| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions. | 1When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions. |
| 2She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones. So she came to Solomon and spoke to him all that was on her mind. | 2She arrived in Jerusalem with a great display of pomp, bringing with her camels carrying spices, a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind. |
| 3And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain. | 3Solomon answered all her questions; there was no question too complex for the king. |
| 4When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built, | 4When the queen of Sheba saw for herself Solomon's extensive wisdom, the palace he had built, |
| 5the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the service and attire of his attendants and cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he presented at the house of the LORD, it took her breath away. | 5the food in his banquet hall, his servants and attendants, their robes, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings which he presented in the LORD's temple, she was amazed. |
| 6She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true. | 6She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight was true! |
| 7But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told to me. Your wisdom and prosperity have far exceeded the report I heard. | 7I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn't hear even half the story! Your wisdom and wealth surpass what was reported to me. |
| 8How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! | 8Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy! |
| 9Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness.” | 9May the LORD your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on the throne of Israel! Because of the LORD's eternal love for Israel, he made you king so you could make just and right decisions." |
| 10Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again was such an abundance of spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. | 10She gave the king 120 talents of gold, a very large quantity of spices, and precious gems. The quantity of spices the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon has never been matched. |
| 11(The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug wood and precious stones. | 11(Hiram's fleet, which carried gold from Ophir, also brought from Ophir a very large quantity of fine timber and precious gems. |
| 12The king made the almug wood into steps for the house of the LORD and for the king’s palace, and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had such almug wood been brought in, nor has such been seen to this day.) | 12With the timber the king made supports for the LORD's temple and for the royal palace and stringed instruments for the musicians. No one has seen so much of this fine timber to this very day.) |
| 13King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired—whatever she asked—besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned to her own country, along with her servants. | 13King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, besides what he had freely offered her. Then she left and returned to her homeland with her attendants. |
| 14The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents, | 14Solomon received 666 talents of gold per year, |
| 15not including the revenue from the merchants, traders, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land. | 15besides what he collected from the merchants, traders, Arabian kings, and governors of the land. |
| 16King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. | 16King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; 600 measures of gold were used for each shield. |
| 17He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. | 17He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold were used for each of these shields. The king placed them in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest. |
| 18Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. | 18The king made a large throne decorated with ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. |
| 19The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with a lion standing beside each armrest. | 19There were six steps leading up to the throne, and the back of it was rounded on top. The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side. |
| 20Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom. | 20There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom. |
| 21All King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, because it was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon. | 21All of King Solomon's cups were made of gold, and all the household items in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest were made of pure gold. There were no silver items, for silver was not considered very valuable in Solomon's time. |
| 22For the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. | 22Along with Hiram's fleet, the king had a fleet of large merchant ships that sailed the sea. Once every three years the fleet came into port with cargoes of gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. |
| 23So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. | 23King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth. |
| 24The whole world sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart. | 24Everyone in the world wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom. |
| 25Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. | 25Year after year visitors brought their gifts, which included items of silver, items of gold, clothes, perfume, spices, horses, and mules. |
| 26Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. | 26Solomon accumulated chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem. |
| 27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills. | 27The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands. |
| 28Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the royal merchants purchased them from Kue. | 28Solomon acquired his horses from Egypt and from Que; the king's traders purchased them from Que. |
| 29A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. Likewise, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram. | 29They paid 600 silver pieces for each chariot from Egypt and 150 silver pieces for each horse. They also sold chariots and horses to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Syria. |
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