2 Chronicles 9
1 The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame and came to Jerusalem to test him with riddles. She arrived with a very large retinue, with camels carrying spices, plenty of gold, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and spoke with him about everything that was on her mind.
2 Solomon answered all her questions. Nothing was hidden from Solomon that he could not explain to her.
3 The queen of Sheba saw Solomon’s wisdom and the house he had built.
4 She saw the food on his table, the places where his servants sat, the way his attendants stood, and their clothing. She saw his cupbearers and their clothing, and the staircase by which he went up to the house of the LORD. She was left breathless.
5 She said to the king, “What I heard in my land about your achievements and your wisdom was true.
6 I did not believe what people said until I came and saw it with my own eyes. And look, they did not tell me even half of the greatness of your wisdom. You have surpassed the report I heard.
7 How happy your men are! How happy these servants of yours are, who always stand before you and hear your wisdom!
8 Blessed be the LORD your God, who was pleased with you and set you on his throne as king for the LORD your God. Because your God loves Israel and wants to establish it forever, he has made you king over them to carry out justice and righteousness.”
9 She gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great abundance of spices, and precious stones. There had never been spices like those the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.
10 The servants of Hiram and Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum wood and precious stones.
11 The king used the algum wood to make steps for the house of the LORD and the king’s house, as well as harps and lyres for the singers. Nothing like them had ever been seen before in the land of Judah.
12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she desired and asked for, in addition to what she had brought to the king. Then she returned to her own land with her servants.
13 The weight of the gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold.
14 That was in addition to what the traders and merchants brought. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.
15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each large shield.
16 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. The king placed them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
17 The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold.
18 The throne had six steps and a gold footstool attached to it. There were armrests on either side of the seat, with two lions standing beside the armrests.
19 Twelve lions stood there, one on each side of the six steps. Nothing like it had been made in any kingdom.
20 All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were made of gold, and all the furnishings in the House of the Forest of Lebanon were made of pure gold. Silver was considered worthless in Solomon’s days.
21 For the king had ships that sailed to Tarshish with Hiram’s servants. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish arrived, bringing gold, silver, ivory, monkeys, and peacocks.
22 King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in wealth and wisdom.
23 All the kings of the earth sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.
24 Each one brought a gift: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. This happened year after year.
25 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horsemen. He stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.
26 He ruled over all the kings, from the River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt.
27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as numerous as the sycamores in the foothills.
28 Horses were brought to Solomon from Egypt and from all the lands.
29 As for the rest of Solomon’s deeds, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat?
30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.
31 Solomon rested with his ancestors, and they buried him in the City of David, his father. His son Rehoboam succeeded him as king.
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