2 Chronicles 9

2 Chronicles 9

1When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon , she came to test Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem , with a very great caravan, including camels that bore spices , gold in abundance , and precious stones. When she had come to Solomon , she talked with him about all that was in her heart .

2Solomon answered all her questions . There wasn’t anything hidden from Solomon which he didn’t tell her .

3When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon , the house that he had built ,

4the food of his table , the seating of his servants , the attendance of his ministers , their clothing, his cup bearers and their clothing, and his ascent by which he went up to the LORD ’s house , there was no more spirit in her .[#9:4 or, she was breathless.]

5She said to the king , “It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts and of your wisdom .

6However I didn’t believe their words until I came , and my eyes had seen it ; and behold half of the greatness of your wisdom wasn’t told me . You exceed the fame that I heard !

7Happy are your men , and happy are these your servants , who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom .

8Blessed be the LORD your God , who delighted in you and set you on his throne to be king for the LORD your God , because your God loved Israel , to establish them forever . Therefore he made you king over them , to do justice and righteousness .”

9She gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold , spices in great abundance , and precious stones. There was never before such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon .[#9:9 A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces, so 120 talents is about 3.6 metric tonnes]

10The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon , who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum trees and precious stones.[#9:10 possibly Indian sandalwood, which has nice grain and a pleasant scent and is good for woodworking]

11The king used algum tree wood to make terraces for the LORD ’s house and for the king ’s house , and harps and stringed instruments for the singers . There were none like these seen before in the land of Judah .

12King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire , whatever she asked , more than that which she had brought to the king . So she turned and went to her own land, she and her servants .

13Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold ,[#9:13 A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces, so 666 talents is about 20 metric tonnes]

14in addition to that which the traders and merchants brought . All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon .

15King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold . Six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one large shield .[#9:15 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.32 Troy ounces, so 600 shekels was about 6 kilograms or about 192 Troy ounces.]

16He made three hundred shields of beaten gold . Three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield . The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon .[#9:16 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.32 Troy ounces, so 300 shekels was about 3 kilograms or about 96 Troy ounces.]

17Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory , and overlaid it with pure gold .

18There were six steps to the throne , with a footstool of gold , which were fastened to the throne , and armrests on either side by the place of the seat , and two lions standing beside the armrests.

19Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps . There was nothing like it made in any other kingdom .

20All King Solomon ’s drinking vessels were of gold , and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold . Silver was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon .

21For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with Huram ’s servants . Once every three years , the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold , silver , ivory , apes , and peacocks .

22So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom .

23All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom , which God had put in his heart .

24They each brought tribute : vessels of silver , vessels of gold , clothing , armour , spices , horses , and mules every year .

25Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots , and twelve thousand horsemen that he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem .

26He ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land of the Philistines , and to the border of Egypt .

27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars to be as abundant as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland .

28They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt and out of all lands.

29Now the rest of the acts of Solomon , first and last, aren’t they written in the history of Nathan the prophet , and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite , and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat ?

30Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years .

31Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in his father David ’s city ; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place .

PUBLIC DOMAIN. "World English Bible" is trademark of eBible.org.
Published by: eBible.org