The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon
9 1 When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. She arrived with a very large group of attendants, with camels bearing spices, a great quantity of gold, and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was on her mind. 2 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. 3 When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the palace he had built, 4 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, his servants waiting on him and their clothing, his cupbearers and their clothing, and the burnt offerings he offered at the house of our Father, it took her breath away.
5 She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom was true. 6 But I did not believe the reports until I came and saw it with my own eyes. And look—not even half of the greatness of your wisdom was told to me; you surpass the report I heard. 7 How happy are your people! How happy are these servants of yours who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom! 8 Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on his throne as king for the LORD your God! Because your God loved Israel and would establish them forever, he has made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness."
9 Then she gave the king about nine thousand pounds of gold, a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There had never been spices like those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
10 The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, also brought sandalwood and precious stones. a a v10 Also called 'algum' or 'almug' — a rare, fragrant imported timber, likely sandalwood. 11 From the sandalwood the king made steps for the house of our Father and for the king's palace, and lyres and harps for the singers. Nothing like them had ever been seen before in the land of Judah. 12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired, whatever she asked, more than she had brought to the king. Then she turned and went back to her own land with her servants.
Solomon's Wealth and Splendor
13 The weight of gold that came to Solomon in a single year was about twenty-five tons, 14 besides what the traders and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold; about fifteen pounds of gold went into each shield. 16 He also made 300 smaller shields of hammered gold; about seven and a half pounds of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 17 The king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps and a footstool of gold, fastened to the throne; on each side of the seat were armrests, with two lions standing beside the armrests, 19 and twelve lions stood there, one at either end of each of the six steps. Nothing like it had ever been made for any kingdom. 20 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 counted as nothing in the days of Solomon, 21 for the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish would come, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
22 So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23 All the kings of the earth came to meet with Solomon to hear the wisdom our Father had put in his heart. 24 Year after year, each visitor would bring his gift—articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. 25 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 26 He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as the sycamore-figs of the foothills. 28 Horses were imported for Solomon from Egypt and from all the lands.
The Death of Solomon
29 The rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, 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 forty years. 31 Then Solomon rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.