10The queen of Sheba heard about Solomon and his connection with the Name of GOD. She came to put his reputation to the test by asking tough questions.H4436H7614H8085H8088H8010H8034H3068H935H5254H24202She made a grand and showy entrance into Jerusalem—camels loaded with spices, a huge amount of gold, and precious gems. She came to Solomon and talked about all the things that she cared about, emptying her heart to him.H935H3389H3966H3515H2428H1581H5375H1314H3966H7227H2091H3368H68H935H8010H1696H38243Solomon answered everything she put to him—nothing stumped him.H8010H5046H1697H1697H5956H4428H50464When the queen of Sheba experienced for herself Solomon's wisdom and saw with her own eyes the palace he had built,H4436H7614H7200H8010H2451H1004H11295the meals that were served, the impressive array of court officials and sharply dressed waiters, the lavish crystal, and the elaborate worship extravagant with Whole-Burnt-Offerings at the steps leading up to The Temple of GOD, it took her breath away.H3978H7979H4186H5650H4612H8334H4403H8248H5930H5927H1004H3068H73076She said to the king, "It's all true! Your reputation for accomplishment and wisdom that reached all the way to my country is confirmed.H559H4428H571H1697H8085H776H1697H24517I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself; they didn't exaggerate! Such wisdom and elegance—far more than I could ever have imagined.H539H1697H935H5869H7200H2677H5046H2451H2896H3254H8052H80858Lucky the men and women who work for you, getting to be around you every day and hear your wise words firsthand!H835H582H835H5650H5975H8548H6440H8085H24519And blessed be GOD, your God, who took such a liking to you and made you king. Clearly, GOD's love for Israel is behind this, making you king to keep a just order and nurture a God-pleasing people."H1288H3068H430H2654H5414H3678H3478H3068H160H3478H5769H7760H4428H6213H4941H666610She then gave the king four and a half tons of gold, and also sack after sack of spices and expensive gems. There hasn't been a cargo of spices like that since that shipload the queen of Sheba brought to King Solomon.H5414H4428H3967H6242H3603H2091H1314H3966H7235H3368H68H935H1931H7230H1314H4436H7614H5414H4428H801011The ships of Hiram also imported gold from Ophir along with tremendous loads of fragrant sandalwood and expensive gems.H590H2438H5375H2091H211H935H211H3966H7235H484H6086H3368H6812The king used the sandalwood for fine cabinetry in The Temple of GOD and the palace complex, and for making harps and dulcimers for the musicians. Nothing like that shipment of sandalwood has been seen since.H4428H6213H484H6086H4552H1004H3068H4428H1004H3658H5035H7891H935H484H6086H7200H311713King Solomon for his part gave the queen of Sheba all her heart's desire—everything she asked for, on top of what he had already so generously given her. Satisfied, she returned home with her train of servants.H4428H8010H5414H4436H7614H2656H7592H8010H5414H4428H3027H6437H3212H776H565014Solomon received twenty-five tons of gold in tribute annually.H4948H2091H935H8010H259H8141H8337H3967H8346H8337H3603H209115This was above and beyond the taxes and profit on trade with merchants and assorted kings and governors.H582H8446H4536H7402H4428H6153H6346H77616King Solomon crafted two hundred body-length shields of hammered gold—seven and a half pounds of gold to each shield—H4428H8010H6213H3967H6793H7820H2091H8337H3967H2091H5927H259H679317and three hundred smaller shields about half that size. He stored the shields in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.H7969H3967H4043H7820H2091H7969H4488H2091H5927H259H4043H4428H5414H1004H3293H384418The king built a massive throne of ivory accented with a veneer of gold.H4428H6213H1419H3678H8127H6823H6338H209119The throne had six steps leading up to it, its back shaped like an arch. The armrests on each side were flanked by lions.H3678H8337H4609H7218H3678H5696H310H3027H4725H7675H8147H738H5975H681H302720Lions, twelve of them, were placed at either end of the six steps. There was no throne like it in any of the surrounding kingdoms.H8147H6240H738H5975H8337H4609H3651H6213H446721King Solomon's chalices and tankards were made of gold and all the dinnerware and serving utensils in the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold—nothing was made of silver; silver was considered common and cheap.H4428H8010H4945H3627H2091H3627H1004H3293H3844H5462H2091H3701H3972H2803H3117H801022The king had a fleet of ocean-going ships at sea with Hiram's ships. Every three years the fleet would bring in a cargo of gold, silver, and ivory, and apes and peacocks.H4428H3220H590H8659H590H2438H259H7969H8141H935H590H8659H5375H2091H3701H8143H6971H850023King Solomon was wiser and richer than all the kings of the earth—he surpassed them all.H4428H8010H1431H4428H776H6239H245124People came from all over the world to be with Solomon and drink in the wisdom God had given him.H776H1245H6440H8010H8085H2451H430H5414H382025And everyone who came brought gifts—artifacts of gold and silver, fashionable robes and gowns, the latest in weapons, exotic spices, and horses and mules—parades of visitors, year after year.H935H376H4503H3627H3701H3627H2091H8008H5402H1314H5483H6505H1697H8141H814126Solomon collected chariots and horses: fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses! He stabled them in the special chariot cities as well as in Jerusalem.H8010H622H7393H6571H505H702H3967H7393H8147H6240H505H6571H5148H5892H7393H4428H338927The king made silver as common as rocks and cedar as common as the fig trees in the lowland hills.H4428H5414H3701H3389H68H730H5414H8256H8219H723028His horses were brought in from Egypt and Cilicia, specially acquired by the king's agents.H8010H5483H4161H4714H4723H4428H5503H3947H4723H424229Chariots from Egypt went for fifteen pounds of silver and a horse for about three and three-quarter pounds of silver. Solomon carried on a brisk horse-trading business with the Hittite and Aramean royal houses.H4818H5927H3318H4714H8337H3967H3701H5483H3967H2572H4428H2850H4428H758H3318H3027
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