The Queen of Sheba

1Now the queen of Sheba heard the report about Solomon. So she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with riddles. She had a very glorious retinue, with camels carrying spices and a large amount of gold and precious stones. And she came to Solomon and spoke with him about all that was in her heart. 2And Solomon declared to her the answer to all her matters; and not a matter was hidden from Solomon which he did not declare to her. 3Then the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, the house which he had built, 4the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the disposition of his attendants and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and [†]his stairway by which he went up to the house of Yahweh, so that there was no more spirit in her. 5Then she said to the king, “The word is true which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. 6Nevertheless I did not believe their words until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not declared to me. You exceed the report which I heard. 7How [†]blessed are your men, how [†]blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom. 8Blessed be Yahweh your God who delighted in you, to set you on His throne as king for Yahweh your God; because your God loved Israel to cause them to stand forever, therefore He gave you as king over them, to do justice and righteousness.” 9Then she gave the king [†]120 talents of gold and a very great amount of spices and precious stones. There had never been spice like that which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

10Also, the servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones. 11And the king made of the algum trees steps for the house of Yahweh and for the king’s house, and lyres and harps for the singers; and none like that was seen before in the land of Judah.

12Thus King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire which she asked, besides a return for what she had brought to the king. Then she turned around and went to her own land together with her servants.

Solomon’s Riches and Wisdom

13Now the weight of gold which came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, 14besides that which the traders and merchants brought; and all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15And King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, [†]using [†]600 shekels of beaten gold on each large shield. 16And he made 300 shields of beaten gold, [†]using [†]300 shekels of gold on each shield, and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

17Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 18And there were six steps to the throne and a footstool in gold attached to the throne, and [†]arms [†]on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the [†]arms. 19Twelve lions were also standing there on the six steps on the one side and on the other; nothing like it was made for any other kingdom. 20Now 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. 21For the king had ships which went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came carrying gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks.

22So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23And all the kings of the earth were seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart. 24And they brought every man his present, articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses and mules, a set amount year by year.

25And Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots and 12,000 horsemen, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 26And he was the ruler over all the kings from the [†]River even to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. 27The king also made silver as plentiful as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the [†]Shephelah. 28And they were importing horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all countries.

The Death of Solomon

29Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not written in the [†]chronicles 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? 30Thus Solomon reigned forty years in Jerusalem over all Israel. 31And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David; and his son Rehoboam became king in his place.