| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 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 of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard 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 large group of attendants and a great caravan of camels loaded with spices, large quantities of gold, and precious jewels. When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind. |
| 3And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain. | 3Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. |
| 4When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built, | 4When the queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon was, and when she saw 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. | 5she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the LORD. |
| 6She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true. | 6She exclaimed to the king, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is 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 didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of it! Your wisdom and prosperity are far beyond what I was told. |
| 8How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! | 8How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom! |
| 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.” | 9Praise the LORD your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so you can rule with justice and righteousness.” |
| 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. | 10Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000 pounds of gold, great quantities of spices, and precious jewels. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. |
| 11(The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug wood and precious stones. | 11(In addition, Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir, and they also brought rich cargoes of red sandalwood and precious jewels. |
| 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.) | 12The king used the sandalwood to make railings for the Temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and to construct lyres and harps for the musicians. Never before or since has there been such a supply of sandalwood.) |
| 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 whatever she asked for, besides all the customary gifts he had so generously given. Then she and all her attendants returned to their own land. Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor |
| 14The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents, | 14Each year Solomon received about 25 tons of gold. |
| 15not including the revenue from the merchants, traders, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land. | 15This did not include the additional revenue he received from merchants and traders, all the kings of Arabia, and the 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 200 large shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than fifteen pounds. |
| 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 300 smaller shields of hammered gold, each weighing nearly four pounds. The king placed these shields in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. |
| 18Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. | 18Then the king made a huge throne, decorated with ivory and overlaid with fine 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. | 19The throne had six steps and a rounded back. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, and the figure of a lion stood on each side of the throne. |
| 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 also twelve other lions, one standing on each end of the six steps. No other throne in all the world could be compared with it! |
| 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 drinking cups were solid gold, as were all the utensils in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. They were not made of silver, for silver was considered worthless in Solomon’s day! |
| 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. | 22The king had a fleet of trading ships of Tarshish that sailed with Hiram’s fleet. Once every three years the ships returned, loaded with gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. |
| 23So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. | 23So King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king on earth. |
| 24The whole world sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart. | 24People from every nation came to consult him and to hear the wisdom God had given him. |
| 25Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. | 25Year after year everyone who visited brought him gifts of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, 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 built up a huge force of chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him 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 stone. And valuable cedar timber was as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah. |
| 28Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the royal merchants purchased them from Kue. | 28Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Cilicia ; the king’s traders acquired them from Cilicia at the standard price. |
| 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. | 29At that time chariots from Egypt could be purchased for 600 pieces of silver, and horses for 150 pieces of silver. They were then exported to the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram. |
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