International Standard Version

Hebrew Study Bible

1When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon's reputation with the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.

1וּמַֽלְכַּת־ שְׁבָ֗א שֹׁמַ֛עַת אֶת־ שֵׁ֥מַע שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לְשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה וַתָּבֹ֥א לְנַסֹּת֖וֹ בְּחִידֽוֹת׃

2She brought along a large retinue, camels laden with spices, and lots of gold and precious stones. Upon her arrival, she spoke with Solomon about everything that was on her mind.

2וַתָּבֹ֣א יְרוּשָׁלְַ֗מָה בְּחַיִל֮ כָּבֵ֣ד מְאֹד֒ גְּ֠מַלִּים נֹשְׂאִ֨ים בְּשָׂמִ֧ים וְזָהָ֛ב רַב־ מְאֹ֖ד וְאֶ֣בֶן יְקָרָ֑ה וַתָּבֹא֙ אֶל־ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה וַתְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו אֵ֛ת כָּל־ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה עִם־ לְבָבָֽהּ׃

3Solomon answered all of her questions. Nothing was hidden from Solomon that he did not explain to her.

3וַיַּגֶּד־ לָ֥הּ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה אֶת־ כָּל־ דְּבָרֶ֑יהָ לֹֽא־ הָיָ֤ה דָּבָר֙ נֶעְלָ֣ם מִן־ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹ֦א הִגִּ֖יד לָֽהּ׃

4When the queen of Sheba had seen all of Solomon's wisdom for herself, the palace that he had built,

4וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ מַֽלְכַּת־ שְׁבָ֔א אֵ֖ת כָּל־ חָכְמַ֣ת שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה וְהַבַּ֖יִת אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנָֽה׃

5the food set at his table, his servants who sat with him, his ministers in attendance and how they were dressed, his personal staff and how they were dressed, and even his personal stairway by which he went up to the LORD's Temple, she was breathless!

5וּמַאֲכַ֣ל שֻׁלְחָנ֡וֹ וּמוֹשַׁ֣ב עֲבָדָיו֩ וּמַעֲמַ֨ד [משרתו] (מְשָׁרְתָ֜יו) וּמַלְבֻּֽשֵׁיהֶם֙ וּמַשְׁקָ֔יו וְעֹ֣לָת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲלֶ֖ה בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה וְלֹא־ הָ֥יָה בָ֛הּ ע֖וֹד רֽוּחַ׃

6"Everything I heard about your wisdom and what you have to say is true!" she gasped,

6וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֱמֶת֙ הָיָ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי בְּאַרְצִ֑י עַל־ דְּבָרֶ֖יךָ וְעַל־ חָכְמָתֶֽךָ׃

7"but I didn't believe it at first! But then I came here and I've seen it for myself! It's amazing! I wasn't told half of what's really great about your wisdom. You're far better in person than what the reports have said about you!

7וְלֹֽא־ הֶאֱמַ֣נְתִּי לַדְּבָרִ֗ים עַ֤ד אֲשֶׁר־ בָּ֙אתִי֙ וַתִּרְאֶ֣ינָה עֵינַ֔י וְהִנֵּ֥ה לֹֽא־ הֻגַּד־ לִ֖י הַחֵ֑צִי הוֹסַ֤פְתָּ חָכְמָה֙ וָט֔וֹב אֶל־ הַשְּׁמוּעָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמָֽעְתִּי׃

8How blessed are your staff! And how blessed are your employees, who serve you continuously and get to listen to your wisdom!

8אַשְׁרֵ֣י אֲנָשֶׁ֔יךָ אַשְׁרֵ֖י עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ אֵ֑לֶּה הָֽעֹמְדִ֤ים לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ תָּמִ֔יד הַשֹּׁמְעִ֖ים אֶת־ חָכְמָתֶֽךָ׃

9And blessed be the LORD your God, who is delighted with you! He set you in place on the throne of Israel because the LORD loved Israel forever. That's why he made you to be king, so you could carry out justice and implement righteousness."

9יְהִ֨י יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ בָּר֔וּךְ אֲשֶׁר֙ חָפֵ֣ץ בְּךָ֔ לְתִתְּךָ֖ עַל־ כִּסֵּ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּאַהֲבַ֨ת יְהוָ֤ה אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְעֹלָ֔ם וַיְשִֽׂימְךָ֣ לְמֶ֔לֶךְ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּצְדָקָֽה׃

10Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a vast quantity of spices, and precious stones. No spices ever came again that were comparable to those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

10וַתִּתֵּ֨ן לַמֶּ֜לֶךְ מֵאָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֣ים ׀ כִּכַּ֣ר זָהָ֗ב וּבְשָׂמִ֛ים הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹ֖ד וְאֶ֣בֶן יְקָרָ֑ה לֹא־ בָא֩ כַבֹּ֨שֶׂם הַה֥וּא עוֹד֙ לָרֹ֔ב אֲשֶׁר־ נָתְנָ֥ה מַֽלְכַּת־ שְׁבָ֖א לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃

11Hiram's ships that brought gold from Ophir, also brought from Ophir lots of algum wood and precious stones.

11וְגַם֙ אֳנִ֣י חִירָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־ נָשָׂ֥א זָהָ֖ב מֵאוֹפִ֑יר הֵבִ֨יא מֵאֹפִ֜יר עֲצֵ֧י אַלְמֻגִּ֛ים הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹ֖ד וְאֶ֥בֶן יְקָרָֽה׃

12The king used the algum wood to have supports made for the LORD's Temple and for the royal palace, as well as lyres and harps for the choir, and nothing like that wood has ever come again or even been seen since right to this day.

12וַיַּ֣עַשׂ הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ אֶת־ עֲצֵ֨י הָאַלְמֻגִּ֜ים מִסְעָ֤ד לְבֵית־ יְהוָה֙ וּלְבֵ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכִנֹּר֥וֹת וּנְבָלִ֖ים לַשָּׁרִ֑ים לֹ֣א בָֽא־ כֵ֞ן עֲצֵ֤י אַלְמֻגִּים֙ וְלֹ֣א נִרְאָ֔ה עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

13In return, King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she wanted and had requested in addition to what he had given her consistent with his generosity. Afterward, she returned to her own land with her servants.

13וְהַמֶּ֨לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה נָתַ֣ן לְמַֽלְכַּת־ שְׁבָ֗א אֶת־ כָּל־ חֶפְצָהּ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁאָ֔לָה מִלְּבַד֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָֽתַן־ לָ֔הּ כְּיַ֖ד הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה וַתֵּ֛פֶן וַתֵּ֥לֶךְ לְאַרְצָ֖הּ הִ֥יא וַעֲבָדֶֽיהָ׃ ס

14Solomon's annual revenue was 666 talents of gold,

14וַֽיְהִי֙ מִשְׁקַ֣ל הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁר־ בָּ֥א לִשְׁלֹמֹ֖ה בְּשָׁנָ֣ה אֶחָ֑ת שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֛וֹת שִׁשִּׁ֥ים וָשֵׁ֖שׁ כִּכַּ֥ר זָהָֽב׃

15not including revenue from traders, merchants, and from all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land.

15לְבַד֙ מֵאַנְשֵׁ֣י הַתָּרִ֔ים וּמִסְחַ֖ר הָרֹכְלִ֑ים וְכָל־ מַלְכֵ֥י הָעֶ֖רֶב וּפַח֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

16King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, overlaying each large shield with the gold from 600 gold pieces,

16וַיַּ֨עַשׂ הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה מָאתַ֥יִם צִנָּ֖ה זָהָ֣ב שָׁח֑וּט שֵׁשׁ־ מֵא֣וֹת זָהָ֔ב יַעֲלֶ֖ה עַל־ הַצִּנָּ֥ה הָאֶחָֽת׃

17and 300 shields from beaten gold, overlaying each shield with the gold from 300 gold pieces. The king put them in his palace in the Lebanon forest.

17וּשְׁלֹשׁ־ מֵא֤וֹת מָֽגִנִּים֙ זָהָ֣ב שָׁח֔וּט שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת מָנִים֙ זָהָ֔ב יַעֲלֶ֖ה עַל־ הַמָּגֵ֣ן הָאֶחָ֑ת וַיִּתְּנֵ֣ם הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ בֵּ֖ית יַ֥עַר הַלְּבָנֽוֹן׃ פ

18The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold.

18וַיַּ֧עַשׂ הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ כִּסֵּא־ שֵׁ֖ן גָּד֑וֹל וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ זָהָ֥ב מוּפָֽז׃

19Six steps led up to the throne, which had a round canopy fastened to the rear of the throne and armrests on each side of the seat and two lions standing on either side of each armrest.

19שֵׁ֧שׁ מַעֲל֣וֹת לַכִּסֵּ֗ה וְרֹאשׁ־ עָגֹ֤ל לַכִּסֵּה֙ מֵאַֽחֲרָ֔יו וְיָדֹ֛ת מִזֶּ֥ה וּמִזֶּ֖ה אֶל־ מְק֣וֹם הַשָּׁ֑בֶת וּשְׁנַ֣יִם אֲרָי֔וֹת עֹמְדִ֖ים אֵ֥צֶל הַיָּדֽוֹת׃

20Twelve lions were placed on both sides of the six steps leading to the throne, and nothing comparable was made for any other kingdoms.

20וּשְׁנֵ֧ים עָשָׂ֣ר אֲרָיִ֗ים עֹמְדִ֥ים שָׁ֛ם עַל־ שֵׁ֥שׁ הַֽמַּעֲל֖וֹת מִזֶּ֣ה וּמִזֶּ֑ה לֹֽא־ נַעֲשָׂ֥ה כֵ֖ן לְכָל־ מַמְלָכֽוֹת׃

21All of King Solomon's drinking vessels were made of gold, and all the vessels in his palace in the Lebanon forest were made of pure gold. None were of silver, because silver was never considered to be valuable during Solomon's lifetime,

21וְ֠כֹל כְּלֵ֞י מַשְׁקֵ֨ה הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה֙ זָהָ֔ב וְכֹ֗ל כְּלֵ֛י בֵּֽית־ יַ֥עַר הַלְּבָנ֖וֹן זָהָ֣ב סָג֑וּר אֵ֣ין כֶּ֗סֶף לֹ֥א נֶחְשָׁ֛ב בִּימֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לִמְאֽוּמָה׃

22because the king had ships that sailed to Tarshish accompanied by Hiram's ships. Once every three years ships from Tarshish returned, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

22כִּי֩ אֳנִ֨י תַרְשִׁ֤ישׁ לַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ בַּיָּ֔ם עִ֖ם אֳנִ֣י חִירָ֑ם אַחַת֩ לְשָׁלֹ֨שׁ שָׁנִ֜ים תָּב֣וֹא ׀ אֳנִ֣י תַרְשִׁ֗ישׁ נֹֽשְׂאֵת֙ זָהָ֣ב וָכֶ֔סֶף שֶׁנְהַבִּ֥ים וְקֹפִ֖ים וְתֻכִּיִּֽים׃

23As a result, King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in regards to wealth and wisdom.

23וַיִּגְדַּל֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מִכֹּ֖ל מַלְכֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ לְעֹ֖שֶׁר וּלְחָכְמָֽה׃

24All the earth continued to seek audiences with Solomon so they could hear the wise things that God had put in his heart.

24וְכָ֨ל־ הָאָ֔רֶץ מְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־ פְּנֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה לִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ אֶת־ חָכְמָת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־ נָתַ֥ן אֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃

25Everyone kept on bringing gifts on an annual basis, including items made of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules.

25וְהֵ֣מָּה מְבִאִ֣ים אִ֣ישׁ מִנְחָת֡וֹ כְּלֵ֣י כֶסֶף֩ וּכְלֵ֨י זָהָ֤ב וּשְׂלָמוֹת֙ וְנֵ֣שֶׁק וּבְשָׂמִ֔ים סוּסִ֖ים וּפְרָדִ֑ים דְּבַר־ שָׁנָ֖ה בְּשָׁנָֽה׃ ס

26Solomon accumulated chariots and cavalry. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 cavalry soldiers. He stationed them in various chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

26וַיֶּאֱסֹ֣ף שְׁלֹמֹה֮ רֶ֣כֶב וּפָרָשִׁים֒ וַיְהִי־ ל֗וֹ אֶ֤לֶף וְאַרְבַּע־ מֵאוֹת֙ רֶ֔כֶב וּשְׁנֵים־ עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף פָּֽרָשִׁ֑ים וַיַּנְחֵם֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הָרֶ֔כֶב וְעִם־ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

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

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

28Solomon imported horses from Egypt and Kue, and the king's buyers procured them at market price from Kue.

28וּמוֹצָ֧א הַסּוּסִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִשְׁלֹמֹ֖ה מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וּמִקְוֵ֕ה סֹחֲרֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ יִקְח֥וּ מִקְוֵ֖ה בִּמְחִֽיר׃

29A chariot from Egypt cost 600 pieces of silver, and a horse 150 pieces of silver, but then they were exported to all the Hittite kings and to the Aramean kings.

29וַֽ֠תַּעֲלֶה וַתֵּצֵ֨א מֶרְכָּבָ֤ה מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙ בְּשֵׁ֣שׁ מֵא֣וֹת כֶּ֔סֶף וְס֖וּס בַּחֲמִשִּׁ֣ים וּמֵאָ֑ה וְ֠כֵן לְכָל־ מַלְכֵ֧י הַחִתִּ֛ים וּלְמַלְכֵ֥י אֲרָ֖ם בְּיָדָ֥ם יֹצִֽאוּ׃ פ

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