1 Kings 10
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1When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the LORD, she came to test Solomon with hard questions.1When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions.
2Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan--with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones--she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind.2She arrived in Jerusalem with a large group of attendants and a great caravan of camels loaded with spices, large quantities of gold, and precious jewels. When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind.
3Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her.3Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her.
4When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built,4When the queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built,
5the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed.5she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the LORD.
6She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true.6She exclaimed to the king, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true!
7But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard.7I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of it! Your wisdom and prosperity are far beyond what I was told.
8How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!8How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom!
9Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD's eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness."9Praise the LORD your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so you can rule with justice and righteousness.”
10And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.10Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000 pounds of gold, great quantities of spices, and precious jewels. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11(Hiram's ships brought gold from Ophir; and from there they brought great cargoes of almugwood and precious stones.11(In addition, Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir, and they also brought rich cargoes of red sandalwood and precious jewels.
12The king used the almugwood to make supports for the temple of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. So much almugwood has never been imported or seen since that day.)12The king used the sandalwood to make railings for the Temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and to construct lyres and harps for the musicians. Never before or since has there been such a supply of sandalwood.)
13King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.13King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba whatever she asked for, besides all the customary gifts he had so generously given. Then she and all her attendants returned to their own land. Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor
14The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents,14Each year Solomon received about 25 tons of gold.
15not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the territories.15This did not include the additional revenue he received from merchants and traders, all the kings of Arabia, and the governors of the land.
16King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield.16King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than fifteen pounds.
17He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three minas of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.17He also made 300 smaller shields of hammered gold, each weighing nearly four pounds. The king placed these shields in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.
18Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold.18Then the king made a huge throne, decorated with ivory and overlaid with fine gold.
19The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them.19The throne had six steps and a rounded back. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, and the figure of a lion stood on each side of the throne.
20Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom.20There were also twelve other lions, one standing on each end of the six steps. No other throne in all the world could be compared with it!
21All King Solomon's goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon's days.21All of King Solomon’s drinking cups were solid gold, as were all the utensils in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. They were not made of silver, for silver was considered worthless in Solomon’s day!
22The king had a fleet of trading ships at sea along with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.22The king had a fleet of trading ships of Tarshish that sailed with Hiram’s fleet. Once every three years the ships returned, loaded with gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
23King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth.23So King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king on earth.
24The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.24People from every nation came to consult him and to hear the wisdom God had given him.
25Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift--articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.25Year after year everyone who visited brought him gifts of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
26Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.26Solomon built up a huge force of chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him in Jerusalem.
27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills.27The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. And valuable cedar timber was as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah.
28Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue --the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price.28Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Cilicia ; the king’s traders acquired them from Cilicia at the standard price.
29They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans.29At that time chariots from Egypt could be purchased for 600 pieces of silver, and horses for 150 pieces of silver. They were then exported to the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.
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1 Kings 9
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