Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor

(1 Kings 10:14–29)

13 The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents,[fn] 14 not including the revenue from the merchants and traders. And all the Arabian kings and governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.

15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold [fn] went into each shield. 16 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three hundred shekels of gold [fn] went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

17 Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with a lion standing beside each armrest. 19 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.

20 All 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. 21 For the king had the ships of Tarshish [fn] that went with Hiram’s [fn] servants, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.[fn]

22 So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23 All the kings of the earth sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart. 24 Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.

25 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horses,[fn] which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 26 He reigned over all the kings from the Euphrates [fn] to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills.[fn] 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from all the lands.