Holman Christian Standard Bible

New Living Translation

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.

1When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. She arrived 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.

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

2Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her.

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

3When the queen of Sheba realized how wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built,

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.

4she 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 their robes, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the LORD.

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

5She exclaimed to the king, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true!

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.

6I 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 your great wisdom! It is far beyond what I was told.

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

7How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom!

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."

8Praise the LORD your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne as king to rule for him. Because God loves Israel and desires this kingdom to last forever, he has made you king over them so you can rule with justice and righteousness.”

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.

9Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000 pounds of gold, great quantities of spices, and precious jewels. Never before had there been spices as fine as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

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

10(In addition, the crews of Hiram and Solomon brought gold from Ophir, and they also brought red sandalwood and precious jewels.

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.

11The king used the sandalwood to make steps for the Temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and to construct lyres and harps for the musicians. Never before had such beautiful things been seen in Judah.)

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.

12King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba whatever she asked for—gifts of greater value than the gifts she had given him. Then she and all her attendants returned to their own land. Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor

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

13Each year Solomon received about 25 tons of gold.

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.

14This did not include the additional revenue he received from merchants and traders. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the provinces also brought gold and silver to Solomon.

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

15King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than 15 pounds.

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.

16He also made 300 smaller shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than 7 1/2 pounds. The king placed these shields in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.

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

17Then the king made a huge throne, decorated with ivory and overlaid with pure gold.

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.

18The throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, and the figure of a lion stood on each side of the throne.

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

19There 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!

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,

20All 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!

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.

21The king had a fleet of trading ships of Tarshish manned by the sailors sent by Hiram. Once every three years the ships returned, loaded with gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

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

22So King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king on earth.

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

23Kings from every nation came to consult him and to hear the wisdom God had given him.

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

24Year after year everyone who visited brought him gifts of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.

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.

25Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his horses and chariots, and he had 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities, and some near him in Jerusalem.

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

26He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River in the north to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt in the south.

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

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

28Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and many other countries. Summary of Solomon’s Reign

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.

29The rest of the events of Solomon’s reign, from beginning to end, are recorded in The Record of Nathan the Prophet, and The Prophecy of Ahijah from Shiloh, and also in The Visions of Iddo the Seer, concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat.

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

30Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.

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

31When he died, he was buried in the City of David, named for his father. Then his son Rehoboam became the next king.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.