New King James Version

Christian Standard 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.

1The queen of Sheba heard about Solomon's fame connected with the name of the LORD and came to test him with riddles.

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 came to Jerusalem with a very large entourage, with camels bearing spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and spoke to him about everything 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.

3So Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain to her.

4And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,

4When the queen of Sheba observed all of Solomon's wisdom, 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, his servants' residence, his attendants' service and their attire, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he offered at the LORD's temple, 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 about your 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 didn't believe the reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, I was not even told half. Your wisdom and prosperity far exceed the report I heard.

8Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!

8How happy are your men. How happy are these servants of yours, who always stand in your presence hearing 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! He delighted in you and put 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 four and a half tons of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again did such a quantity of spices arrive 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.

11In addition, Hiram's fleet that carried gold from Ophir brought from Ophir a large quantity 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 LORD's temple and the king's palace and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before did such almug wood arrive, and the like has not been seen again.

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 her every desire--whatever she asked--besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she, along with her servants, returned to her own country.

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 annually was twenty-five tons,

15besides that from the traveling merchants, from the income of traders, from all the kings of Arabia, and from the governors of the country.

15besides what came from merchants, traders' merchandise, 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; fifteen pounds 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 made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; nearly four pounds of gold went into each shield. 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.

18The king also made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with fine 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; there was a rounded top at the back of the throne, armrests on either side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests.

20Twelve lions stood there, one on each side of the six steps; nothing like this had been made for any other kingdom.

20Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps, one at each end. Nothing like it had ever been made in any other 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 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,

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 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.

23King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the world in riches and in wisdom.

24Now all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.

24The whole world wanted 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.

25Every man would bring his annual tribute: items of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, and 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 horsemen and stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king 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 he made cedar as abundant as sycamore in the Judean 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 king's traders bought them from Kue at the going price.

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 was imported from Egypt for fifteen pounds of silver, and a horse for nearly four pounds. In the same way, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram through their agents.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.