2 Chronicles 9

The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon

1When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with difficult questions, with a very great entourage and camels carrying spices, abundant gold, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and spoke with him about all that was in her heart. 2Solomon answered all her questions. Nothing was hidden from Solomon that he could not explain to her. 3When the queen of Sheba saw Solomon’s wisdom, the house that he had built, 4the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the standing of his attendants and their garments, his cupbearers and their garments, and his ascent by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her. 5She said to the king, “The word was true that I heard in my own land concerning your words and your wisdom. 6Yet I did not believe their words until I came and my eyes saw. And look, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told to me. You exceed the report that I heard. 7Happy are your men, and happy are these servants of yours who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom. 8Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you to set you upon his throne as king for the LORD your God. Because your God loved Israel to establish them forever, he set you over them as king to do justice and righteousness.” 9She gave the king one hundred twenty talents of gold, a very great abundance of spices, and precious stones. There had never been spices like those that the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

Gold and Precious Wood

10The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought algum wood and precious stones. 11The king made from the algum wood steps for the house of the LORD and for the king’s house, and lyres and harps for the singers. Nothing like them had been seen before in the land of Judah. 12King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides what she had brought to the king. Then she turned and went to her land, she and her servants.

Solomon’s Great Wealth

13The weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold, 14besides what the traders and merchants brought. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of beaten gold went into each shield. 16He made three hundred small shields of beaten gold; three hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

Solomon’s Throne

17The king made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold. 18The throne had six steps and a footstool of gold attached to the throne, with armrests on each side of the seat and two lions standing beside the armrests. 19Twelve lions stood there, one on each side of the six steps. Nothing like it had been made for any kingdom. 20All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Silver was considered nothing in the days of Solomon. 21For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish came carrying gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

All the Kings Seek Solomon

22King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23All the kings of the earth sought the face of Solomon to hear his wisdom that God had put in his heart. 24Each brought his gift: vessels of silver, vessels of gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses, and mules, year by year. 25Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 26He ruled over all the kings from the River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. 27The king made silver in Jerusalem as common as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore trees in the foothills. 28Horses were brought to Solomon from Egypt and from all lands.

Solomon Dies

29Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the words of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat? 30Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31Solomon lay down with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David his father. Rehoboam his son became king in his place.