New American Standard Bible 2020

2 Chronicles 9

Visit of the Queen of Sheba

1 1Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with riddles. She had a very large entourage, with camels carrying balsam oil and a large amount of gold and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about everything that was on her heart. 2Solomon 2answered all her questions; nothing was hidden from Solomon which he did not 3explain to her. 3When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house which he had built, 4the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and 4his stairway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, she was breathless. 5Then she said to the king, “It was a true 5story that I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. 6But I did not believe their 6stories until I came and my own eyes saw it all. And behold, not even half of the greatness of your wisdom was reported to me. You have surpassed the report that I heard. 7How 7blessed are your men, how 8blessed are these servants of yours, who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom! 8Blessed be the Lord your God who delighted in you, 9setting you on His throne as king for the Lord your God; 10because your God loved Israel, establishing them forever, He made you king over them, to carry out justice and righteousness.” 9Then she gave the king 11120 talents of gold and a very great amount of balsam oil and precious stones; there had never been balsam oil like that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

10The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon 12who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum trees and precious stones. 11From the algum trees the king made steps to the house of the Lord and for the king’s palace, and lyres and harps for the singers; and nothing like them was seen before in the land of Judah.

12King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire, whatever she requested, besides gifts equal to what she had brought to the king. Then she turned and went to her own land with her servants.

Solomon’s Wealth and Power

13 13Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 14666 talents of gold, 14besides what the traders and merchants brought; and all 15the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold, 16using six hundred shekels of beaten gold on each large shield. 16He made three hundred shields of beaten gold, 17using three hundred shekels of gold on each shield; and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

17Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. 18There were six steps to the throne and a footstool in gold attached to the throne, and 18arms 19on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the 20arms. 19Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps on the one side and on the other; nothing like it was made for any other kingdom. 20All 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 21valuable in the days of Solomon. 21 22For the king had ships which went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

22 23So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in wealth and wisdom. 23And all the kings of the earth were seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart. 24 24They were bringing, each of them his gift: articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, balsam oil, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

25Now Solomon had 25four thousand stalls for horses and chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 26 26He was ruler over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the border of Egypt. 27 27And the king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the 28lowland. 28 29And they were bringing horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all countries.

29 30Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from the first to the last, 31are they not written in the 32records of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of 33Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30 34Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.

Death of Solomon

31And Solomon 35lay down with his fathers and was buried in 36the city of his father David; and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.

Notes

1. 2 Chronicles 9:1 1 Kin 10:1-13; Matt 12:42; Luke 11:31 ↩
2. 2 Chronicles 9:2 Lit told her all her words ↩
3. 2 Chronicles 9:2 Lit tell ↩
4. 2 Chronicles 9:4 Or his burnt offering which he offered ↩
5. 2 Chronicles 9:5 Lit word ↩
6. 2 Chronicles 9:6 Lit words ↩
7. 2 Chronicles 9:7 Or happy ↩
8. 2 Chronicles 9:7 Or happy ↩
9. 2 Chronicles 9:8 1 Chr 28:5; 29:23 ↩
10. 2 Chronicles 9:8 Deut 7:8; 2 Chr 2:11 ↩
11. 2 Chronicles 9:9 About 4.5 tons or 4 metric tons ↩
12. 2 Chronicles 9:10 1 Kin 10:11; 2 Chr 8:18 ↩
13. 2 Chronicles 9:13 1 Kin 10:14-28 ↩
14. 2 Chronicles 9:13 About 25 tons or 23 metric tons ↩
15. 2 Chronicles 9:14 Ps 68:29; 72:10 ↩
16. 2 Chronicles 9:15 Lit he brought up ↩
17. 2 Chronicles 9:16 Lit he brought up ↩
18. 2 Chronicles 9:18 Lit hands ↩
19. 2 Chronicles 9:18 Lit from this and from this at the place of the seat ↩
20. 2 Chronicles 9:18 Lit hands ↩
21. 2 Chronicles 9:20 Lit anything ↩
22. 2 Chronicles 9:21 2 Chr 20:36, 37 ↩
23. 2 Chronicles 9:22 1 Kin 3:13; 2 Chr 1:12 ↩
24. 2 Chronicles 9:24 Ps 72:10 ↩
25. 2 Chronicles 9:25 Deut 17:16; 1 Kin 4:26; 10:26; 2 Chr 1:14 ↩
26. 2 Chronicles 9:26 Gen 15:18; 1 Kin 4:21, 24 ↩
27. 2 Chronicles 9:27 2 Chr 1:15-17 ↩
28. 2 Chronicles 9:27 Heb shephelah ↩
29. 2 Chronicles 9:28 2 Chr 1:16 ↩
30. 2 Chronicles 9:29 1 Kin 11:41-43 ↩
31. 2 Chronicles 9:29 1 Chr 29:29 ↩
32. 2 Chronicles 9:29 Lit words ↩
33. 2 Chronicles 9:29 Heb Jedo ↩
34. 2 Chronicles 9:30 1 Kin 11:42, 43 ↩
35. 2 Chronicles 9:31 I.e., died ↩
36. 2 Chronicles 9:31 1 Kin 2:10 ↩

Visit of the Queen of Sheba

Solomon’s Wealth and Power

Death of Solomon

Notes

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 9