4428 palaceH1004, and into lyresH3658 and harpsH5035 for the singersH7891. NeverH3808 before had suchH3651 almugH484 woodH6086 been brought inH935, nor has suchH3808 been seen againH7200 toH5704 thisH2088 dayH3117.)

13KingH4428 SolomonH8010 gaveH5414 the queenH4436 of ShebaH7614 allH3605 she desiredH2656—whateverH834 she askedH7592—besidesH905 whatH834 he had givenH5414 her out ofH8010 his royalH4428 bountyH3027. Then she leftH6437 and returnedH1980 to her own countryH776, along with her servantsH5650.

Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor

(2 Chronicles 1:14–17; 2 Chronicles 9:13–28)

14The weightH4948 of goldH2091 thatH834 cameH935 to SolomonH8010 each yearH8141H259 wasH1961 666H8337H3967H8346 talentsH3603,4 15not includingH905 the revenueH4536 from the merchantsH582H8446, tradersH7402, and allH3605 the ArabianH6152 kingsH4428 and governorsH6346 of the landH776.

16KingH4428 SolomonH8010 madeH6213 two hundredH3967 large shieldsH6793 of hammeredH7820 goldH2091; sixH8337 hundredH3967 shekels of goldH20915 wentH5927 intoH5921 eachH259 shieldH6793. 17He also made threeH7969 hundredH3967 small shieldsH4043 of hammeredH7820 goldH2091; threeH7969 minasH4488 of goldH20916 wentH5927 intoH5921 eachH259 shieldH4043. And the kingH4428 put themH5414 in the HouseH1004 of the ForestH3293 of LebanonH3844.

18Additionally, the kingH4428 madeH6213 a greatH1419 throneH3678 of ivoryH8127 and overlaid itH6823 with pureH6338 goldH2091. 19The throneH3678 had sixH8337 stepsH4609, and its backH310H3678 had a roundedH5696 topH7218. There were armrestsH3027 on both sidesH2088 ofH413 the seatH4725H7675, withH8147 a lionH738 standingH5975 besideH681 each armrestH3027. 20TwelveH8147H6240 lionsH738 stoodH5975 onH5921 the sixH8337 stepsH4609, one at either endH2088 of eachH2088 step. NothingH3808 likeH3651 this had ever been madeH6213 for anyH3605 kingdomH4467.

21AllH3605 KingH4428 Solomon’sH8010 drinkingH4945 cupsH3627 were goldH2091, and allH3605 the utensilsH3627 of the HouseH1004 of the ForestH3293 of LebanonH3844 were pureH5462 goldH2091. There was noH369 silverH3701, because it was accountedH2803 as nothingH3808H3972 in the daysH3117 of SolomonH8010. 22ForH3588 the king hadH4428 the shipsH590 of TarshishH86597 at seaH3220 withH5973 Hiram’sH2438 fleetH590, and onceH259 every three yearsH7969H8141 the shipsH590 of TarshishH8659 would arriveH935 bearingH5375 goldH2091, silverH3701, ivoryH8143, apesH6971, and peacocksH8500.8

23So KingH4428 SolomonH8010 surpassedH1431 allH3605 the kingsH4428 of the earthH776 in richesH6239 and wisdomH2451. 24The wholeH3605 worldH776 soughtH1245 an audienceH6440 with SolomonH8010 to hearH8085 the wisdomH2451 thatH834 GodH430 had putH5414 in his heartH3820. 25YearH8141 after yearH8141H1992, each visitorH376 would bringH935 his tributeH4503: articlesH3627 of silverH3701H3627 and goldH2091, clothingH8008, weaponsH5402, spicesH1314, horsesH5483, and mulesH6505.

26SolomonH8010 accumulatedH6229 1,400H505H702H3967 chariotsH7393 and 12,000H8147H6240H505 horsesH6571,10 which he stationedH5148 in the chariotH7393 citiesH5892 and also withH5973 him in JerusalemH3389. 27The kingH4428 madeH5414 silverH3701 as common in JerusalemH3389 as stonesH68, andH5414 cedarH730 as abundantH7230 as sycamoreH8256 in the foothillsH8219.11

28Solomon’sH834H8010 horsesH5483 were importedH4161 from EgyptH4714 and KueH4723;12 the royalH4428 merchantsH5503 purchased themH3947H4242 from KueH4723. 29A chariotH4818 could be importedH5927H3318 from EgyptH4714 for sixH8337 hundredH3967 shekels of silverH3701,13 and a horseH5483 for a hundredH3967 and fiftyH2572.14 LikewiseH3651, they exported themH3318 to allH3605 the kingsH4428 of the HittitesH2850 and to the kingsH4428 of AramH758.