2 Chronicles 9
1 The queen of Sheba heard how famous Solomon was, so she came to Jerusalem to test him with tough questions. She brought with her a very large entourage, with camels loaded with spices, large amounts of gold, and precious gemstones. She came to Solomon and asked him about everything she had on her mind.
When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to test Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great caravan, including camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. When she had come to Solomon, she talked with him about all that was in her heart.
2 Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing he couldn't explain to her.
Solomon answered all her questions. There wasn’t anything hidden from Solomon which he didn’t tell her.
3 When the queen of Sheba saw Solomon's wisdom, and the palace he had built,
When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,
4 the food on the table, how his officials lived, how his servants operated and how they were dressed, the clothes of the waiters, and the burnt offerings he presented at the Lord's Temple, she was so astonished she could hardly breathe.
the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers, their clothing, his cup bearers and their clothing, and his ascent by which he went up to the LORD’s house, there was no more spirit in her.
5 She told the king, “It's true what I heard in my own country about your proverbs and your wisdom!
She said to the king, “It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts and of your wisdom.
6 But I didn't believe what they told me until I came and saw with my own eyes. In fact, I wasn't told the half of it—the extent of your wisdom far exceeds what I heard!
However I didn’t believe their words until I came, and my eyes had seen it; and behold half of the greatness of your wisdom wasn’t told me. You exceed the fame that I heard!
7 How happy your people must be! How happy those who work for you, who stand here every day listening to your wisdom!
Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom.
8 Praise the Lord your God who is so pleased with you, who placed you on his throne as king to rule on his behalf. Because of the love of your God for Israel he has made them secure forever, and he has made you king over them to do what is fair and right.”
Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you and set you on his throne to be king for the LORD your God, because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever. Therefore he made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.”
9 She presented the king with one hundred and twenty talents of gold, huge amounts of spices and precious stones. Never before had there been spices like those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
She gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great abundance, and precious stones. There was never before such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
10 (Hiram and of Solomon's men, who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum wood and precious stones.
The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum trees and precious stones.
11 The king used the algum wood to make steps for the Temple and for the royal palace, and into lyres and harps for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen before in the land of Judah.)
The king used algum tree wood to make terraces for the LORD’s house and for the king’s house, and harps and stringed instruments for the singers. There were none like these seen before in the land of Judah.
12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all wanted, whatever she asked for. This was far more than she had brought the king. Then she and her attendants returned home to her own country.
King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, more than that which she had brought to the king. So she turned and went to her own land, she and her servants.
13 The weight of gold that Solomon received each year was 666 talents,
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold,
14 not including that received from traders and merchants. All the kings of Arabia and governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.
in addition to that which the traders and merchants brought. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.
15 King Solomon made two hundred shields of hammered gold. Each shield required six hundred shekels of hammered gold.
King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold. Six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one large shield.
16 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold. Each of these shields required three hundred gold coins. The king placed them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.
He made three hundred shields of beaten gold. Three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
17 The king also made a great throne of ivory, and covered it with pure gold.
Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.
18 The throne had six steps, with a golden footstool attached. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with lions standing beside the armrests.
There were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and armrests on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests.
19 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one on opposite ends of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.
Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps. There was nothing like it made in any other kingdom.
20 All of King Solomon's drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. No silver was used, because it was not valued in the days of Solomon.
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. Silver was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon.
21 The king had a fleet of ships from Tarshish crewed by Hiram's sailors. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive with a cargo of gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with Huram’s servants. Once every three years, the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
22 King Solomon was greater than any other king on earth in wealth and wisdom.
So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
23 All the kings of the earth wanted to meet Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had placed in his mind.
All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
24 Year after year, every visitor would bring gifts—articles of silver and gold, clothes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
They each brought tribute: vessels of silver, vessels of gold, clothing, armor, spices, horses, and mules every year.
25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. He kept them in the chariot towns, and also with him in Jerusalem.
Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen that he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem.
26 He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border with Egypt.
He ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.
27 The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar wood as plentiful as sycamore-figs in the foothills.
The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars to be as abundant as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland.
28 Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from many other lands.
They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt and out of all lands.
29 The rest of the acts of Solomon, from start to finish, are written in the Records of Nathan the Prophet, in the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the Visions of Iddo the Seer about Jeroboam, son of Nebat.
Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, aren’t they written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat?
30 Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all of Israel for forty years.
Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.
31 Then Solomon died and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam took over as king.
Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in his father David’s city; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
