1When the queen <04436> of Sheba <07614> heard <08085> about <0854> Solomon <08010>, she came <0935> to challenge <05254> him <08010> with difficult questions <02420>. She arrived in Jerusalem <03389> with a great <03515> display of pomp <02428>, bringing with her camels <01581> carrying <05375> spices <01314>, a very large quantity <07230> of gold <02091>, and precious <03368> gems <068>. She visited <0935> Solomon <08010> and discussed <01696> with <05973> him everything <03605> that <0834> was <01961> on <05973> her mind <03824>.
2Solomon <08010> answered <05046> all <03605> her questions <01697>; there was no <03808> question <01697> too complex <05956> for the king <08010>.
3When the queen <04436> of Sheba <07614> saw <07200> for herself Solomon’s <08010> extensive wisdom <02451>, the palace <01004> he had built <01129>,
4the food <03978> in his banquet hall <07979>, his servants <05650> and attendants <04612> in their robes <04403>, his cupbearers <04945> in their robes <04403>, and his burnt sacrifices <05930> which <0834> he presented <05927> in the Lord’s <03068> temple <01004>, she was amazed <07307> <05750> <01961> <03808>.
5She said <0559> to <0413> the king <04428>, “The report <01697> I heard <08085> in my own country <0776> about <05921> your wise sayings <01697> and insight <02451> was true <0571>!
6I did not <03808> believe <0539> these things <01697> until <05704> I came <0935> and saw <07200> them with my own eyes <05869>. Indeed <02009>, I didn’t <03808> hear <05046> even half <02677> the story <04768>! Your wisdom <02451> surpasses <03254> what was reported <08085> <08052> to me.
7Your attendants <05650>, who stand <05975> before <06440> you at all times <08548> and hear <08085> your wise sayings <02451>, are truly happy <0835> <0835>!
8May the Lord <03069> your God <0430> be praised <01288> because <0834> he favored <02654> you by placing <05414> you on his throne <03678> as the one ruling <04428> on his behalf! Because of your God’s <0430> love <0160> for Israel <03478> and his lasting <05769> commitment to them, he made <05414> you king <04428> over <05921> them so you could make <06213> just and right <04941> decisions <06666>.”
9She gave <05414> the king <04428> 120 <06242> <03967> talents <03603> of gold <02091> and a very <03966> large quantity <07230> of spices <01314> and precious <03368> gems <068>. The quantity <01931> of spices <01314> the queen <04436> of Sheba <07614> gave <05414> King <04428> Solomon <08010> has never <03808> been matched <01961>.
10(Huram’s <02438> servants <05650>, aided by Solomon’s <08010> servants <05650>, brought <0935> gold <02091> from Ophir <0211>, as well as fine <0418> timber <06086> and precious <03368> gems <068>.
11With the <0853> timber <0418> <06086> the king <04428> made <06213> steps <04546> for the Lord’s <03068> temple <01004> and royal <04428> palace <01004> as well as stringed instruments <05035> <03658> for the musicians <07891>. No one <03808> had seen <07200> anything like them <01992> in the land <0776> of Judah <03063> prior <06440> to that.)
12King <04428> Solomon <08010> gave <05414> the queen <04436> of Sheba <07614> everything <03605> she requested <07592>, more than <0905> what she had brought <0935> him. Then she left <02015> and returned <01980> to her homeland <0776> with her attendants <05650>.
13Solomon <08010> received <0935> 666 <08337> <08346> <03967> <08337> talents <03603> of gold <02091> per <0259> year <08141>,
14besides <0905> what he collected <0935> from the merchants <08446> <0376> and traders <05503>. All <03605> the Arabian <06152> kings <04428> and the governors <06346> of the land <0776> also brought <0935> gold <02091> and silver <03701> to Solomon <08010>.
15King <04428> Solomon <08010> made <06213> two hundred <03967> large shields <06793> of hammered <07820> gold <02091>; 600 <03967> <08337> measures of hammered <07820> gold <02091> were used <05927> for <05921> each <0259> shield <06793>.
16He also made three <07969> hundred <03967> small shields <04043> of hammered <07820> gold <02091>; 300 <03967> <07969> measures of gold <02091> were used <05927> for <05921> each <0259> of those shields <04043>. The king <04428> placed <05414> them in the Palace <01004> of the Lebanon <03844> Forest <03293>.
17The king <04428> made <06213> a large <01419> throne <03678> decorated with ivory <08127> and overlaid <06823> it with pure <02889> gold <02091>.
18There were six <08337> steps <04609> leading up to the throne <03678>, and a gold <02091> footstool <03534> was attached <0270> to the throne <03678>. The throne had two <08147> armrests <03427> <04725> with a statue of a lion <0738> standing <05975> on <0681> each side <03027>.
19There <08033> were twelve <06240> <08147> statues of lions <0738> on <05921> the six <08337> steps <04609>, one lion at each end <02088> of each step <02088>. There was nothing <03808> like <03651> it in any <03605> other kingdom <04467>.
20All <03605> of King <04428> Solomon’s <08010> cups <04945> <03627> were made of gold <02091>, and all <03605> the household items <03627> in the Palace <01004> of the Lebanon <03844> Forest <03293> were made of pure <05462> gold <02091>. There were no <0369> silver <03701> items, for silver was not <03972> considered <02803> very valuable <03972> in Solomon’s <08010> time <03117>.
21The king <04428> had a fleet of large merchant ships <08659> ships <0591> manned by <05973> Huram’s <02361> men <05650> that <03588> sailed <01980> the sea. Once <0259> every three <07969> years <08141> the fleet <0591> came <0935> into port <08659> with cargoes <05375> of gold <02091>, silver <03701>, ivory <08143>, apes <06971>, and peacocks <08500>.
22King <04428> Solomon <08010> was wealthier <06239> and wiser <02451> than any <03605> of the kings <04428> of the earth <0776>.
23All <03605> the kings <04428> of the earth <0776> wanted to visit <01245> Solomon <08010> to see <08085> him display his God-given <0430> <05414> wisdom <02451>.
24Year <08141> after year <08141> visitors <0376> brought <0935> their <01992> gifts <04503>, which included items <03627> of silver <03701>, items <03627> of gold <02091>, clothes <08008>, perfume <05402>, spices <01314>, horses <05483>, and mules <06505>.
25Solomon <08010> had 4,000 <0505> <0702> stalls <0723> for his chariot <04818> horses <05483> and 12,000 <0505> <06240> <08147> horses <06571>. He kept <03240> them in assigned cities <05892> and in <05973> Jerusalem <03389>.
26He ruled <04910> all <03605> the kingdoms <04428> from <04480> the Euphrates River <05104> to <05704> the land <0776> of the Philistines <06430> as far <05704> as the border <01366> of Egypt <04714>.
27The king <04428> made <05414> silver <03701> as plentiful in Jerusalem <03389> as stones <068>; cedar <0730> was <05414> as plentiful <07230> as sycamore fig trees <08256> are in the lowlands <08219>.
28Solomon <08010> acquired <03318> horses <05483> from Egypt <04714> and from all <03605> the lands <0776>.
29The rest <07605> of the events <01697> of Solomon’s <08010> reign, from start <07223> to finish <0314>, are recorded <03789> in <05921> the Annals <01697> of Nathan <05416> the Prophet <05030>, the Prophecy <05016> of Ahijah <0281> the Shilonite <07888>, and the Vision <02378> of Iddo <03260> the Seer <02374> pertaining <05921> to Jeroboam <03379> son <01121> of Nebat <05028>.
30Solomon <08010> ruled <04427> over <05921> all <03605> Israel <03478> from Jerusalem <03389> for forty <0705> years <08141>.
31Then Solomon <08010> passed away <01> <05973> <07901> and was buried <06912> in the city <05892> of his father <01> David <01732>. His son <01121> Rehoboam <07346> replaced <08478> him as king <04427>.