2Chronicles 9

Visit of the Queen of Sheba

9When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions, having a very great retinue and camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she discussed with him all that was on her mind.H4436H7614H8085H8088H8010H935H5254H8010H2420H3389H3966H3515H2428H1581H5375H1314H2091H7230H3368H68H935H8010H1696H38242Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from Solomon that he could not explain to her.H8010H5046H1697H5956H8010H50463When the queen of Sheba had observed the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,H4436H7614H7200H2451H8010H1004H11294the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, and their clothing, his valets, and their clothing, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit left in her.H3978H7979H4186H5650H4612H8334H4403H8248H4403H5944H5927H1004H3068H73075So she said to the king, "The report was true that I heard in my own land of your accomplishments and of your wisdom,H559H4428H571H1697H8085H776H1697H24516but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes saw it. Not even half of the greatness of your wisdom had been told to me; you far surpass the report that I had heard.H539H1697H935H5869H7200H2677H4768H2451H5046H3254H8052H80857Happy are your people! Happy are these your servants, who continually attend you and hear your wisdom!H835H582H835H5650H5975H8548H6440H8085H24518Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on his throne as king for the LORD your God. Because your God loved Israel and would establish them forever, he has made you king over them, that you may execute justice and righteousness."H1288H3068H430H2654H5414H3678H4428H3068H430H430H160H3478H5975H5769H5414H4428H6213H4941H66669Then she gave the king one hundred twenty talents of gold, a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones: there were no spices such as those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.H5414H4428H3967H6242H3603H2091H1314H3966H7230H3368H68H1314H4436H7614H5414H4428H801010Moreover the servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir brought algum wood and precious stones.H5650H2361H5650H8010H935H2091H211H935H418H6086H3368H6811From the algum wood, the king made steps for the house of the LORD and for the king's house, lyres also and harps for the singers; there never was seen the like of them before in the land of Judah.H4428H6213H418H6086H4546H1004H3068H4428H1004H3658H5035H7891H1992H7200H6440H776H306312Meanwhile King Solomon granted the queen of Sheba every desire that she expressed, well beyond what she had brought to the king. Then she returned to her own land, with her servants.H4428H8010H5414H4436H7614H2656H7592H935H4428H2015H3212H776H5650

Solomon’s Great Wealth

13The weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold,H4948H2091H935H8010H259H8141H8337H3967H8346H8337H3603H209114besides that which the traders and merchants brought; and all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land brought gold and silver to Solomon.H582H8446H5503H935H4428H6152H6346H776H935H2091H3701H801015King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of beaten gold went into each large shield.H4428H8010H6213H3967H6793H7820H2091H8337H3967H7820H2091H5927H259H679316He made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three hundred shekels of gold went into each shield; and the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.H7969H3967H4043H7820H2091H7969H3967H2091H5927H259H4043H4428H5414H1004H3293H384417The king also made a great ivory throne, and overlaid it with pure gold.H4428H6213H1419H3678H8127H6823H2889H209118The throne had six steps and a footstool of gold, which were attached to the throne, and on each side of the seat were arm rests and two lions standing beside the arm rests,H8337H4609H3678H3534H2091H270H3678H3027H3427H4725H8147H738H5975H681H302719while twelve lions were standing, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom.H8147H6240H738H5975H8337H4609H6213H446720All 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 as anything in the days of Solomon.H4945H3627H4428H8010H2091H3627H1004H3293H3844H5462H2091H3701H3972H2803H3117H801021For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.H4428H591H1980H8659H5650H2361H7969H8141H259H935H591H8659H5375H2091H3701H8143H6971H850022Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.H4428H8010H1431H4428H776H6239H245123All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind.H4428H776H1245H6440H8010H8085H2451H430H5414H382024Every one of them brought a present, objects of silver and gold, garments, weaponry, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.H935H376H4503H3627H3701H3627H2091H8008H5402H1314H5483H6505H1697H8141H814125Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.H8010H702H505H723H5483H4818H8147H6240H505H6571H3240H7393H5892H4428H338926He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.H4910H4428H5104H776H6430H1366H471427The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone, and cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah.H4428H5414H3701H3389H68H730H5414H8256H8219H723028Horses were imported for Solomon from Egypt and from all lands.H3318H8010H5483H4714H776

Death of Solomon

29Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not written in the history of the prophet Nathan, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of the seer Iddo concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat?H7605H1697H8010H7223H314H3789H1697H5416H5030H5016H281H7888H2378H3260H2374H3379H1121H502830Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.H8010H4427H3389H3478H705H814131Solomon slept with his ancestors and was buried in the city of his father David; and his son Rehoboam succeeded him.H8010H7901H1H6912H5892H1732H1H7346H1121H4427