2Chronicles 9

Visit of the Queen of Sheba

9When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. She arrived with a large group of attendants and a great caravan of camels loaded with spices, large quantities of gold, and precious jewels. When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind.H4436H7614H8085H8088H8010H935H5254H8010H2420H3389H3966H3515H2428H1581H5375H1314H2091H7230H3368H68H935H8010H1696H38242Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her.H8010H5046H1697H5956H8010H50463When the queen of Sheba realized how wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built,H4436H7614H7200H2451H8010H1004H11294she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers and their robes, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the LORD.H3978H7979H4186H5650H4612H8334H4403H8248H4403H5944H5927H1004H3068H73075She exclaimed to the king, "Everything I heard in my country about your achievements

and wisdom is true!H559H4428H571H1697H8085H776H1697H24516I didn't believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of your great wisdom! It is far beyond what I was told.H539H1697H935H5869H7200H2677H4768H2451H5046H3254H8052H80857How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom!H835H582H835H5650H5975H8548H6440H8085H24518Praise the LORD your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne as king to rule for him. Because God loves Israel and desires this kingdom to last forever, he has made you king over them so you can rule with justice and righteousness."H1288H3068H430H2654H5414H3678H4428H3068H430H430H160H3478H5975H5769H5414H4428H6213H4941H66669Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000 pounds

of gold, great quantities of spices, and precious jewels. Never before had there been spices as fine as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.H5414H4428H3967H6242H3603H2091H1314H3966H7230H3368H68H1314H4436H7614H5414H4428H801010(In addition, the crews of Hiram and Solomon brought gold from Ophir, and they also brought red sandalwood

and precious jewels.H5650H2361H5650H8010H935H2091H211H935H418H6086H3368H6811The king used the sandalwood to make steps

for the Temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and to construct lyres and harps for the musicians. Never before had such beautiful things been seen in Judah.)H4428H6213H418H6086H4546H1004H3068H4428H1004H3658H5035H7891H1992H7200H6440H776H306312King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba whatever she asked for—gifts of greater value than the gifts she had given him. Then she and all her attendants returned to their own land.H4428H8010H5414H4436H7614H2656H7592H935H4428H2015H3212H776H5650

Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor

13Each year Solomon received about 25 tons

of gold.H4948H2091H935H8010H259H8141H8337H3967H8346H8337H3603H209114This did not include the additional revenue he received from merchants and traders. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the provinces also brought gold and silver to Solomon.H582H8446H5503H935H4428H6152H6346H776H935H2091H3701H801015King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than 15 pounds

.H4428H8010H6213H3967H6793H7820H2091H8337H3967H7820H2091H5927H259H679316He also made 300 smaller shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than 7 1/2 pounds. The king placed these shields in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.H7969H3967H4043H7820H2091H7969H3967H2091H5927H259H4043H4428H5414H1004H3293H384417Then the king made a huge throne, decorated with ivory and overlaid with pure gold.H4428H6213H1419H3678H8127H6823H2889H209118The throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, and the figure of a lion stood on each side of the throne.H8337H4609H3678H3534H2091H270H3678H3027H3427H4725H8147H738H5975H681H302719There were also twelve other lions, one standing on each end of the six steps. No other throne in all the world could be compared with it!H8147H6240H738H5975H8337H4609H6213H446720All of King Solomon's drinking cups were solid gold, as were all the utensils in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. They were not made of silver, for silver was considered worthless in Solomon's day!H4945H3627H4428H8010H2091H3627H1004H3293H3844H5462H2091H3701H3972H2803H3117H801021The king had a fleet of trading ships

manned by the sailors sent by Hiram. Once every three years the ships returned, loaded with gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.H4428H591H1980H8659H5650H2361H7969H8141H259H935H591H8659H5375H2091H3701H8143H6971H850022So King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king on earth.H4428H8010H1431H4428H776H6239H245123Kings from every nation came to consult him and to hear the wisdom God had given him.H4428H776H1245H6440H8010H8085H2451H430H5414H382024Year after year everyone who visited brought him gifts of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.H935H376H4503H3627H3701H3627H2091H8008H5402H1314H5483H6505H1697H8141H814125Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his horses and chariots, and he had 12,000 horses

. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities, and some near him in Jerusalem.H8010H702H505H723H5483H4818H8147H6240H505H6571H3240H7393H5892H4428H338926He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River

in the north to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt in the south.H4910H4428H5104H776H6430H1366H471427The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. And valuable cedar timber was as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah

.H4428H5414H3701H3389H68H730H5414H8256H8219H723028Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt

and many other countries.H3318H8010H5483H4714H776

Summary of Solomon’s Reign

29The rest of the events of Solomon's reign, from beginning to end, are recorded in The Record of Nathan the Prophet, and The Prophecy of Ahijah from Shiloh, and also in The Visions of Iddo the Seer, concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat.H7605H1697H8010H7223H314H3789H1697H5416H5030H5016H281H7888H2378H3260H2374H3379H1121H502830Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.H8010H4427H3389H3478H705H814131When he died, he was buried in the City of David, named for his father. Then his son Rehoboam became the next king.H8010H7901H1H6912H5892H1732H1H7346H1121H4427