| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. | 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. |
| 2She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. | 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. |
| 3So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her. | 3And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain. |
| 4And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, | 4When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built, |
| 5the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her. | 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. |
| 6Then she said to the king: “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. | 6She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true. |
| 7However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard. | 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. |
| 8Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! | 8How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! |
| 9Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.” | 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.” |
| 10Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great quantity, and precious stones. There never again came such abundance of spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. | 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. |
| 11Also, the ships of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought great quantities of almug wood and precious stones from Ophir. | 11(The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug wood and precious stones. |
| 12And the king made steps of the almug wood for the house of the LORD and for the king’s house, also harps and stringed instruments for singers. There never again came such almug wood, nor has the like been seen to this day. | 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.) |
| 13Now King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired, whatever she asked, besides what Solomon had given her according to the royal generosity. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants. | 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. |
| 14The weight of gold that came to Solomon yearly was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, | 14The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents, |
| 15besides that from the traveling merchants, from the income of traders, from all the kings of Arabia, and from the governors of the country. | 15not including the revenue from the merchants, traders, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land. |
| 16And King 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; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. |
| 17He also made three hundred shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. 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 went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. |
| 18Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. | 18Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. |
| 19The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round at the back; there were armrests on either side of the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests. | 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. |
| 20Twelve lions stood there, one on each side of the six steps; nothing like this had been made for any other kingdom. | 20Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom. |
| 21All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon. | 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. |
| 22For the king had merchant ships at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the merchant ships came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys. | 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. |
| 23So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. | 23So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. |
| 24Now all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. | 24The whole world sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart. |
| 25Each man brought his present: articles of silver and gold, garments, armor, spices, horses, and mules, at a set rate year by year. | 25Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. |
| 26And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; he had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. | 26Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. |
| 27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar trees as abundant as the sycamores which are in the lowland. | 27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills. |
| 28Also Solomon had horses imported from Egypt and Keveh; the king’s merchants bought them in Keveh at the current price. | 28Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the royal merchants purchased them from Kue. |
| 29Now a chariot that was imported from Egypt cost six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse one hundred and fifty; and thus, through their agents, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria. | 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. |
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