1When the queen of Sheba heard how famous Solomon was, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. She came with a very large group of people, and camels carrying spices, a great deal of gold, and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she talked with him about everything that was on her mind.
2Solomon answered all her questions. Nothing was too hidden for Solomon to explain to her.
3The queen of Sheba saw Solomon's wisdom, and the house he had built,
4and the food on his table, and where his servants sat, and how his officials served him, and the clothes they wore. She saw his cupbearers and their clothes, and the stairway by which he went up to the house of the LORD. It took her breath away.
5She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own land about your deeds and your wisdom was true."
6But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw it with my own eyes. Look, I was not told even half of how great your wisdom is. You are far more than the report I heard.
7How happy your men are, and how happy these servants of yours are, who always stand in front of you and hear your wisdom.
8"Blessed be the LORD your God, who was pleased with you and set you on his throne, to be king for the LORD your God. Because your God loved Israel and wanted to make them secure for ever, he made you king over them, to judge fairly and do what is right."
9She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, a very great amount of spices, and precious stones. There was never any spice like the spice the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
10The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum wood and precious stones.
11From the algum wood the king made steps for the house of the LORD and for the king's palace, and harps and lyres for the singers. Nothing like them had been seen before in the land of Judah.
12King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she wanted, whatever she asked for, besides what she had brought to the king. Then she turned and went back to her own land, she and her servants.
13The weight of the gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold,
14besides what the traders and merchants brought. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.
15King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold. Six hundred shekels of beaten gold went into each shield.
16He made three hundred smaller shields of beaten gold. Three hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
17The king also made a great throne of ivory and covered it with pure gold.
18The throne had six steps and a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne. There were arms on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the arms.
19Twelve lions stood there on the six steps, one at each end of every step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any kingdom.
20All King Solomon's drinking cups were gold, and all the vessels in the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. None were silver. Silver was thought to be worth nothing in the days of Solomon.
21The king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish came back bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks.
22So King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
23All the kings of the earth wanted to come and see Solomon, to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.
24Each one brought his gift: things made of silver, things made of gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses and mules. This happened year after year.
25Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. He kept them in the chariot cities, and with the king in Jerusalem.
26He ruled over all the kings from the River to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the border of Egypt.
27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar wood as plentiful as the sycomore trees in the low plains.