10The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame, and she traveled to Jerusalem to test him with difficult questions.H4436H7614H8085H8088H8010H8034H3068H935H5254H24202She brought with her a large group of attendants, as well as camels loaded with spices, jewels, and a large amount of gold. When she and Solomon met, she asked him all the questions that she could think of.H935H3389H3966H3515H2428H1581H5375H1314H3966H7227H2091H3368H68H935H8010H1696H38243He answered them all; there was nothing too difficult for him to explain.H8010H5046H1697H1697H5956H4428H50464The queen of Sheba heard Solomon's wisdom and saw the palace he had built.H4436H7614H7200H8010H2451H1004H11295She saw the food that was served at his table, the living quarters for his officials, the organization of his palace staff and the uniforms they wore, the servants who waited on him at feasts, and the sacrifices he offered in the Temple. It left her breathless and amazed.H3978H7979H4186H5650H4612H8334H4403H8248H5930H5927H1004H3068H73076She said to King Solomon, "What I heard in my own country about you and your wisdom is true!H559H4428H571H1697H8085H776H1697H24517But I couldn't believe it until I had come and seen it all for myself. But I didn't hear even half of it; your wisdom and wealth are much greater than what I was told.H539H1697H935H5869H7200H2677H5046H2451H2896H3254H8052H80858How fortunate are your wives! And how fortunate your servants, who are always in your presence and are privileged to hear your wise sayings!H835H582H835H5650H5975H8548H6440H8085H24519Praise the LORD your God! He has shown how pleased he is with you by making you king of Israel. Because his love for Israel is eternal, he has made you their king so that you can maintain law and justice."H1288H3068H430H2654H5414H3678H3478H3068H160H3478H5769H7760H4428H6213H4941H666610She presented to King Solomon the gifts she had brought: almost five tons of gold and a very large amount of spices and jewels. The amount of spices she gave him was by far the greatest that he ever received at any time.H5414H4428H3967H6242H3603H2091H1314H3966H7235H3368H68H935H1931H7230H1314H4436H7614H5414H4428H801011(Hiram's fleet, which had brought gold from Ophir, also brought from there a large amount of juniper wood and jewels.H590H2438H5375H2091H211H935H211H3966H7235H484H6086H3368H6812Solomon used the wood to build railings in the Temple and the palace, and also to make harps and lyres for the musicians. It was the finest juniper wood ever imported into Israel; none like it has ever been seen again.)H4428H6213H484H6086H4552H1004H3068H4428H1004H3658H5035H7891H935H484H6086H7200H311713King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she asked for, besides all the other customary gifts that he had generously given her. Then she and her attendants returned to the land of Sheba.H4428H8010H5414H4436H7614H2656H7592H8010H5414H4428H3027H6437H3212H776H5650
King Solomon’s Wealth
14Every year King Solomon received over twenty-five tons of gold,H4948H2091H935H8010H259H8141H8337H3967H8346H8337H3603H209115in addition to the taxes paid by merchants, the profits from trade, and tribute paid by the Arabian kings and the governors of the Israelite districts.H582H8446H4536H7402H4428H6153H6346H77616Solomon made two hundred large shields and had each one overlaid with almost fifteen pounds of gold.H4428H8010H6213H3967H6793H7820H2091H8337H3967H2091H5927H259H679317He also made three hundred smaller shields, overlaying each one of them with nearly four pounds of gold. He had all these shields placed in the Hall of the Forest of Lebanon.H7969H3967H4043H7820H2091H7969H4488H2091H5927H259H4043H4428H5414H1004H3293H384418He also had a large throne made. Part of it was covered with ivory and the rest of it was covered with the finest gold.H4428H6213H1419H3678H8127H6823H6338H209119The throne had six steps leading up to it, with the figure of a lion at each end of every step, a total of twelve lions. At the back of the throne was the figure of a bull's head, and beside each of the two armrests was the figure of a lion.H3678H8337H4609H7218H3678H5696H310H3027H4725H7675H8147H738H5975H681H302720No throne like this had ever existed in any other kingdom.H8147H6240H738H5975H8337H4609H3651H6213H446721All of Solomon's drinking cups were made of gold, and all the utensils in the Hall of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. No silver was used, since it was not considered valuable in Solomon's day.H4428H8010H4945H3627H2091H3627H1004H3293H3844H5462H2091H3701H3972H2803H3117H801022He had a fleet of ocean-going ships sailing with Hiram's fleet. Every three years his fleet would return, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys.H4428H3220H590H8659H590H2438H259H7969H8141H935H590H8659H5375H2091H3701H8143H6971H850023King Solomon was richer and wiser than any other king,H4428H8010H1431H4428H776H6239H245124and the whole world wanted to come and listen to the wisdom that God had given him.H776H1245H6440H8010H8085H2451H430H5414H382025Everyone who came brought him a gift - articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. This continued year after year.H935H376H4503H3627H3701H3627H2091H8008H5402H1314H5483H6505H1697H8141H814126Solomon built up a force of fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand cavalry horses. Some of them he kept in Jerusalem and the rest he stationed in various other cities.H8010H622H7393H6571H505H702H3967H7393H8147H6240H505H6571H5148H5892H7393H4428H338927During his reign silver was as common in Jerusalem as stone, and cedar was as plentiful as ordinary sycamore in the foothills of Judah.H4428H5414H3701H3389H68H730H5414H8256H8219H723028The king's agents controlled the export of horses from Musri and Cilicia,H8010H5483H4161H4714H4723H4428H5503H3947H4723H424229and the export of chariots from Egypt. They supplied the Hittite and Syrian kings with horses and chariots, selling chariots for 600 pieces of silver each and horses for 150 each.H4818H5927H3318H4714H8337H3967H3701H5483H3967H2572H4428H2850H4428H758H3318H3027
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