The Queen of Sheba Seeks Wisdom
10 1 When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, fame bound up with the name of our Father, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices, very much gold, and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was on her heart. 3 And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house he had built, 5 the food of his table, the seating of his officials, the service of his attendants and their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he offered at the house of our Father, it took her breath away.
6 She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom was true. 7 But I did not believe the reports until I came and saw it with my own eyes. And look — not even half was told me! Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report I heard. 8 How happy are your people! How happy are these your servants who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD loved Israel forever, he made you king to do justice and righteousness. 10 Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again came such an abundance of spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11 Moreover, the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a very great supply of almug wood and precious stones. 12 The king made the almug wood into supports for the house of our Father and for the king's house, and into lyres and harps for the singers. No such almug wood has come or been seen to this day.
13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired, whatever she asked, besides what he gave her out of his royal bounty. So she turned and went back to her own land, she and her servants.
Solomon's Splendor, the Father's Gift
14 The weight of gold that came to Solomon in a single year was 666 talents, 15 besides what came from the traders, the profit of the merchants, all the kings of Arabia, and the governors of the land. 16 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. 17 He also made three hundred smaller shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 18 The king also made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with the finest gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and its top was rounded behind. On each side of the seat were armrests, with two lions standing beside the armrests. 20 Twelve lions stood there, one at either end of each of the six steps. Nothing like it had ever been made for any kingdom. 21 All King Solomon's drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. None were silver; silver was reckoned as nothing in the days of Solomon. 22 For the king had a fleet of trading ships at sea alongside the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the trading fleet would come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and baboons.
23 So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 24 And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear the wisdom our Father had put in his heart. 25 Year after year, each one brought his gift — articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
26 Solomon also gathered chariots and horsemen; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as the sycamore-figs of the foothills. 28 Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue; the king's traders bought them from Kue at the going price. 29 A chariot was imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty; and so, through these traders, they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.