Holman Christian Standard Bible

Hebrew Study Bible

1The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame, so she came to test Solomon with difficult questions at Jerusalem with a very large entourage, with camels bearing spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and spoke with him about everything that was on her mind.

1וּמַֽלְכַּת־ שְׁבָ֗א שָֽׁמְעָה֮ אֶת־ שֵׁ֣מַע שְׁלֹמֹה֒ וַתָּב֣וֹא לְנַסּוֹת֩ אֶת־ שְׁלֹמֹ֨ה בְחִיד֜וֹת בִּירֽוּשָׁלִַ֗ם בְּחַ֣יִל כָּבֵ֣ד מְאֹ֡ד וּ֠גְמַלִּים נֹשְׂאִ֨ים בְּשָׂמִ֧ים וְזָהָ֛ב לָרֹ֖ב וְאֶ֣בֶן יְקָרָ֑ה וַתָּבוֹא֙ אֶל־ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה וַתְּדַבֵּ֣ר עִמּ֔וֹ אֵ֛ת כָּל־ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה עִם־ לְבָבָֽהּ׃

2So Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for Solomon to explain to her.

2וַיַּגֶּד־ לָ֥הּ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה אֶת־ כָּל־ דְּבָרֶ֑יהָ וְלֹֽא־ נֶעְלַ֤ם דָּבָר֙ מִשְּׁלֹמֹ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹ֦א הִגִּ֖יד לָֽהּ׃

3When the queen of Sheba observed Solomon's wisdom, the palace he had built,

3וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ מַֽלְכַּת־ שְׁבָ֔א אֵ֖ת חָכְמַ֣ת שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה וְהַבַּ֖יִת אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנָֽה׃

4the food at his table, his servants' residence, his attendants' service and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and the burnt offerings he offered at the LORD's temple, it took her breath away.

4וּמַאֲכַ֣ל שֻׁלְחָנ֡וֹ וּמוֹשַׁ֣ב עֲבָדָיו֩ וּמַעֲמַ֨ד מְשָׁרְתָ֜יו וּמַלְבּֽוּשֵׁיהֶ֗ם וּמַשְׁקָיו֙ וּמַלְבּ֣וּשֵׁיהֶ֔ם וַעֲלִיָּת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲלֶ֖ה בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה וְלֹא־ הָ֥יָה ע֛וֹד בָּ֖הּ רֽוּחַ׃

5She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your words and about your wisdom is true.

5וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֱמֶת֙ הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי בְּאַרְצִ֑י עַל־ דְּבָרֶ֖יךָ וְעַל־ חָכְמָתֶֽךָ׃

6But I didn't believe their reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, I was not even told half of your great wisdom! You far exceed the report I heard.

6וְלֹֽא־ הֶאֱמַ֣נְתִּי לְדִבְרֵיהֶ֗ם עַ֤ד אֲשֶׁר־ בָּ֙אתִי֙ וַתִּרְאֶ֣ינָה עֵינַ֔י וְהִנֵּה֙ לֹ֣א הֻגַּד־ לִ֔י חֲצִ֖י מַרְבִּ֣ית חָכְמָתֶ֑ךָ יָסַ֕פְתָּ עַל־ הַשְּׁמוּעָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמָֽעְתִּי׃

7How happy are your men. How happy are these servants of yours, who always stand in your presence hearing your wisdom.

7אַשְׁרֵ֣י אֲנָשֶׁ֔יךָ וְאַשְׁרֵ֖י עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ אֵ֑לֶּה הָעֹמְדִ֤ים לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ תָּמִ֔יד וְשֹׁמְעִ֖ים אֶת־ חָכְמָתֶֽךָ׃

8May the LORD your God be praised! He delighted in you and put you on His throne as king for the LORD your God. Because Your God loved Israel enough to establish them forever, He has set you over them as king to carry out justice and righteousness."

8יְהִ֨י יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ בָּר֔וּךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ חָפֵ֣ץ בְּךָ֗ לְתִתְּךָ֤ עַל־ כִּסְאוֹ֙ לְמֶ֔לֶךְ לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּאַהֲבַ֨ת אֱלֹהֶ֤יךָ אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְהַעֲמִיד֣וֹ לְעוֹלָ֔ם וַיִּתֶּנְךָ֤ עֲלֵיהֶם֙ לְמֶ֔לֶךְ לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת מִשְׁפָּ֥ט וּצְדָקָֽה׃

9Then she gave the king four and a half tons of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There never were such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

9וַתִּתֵּ֨ן לַמֶּ֜לֶךְ מֵאָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֣ים ׀ כִּכַּ֣ר זָהָ֗ב וּבְשָׂמִ֛ים לָרֹ֥ב מְאֹ֖ד וְאֶ֣בֶן יְקָרָ֑ה וְלֹ֤א הָיָה֙ כַּבֹּ֣שֶׂם הַה֔וּא אֲשֶׁר־ נָתְנָ֥ה מַֽלְכַּת־ שְׁבָ֖א לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃

10In addition, Hiram's servants and Solomon's servants who brought gold from Ophir also brought algum wood and precious stones.

10וְגַם־ עַבְדֵ֤י [חירם] (חוּרָם֙) וְעַבְדֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־ הֵבִ֥יאוּ זָהָ֖ב מֵאוֹפִ֑יר הֵבִ֛יאוּ עֲצֵ֥י אַלְגּוּמִּ֖ים וְאֶ֥בֶן יְקָרָֽה׃

11The king made the algum wood into walkways for the LORD's temple and for the king's palace and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had anything like them been seen in the land of Judah.

11וַיַּ֣עַשׂ הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ אֶת־ עֲצֵ֨י הָֽאַלְגּוּמִּ֜ים מְסִלּ֤וֹת לְבֵית־ יְהוָה֙ וּלְבֵ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכִנֹּר֥וֹת וּנְבָלִ֖ים לַשָּׁרִ֑ים וְלֹא־ נִרְא֥וּ כָהֵ֛ם לְפָנִ֖ים בְּאֶ֥רֶץ יְהוּדָֽה׃

12King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire, whatever she asked--far more than she had brought the king. Then she, along with her servants, returned to her own country.

12וְהַמֶּ֨לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה נָתַ֣ן לְמַֽלְכַּת־ שְׁבָ֗א אֶת־ כָּל־ חֶפְצָהּ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁאָ֔לָה מִלְּבַ֖ד אֲשֶׁר־ הֵבִ֣יאָה אֶל־ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַֽתַּהֲפֹ֛ךְ וַתֵּ֥לֶךְ לְאַרְצָ֖הּ הִ֥יא וַעֲבָדֶֽיהָ׃ פ

13The weight of gold that came to Solomon annually was 25 tons,

13וַיְהִי֙ מִשְׁקַ֣ל הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁר־ בָּ֥א לִשְׁלֹמֹ֖ה בְּשָׁנָ֣ה אֶחָ֑ת שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֛וֹת וְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים וָשֵׁ֖שׁ כִּכְּרֵ֥י זָהָֽב׃

14besides what was brought by the merchants and traders. All the Arabian kings and governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.

14לְבַ֞ד מֵאַנְשֵׁ֧י הַתָּרִ֛ים וְהַסֹּחֲרִ֖ים מְבִיאִ֑ים וְכָל־ מַלְכֵ֤י עֲרַב֙ וּפַח֣וֹת הָאָ֔רֶץ מְבִיאִ֛ים זָהָ֥ב וָכֶ֖סֶף לִשְׁלֹמֹֽה׃

15King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold; 15 pounds of hammered gold went into each shield.

15וַיַּ֨עַשׂ הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה מָאתַ֥יִם צִנָּ֖ה זָהָ֣ב שָׁח֑וּט שֵׁ֤שׁ מֵאוֹת֙ זָהָ֣ב שָׁח֔וּט יַעֲלֶ֖ה עַל־ הַצִּנָּ֥ה הָאֶחָֽת׃

16He made 300 small shields of hammered gold; about eight pounds of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

16וּשְׁלֹשׁ־ מֵא֤וֹת מָֽגִנִּים֙ זָהָ֣ב שָׁח֔וּט שְׁלֹ֤שׁ מֵאוֹת֙ זָהָ֔ב יַעֲלֶ֖ה עַל־ הַמָּגֵ֣ן הָאֶחָ֑ת וַיִּתְּנֵ֣ם הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ בְּבֵ֖ית יַ֥עַר הַלְּבָנֽוֹן׃ פ

17The king also made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold.

17וַיַּ֧עַשׂ הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ כִּסֵּא־ שֵׁ֖ן גָּד֑וֹל וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ זָהָ֥ב טָהֽוֹר׃

18The throne had six steps; there was a footstool covered in gold for the throne, armrests on either side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests.

18וְשֵׁ֣שׁ מַעֲל֣וֹת לַ֠כִּסֵּא וְכֶ֨בֶשׁ בַּזָּהָ֤ב לַכִּסֵּא֙ מָאֳחָזִ֔ים וְיָד֛וֹת מִזֶּ֥ה וּמִזֶּ֖ה עַל־ מְק֣וֹם הַשָּׁ֑בֶת וּשְׁנַ֣יִם אֲרָי֔וֹת עֹמְדִ֖ים אֵ֥צֶל הַיָּדֽוֹת׃

19Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps, one at each end. Nothing like it had ever been made in any other kingdom.

19וּשְׁנֵ֧ים עָשָׂ֣ר אֲרָי֗וֹת עֹמְדִ֥ים שָׁ֛ם עַל־ שֵׁ֥שׁ הַֽמַּעֲל֖וֹת מִזֶּ֣ה וּמִזֶּ֑ה לֹא־ נַעֲשָׂ֥ה כֵ֖ן לְכָל־ מַמְלָכָֽה׃

20All of 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, since it was considered as nothing in Solomon's time,

20וְ֠כֹל כְּלֵ֞י מַשְׁקֵ֨ה הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה֙ זָהָ֔ב וְכֹ֗ל כְּלֵ֛י בֵּֽית־ יַ֥עַר הַלְּבָנ֖וֹן זָהָ֣ב סָג֑וּר אֵ֣ין כֶּ֗סֶף נֶחְשָׁ֛ב בִּימֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לִמְאֽוּמָה׃

21for the king's ships kept going to Tarshish with Hiram's servants, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

21כִּֽי־ אֳנִיּ֤וֹת לַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ הֹלְכ֣וֹת תַּרְשִׁ֔ישׁ עִ֖ם עַבְדֵ֣י חוּרָ֑ם אַחַת֩ לְשָׁל֨וֹשׁ שָׁנִ֜ים תָּב֣וֹאנָה ׀ אֳנִיּ֣וֹת תַּרְשִׁ֗ישׁ נֹֽשְׂאוֹת֙ זָהָ֣ב וָכֶ֔סֶף שֶׁנְהַבִּ֥ים וְקוֹפִ֖ים וְתוּכִּיִּֽים׃ פ

22King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the world in riches and wisdom.

22וַיִּגְדַּל֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מִכֹּ֖ל מַלְכֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ לְעֹ֖שֶׁר וְחָכְמָֽה׃

23All the kings of the world wanted an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.

23וְכֹל֙ מַלְכֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ מְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־ פְּנֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה לִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ אֶת־ חָכְמָת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־ נָתַ֥ן הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃

24Each of them would bring his own gift--items of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, and horses and mules--as an annual tribute.

24וְהֵ֣ם מְבִיאִ֣ים אִ֣ישׁ מִנְחָת֡וֹ כְּלֵ֣י כֶסֶף֩ וּכְלֵ֨י זָהָ֤ב וּשְׂלָמוֹת֙ נֵ֣שֶׁק וּבְשָׂמִ֔ים סוּסִ֖ים וּפְרָדִ֑ים דְּבַר־ שָׁנָ֖ה בְּשָׁנָֽה׃ פ

25Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horsemen. He stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

25וַיְהִ֨י לִשְׁלֹמֹ֜ה אַרְבַּעַת֩ אֲלָפִ֨ים אֻֽרְי֤וֹת סוּסִים֙ וּמַרְכָּב֔וֹת וּשְׁנֵים־ עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף פָּרָשִׁ֑ים וַיַּנִּיחֵם֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הָרֶ֔כֶב וְעִם־ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

26He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines and as far as the border of Egypt.

26וַיְהִ֥י מוֹשֵׁ֖ל בְּכָל־ הַמְּלָכִ֑ים מִן־ הַנָּהָר֙ וְעַד־ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְעַ֖ד גְּב֥וּל מִצְרָֽיִם׃

27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills.

27וַיִּתֵּ֨ן הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ אֶת־ הַכֶּ֛סֶף בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם כָּאֲבָנִ֑ים וְאֵ֣ת הָאֲרָזִ֗ים נָתַ֛ן כַּשִּׁקְמִ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־ בַּשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה לָרֹֽב׃

28They were bringing horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all the countries.

28וּמוֹצִיאִ֨ים סוּסִ֧ים מִמִּצְרַ֛יִם לִשְׁלֹמֹ֖ה וּמִכָּל־ הָאֲרָצֽוֹת׃

29The remaining events of Solomon's reign, from beginning to end, are written in the Events of Nathan the Prophet, the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and the Visions of Iddo the Seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat.

29וּשְׁאָר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים וְהָאֲחֲרוֹנִ֑ים הֲלֹא־ הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־ דִּבְרֵי֙ נָתָ֣ן הַנָּבִ֔יא וְעַל־ נְבוּאַ֞ת אֲחִיָּ֣ה הַשִּֽׁילוֹנִ֗י וּבַחֲזוֹת֙ [יעדי] (יֶעְדּ֣וֹ) הַחֹזֶ֔ה עַל־ יָרָבְעָ֖ם בֶּן־ נְבָֽט׃

30Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for 40 years.

30וַיִּמְלֹ֨ךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֧ה בִֽירוּשָׁלִַ֛ם עַל־ כָּל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה׃

31Solomon rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam became king in his place.

31וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב שְׁלֹמֹה֙ עִם־ אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֔הוּ בְּעִ֖יר דָּוִ֣יד אָבִ֑יו וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ רְחַבְעָ֥ם בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ

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