aNow when the aqueen of bSheba
heard
about the fame
of Solomon
concerning the name
of the LORD
, she came
cto test
him with difficult
questions
.
So she came to Jerusalem
with a very
large
retinue
, with camels
acarrying
spices
and very
much
gold
and precious
stones
. When she came
to Solomon
, she spoke
with him about all
that was in her heart
.
Solomon 1answered
all
her questions
; nothing
was hidden
from the king
which
he did not 2explain
to her.
When the queen of Sheba
perceived
all
the wisdom
of Solomon
, the house
that he had built
,
the food of his table
, the seating
of his servants
, the attendance
of his waiters
and their attire
, his cupbearers
, and 1his stairway
by which
he went
up to the house
of the LORD
, there was no
more
spirit
in her.
Then she said to the king
, "It was a true
report
which
I heard
in my own land
about
your words
and your wisdom
.
"Nevertheless I did not believe the 1reports
, until
I came
and my eyes
had seen
it. And behold
, the half
was not told
me. You exceed
in wisdom
and prosperity
the report
which
I heard
.
"How ablessed are your men
, how blessed
are these
your servants
who stand
before
you continually
and hear
your wisdom
.
" aBlessed be the LORD
your God
who
delighted
in you to set
you on the throne
of Israel
; bbecause the LORD
loved
Israel
forever
, therefore He made
you king
, cto do
justice
and righteousness
."
aShe gave the king
a hundred
and twenty
talents
of gold
, and a very
great
amount of spices
and precious
stones
. Never
again
did such
abundance
of spices
come
in as that which
the queen
of Sheba
gave
King
Solomon
.
aAlso the ships
of Hiram
, which
brought
gold
from Ophir
, brought
in from Ophir
a very
great
number of almug
trees
and precious
stones
.
aThe king made
of the almug
trees
supports
for the house
of the LORD
and for the king's
house
, also lyres
and harps
for the singers
; such
almug
trees
have not come
in again nor
have they been seen
to this
day
.
King Solomon
gave
to the queen
of Sheba
all
her desire
which
she requested
, besides
what
he gave
her according to 1his royal
bounty
. Then she turned
and went
to her own land
2together with her servants
.
aNow the weight of gold
which
came
in to Solomon
in one
year
was 666
talents
of gold
,
besides that from the traders
and the 1wares
of the merchants
and all
the kings
of the aArabs
and the governors
of the country
.
aKing Solomon
made
200
large
shields
of beaten
gold
, 1using
600
shekels of gold
on each
large
shield
.
He made a300 shields
of beaten
gold
, 1using
three
minas
of gold
on each
shield
, and bthe king
put
them in the house
of the forest
of Lebanon
.
Moreover, the king made
a great
throne
of aivory
and overlaid
it with refined
gold
.
There were six steps
to the throne
and a round
top
to the throne
at its rear
, and 1arms
2on each
side
of the seat
, and two
lions
standing
beside
the 1arms
.
Twelve 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
.
All King
Solomon's
drinking
vessels
were of gold
, and all
the vessels
of the house
of the forest
of Lebanon
were of pure
gold
. None
was of silver
; it was not considered
1valuable
in the days
of Solomon
.
For athe king had at sea
the ships
of Tarshish
with the ships
of Hiram
; once
every three
years
the ships
of Tarshish
came
bringing
gold
and silver
, ivory
and apes
and peacocks
.
aSo King Solomon
became
greater
than
all
the kings
of the earth
in riches
and in wisdom
.
All the earth
was seeking
the presence
of Solomon
, ato hear
his wisdom
which
God
had put
in his heart
.
aThey brought every
man
his gift
, articles
of silver
and gold
, garments
, weapons
, spices
, horses
, and mules
, so
much
year
by year
.
aNow Solomon gathered
chariots
and horsemen
; and he had
1,400
chariots
and 12,000
horsemen
, and he 1stationed
them in the bchariot
cities
and with the king
in Jerusalem
.
aThe king made
silver
as common as stones
in Jerusalem
, and he made
cedars
as plentiful
as sycamore
trees
that are in the 1lowland
.
aAlso Solomon's import
of horses
was from Egypt
and Kue
, and the king's
merchants
procured
them from Kue
for a price
.
A chariot 1was imported
from Egypt
for 600
shekels of silver
, and a horse
for 150
; and 2by the same
means
they exported
them ato all
the kings
of the Hittites
and to the kings
of the Arameans
.