2 Chronicles 9

The Queen of Sheba

(1 Kings 10:1–13)

1Now when the queenH4436 of ShebaH7614 heardH8085 aboutH853 the fameH8088 of SolomonH8010, she cameH935 to testH5254 him with difficult questionsH2420. She arrived in JerusalemH3389 with a veryH3966 largeH3515 caravanH2428—with camelsH1581 bearingH5375 spicesH1314, goldH2091 in abundanceH7230, and preciousH3368 stonesH68.

And she cameH935 toH413 SolomonH8010 and spokeH1696 with himH5973 about allH3605 thatH834 wasH1961 onH5973 her mindH3824. 2And SolomonH8010 answeredH5046 allH3605 her questionsH1697; nothingH3808H1697 was too difficultH5956 forH8010 him to explainH5046.

3When the queenH4436 of ShebaH7614 sawH7200 the wisdomH2451 of SolomonH8010, the palaceH1004 he had builtH1129, 4the foodH3978 at his tableH7979, the seatingH4186 of his servantsH5650, the serviceH4612 and attireH4403 of his attendantsH8334, the attireH4403 of his cupbearersH4945, and the burnt offeringsH5944 he presentedH59271 at the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068H3808H1961H5750, it took her breath awayH7307.

5She saidH559 toH413 the kingH4428, “The reportH1697 I heardH8085 in my own countryH776 aboutH5921 your wordsH16972 and wisdomH2451 is trueH571. 6But I did notH3808 believeH539 the reportsH1697 untilH5704 I cameH935 and sawH7200 with my own eyesH5869. IndeedH2009, notH3808 halfH2677 of the greatnessH4768 of your wisdomH2451 was toldH5046 to me. You have far exceededH3254H5921 the reportH8052 I heardH8085. 7How blessedH835 are your menH582! How blessedH835 are theseH428 servants of yoursH5650 who standH5975 continuallyH8548 before youH6440 and hearH8085 your wisdomH2451! 8BlessedH1288 beH1961 the LORDH3068 your GodH430, whoH834 has delightedH2654 in you to set youH5414 onH5921 His throneH3678 to be kingH4428 for the LORDH3068 your GodH430. Because your GodH430 lovedH157 IsraelH3478 enough to establish themH5975 foreverH5769, He has made youH5414 kingH4428 over themH5921 to carry outH6213 justiceH4941 and righteousnessH6666.”

9Then she gaveH5414 the kingH4428 120H3967H6242 talentsH3603 of goldH2091,3 a great quantity ofH7230H3966 spicesH1314, and preciousH3368 stonesH68. There had never beenH1961H3808 suchH1931 spicesH1314 as thoseH834 the queenH4436 of ShebaH7614 gaveH5414 to KingH4428 SolomonH8010.

10(The servantsH5650 of HiramH2438 and of SolomonH8010 whoH834 broughtH935 goldH2091 from OphirH211 alsoH1571 broughtH935 algumH4184 woodH6086 and preciousH3368 stonesH68. 11The kingH4428 madeH6213 the algumH418 woodH6086 into stepsH45465 for the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 and for the king’sH4428 palaceH1004, and into lyresH3658 and harpsH5035 for the singersH7891. NeverH3808 beforeH6440 had anything like them been seenH7200 in the landH776 of JudahH3063.)

12KingH4428 SolomonH8010 gaveH5414 the queenH4436 of ShebaH7614 allH3605 she desiredH2656—whateverH834 she askedH7592—far more thanH905 she had broughtH935H413 the kingH4428. Then sheH1931 leftH2015 and returnedH1980 to her own countryH776, along with her servantsH5650.

Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor

(1 Kings 10:14–29)

13The weightH4948 of goldH2091 thatH834 cameH935 to SolomonH8010 each yearH8141H259 wasH1961 666H8337H3967H8346 talentsH3603,6 14not includingH905 the revenueH935 from the merchantsH582H8446 and tradersH5503. And allH3605 the ArabianH6152 kingsH4428 and governorsH6346 of the landH776 also broughtH935 goldH2091 and silverH3701 to SolomonH8010.

15KingH4428 SolomonH8010 madeH6213 two hundredH3967 large shieldsH6793 of hammeredH7820 goldH2091; sixH8337 hundredH3967 shekels of hammeredH7820 goldH20917 wentH5927 intoH5921 eachH259 shieldH6793. 16He also made threeH7969 hundredH3967 small shieldsH4043 of hammeredH7820 goldH2091; threeH7969 hundredH3967 shekels of goldH20918 wentH5927 intoH5921 eachH259 shieldH4043. And the kingH4428 put themH5414 in the HouseH1004 of the ForestH3293 of LebanonH3844.

17Additionally, the kingH4428 madeH6213 a greatH1419 throneH3678 of ivoryH8127 and overlaid itH6823 with pureH2889 goldH2091. 18The throneH3678 had sixH8337 stepsH4609, and a footstoolH3534 of goldH2091 was attached to itH3678H270. There were armrestsH3027 on both sidesH2088 ofH5921 the seatH4725H7675, with a lionH738 standingH5975 besideH681 each armrestH3027. 19TwelveH8147H6240 lionsH738 stoodH5975 onH5921 the sixH8337 stepsH4609, one at either endH2088 of eachH2088 step. NothingH3808 likeH3651 this had ever been madeH6213 for anyH3605 kingdomH4467.

20AllH3605 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 nothingH3972 in the daysH3117 of SolomonH8010. 21ForH3588 the king hadH4428 the shipsH591 of TarshishH86599 that wentH1980 withH5973 Hiram’sH236110 servantsH5650, and onceH259 every threeH7969 yearsH8141 the shipsH591 of TarshishH8659 would arriveH935 bearingH5375 goldH2091, silverH3701, ivoryH8143, apesH6971, and peacocksH8500.11

22So KingH4428 SolomonH8010 surpassedH1431 allH3605 the kingsH4428 of the earthH776 in richesH6239 and wisdomH2451. 23AllH3605 the kingsH4428 of the earthH776 soughtH1245 an audienceH6440 with SolomonH8010 to hearH8085 the wisdomH2451 thatH834 GodH430 had putH5414 in his heartH3820. 24YearH8141 after yearH8141, each visitorH376 would bringH935 his tributeH4503: articlesH3627 of silverH3701H3627 and goldH2091, clothingH8008, weaponsH5402, spicesH1314, horsesH5483, and mulesH6505.

25SolomonH8010 hadH1961 4,000H702H505 stallsH723 for horsesH5483 and chariotsH4818, and 12,000H8147H6240H505 horsesH6571,12 which he stationedH5117 in the chariotH7393 citiesH5892 and also withH5973 him in JerusalemH3389. 26He reignedH4910 over allH3605 the kingsH4428 fromH4480 the EuphratesH510413 toH5704 the landH776 of the PhilistinesH6430, asH5704 far as the borderH1366 of EgyptH4714. 27The kingH4428 madeH5414 silverH3701 as common in JerusalemH3389 as stonesH68, andH5414 cedarH730 as abundantH7230 as sycamoreH8256 in the foothillsH8219.14 28Solomon’sH8010 horsesH5483 were importedH3318 from EgyptH4714 and from allH3605 the landsH776.

The Death of Solomon

(1 Kings 11:41–43)

29As for the restH7605 of the actsH1697 of SolomonH8010, from beginningH7223 to endH314, are theyH1992 notH3808 writtenH3789 inH5921 the RecordsH1697 of NathanH5416 the ProphetH5030, inH5921 the ProphecyH5016 of AhijahH281 the ShiloniteH7888, and in the VisionsH2378 of IddoH3260 the SeerH2374 concerningH5921 JeroboamH3379 sonH1121 of NebatH5028? 30SolomonH8010 reignedH4427 in JerusalemH3389 overH5921 allH3605 IsraelH3478 fortyH705 yearsH8141. 31And SolomonH8010 restedH7901 withH5973 his fathersH1 and was buriedH6912 in the cityH5892 of his fatherH1 DavidH1732. And his sonH1121 RehoboamH7346 reignedH4427 in his placeH8478.