Moff 2 CHR Chapter 9

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13 The amount of gold that came to Solomon in one year was nearly twenty-nine tons, 14 in addition to what was derived in taxes from traders and as tribute from Arabian emirs and from vassal-princes. 15 King Solomon made two hundred shields of beaten gold; twenty-five pounds of gold went to each shield. 16 He also made three hundred targes of beaten gold; twelve pounds of gold went to each of them; the king hung these in the “Forest of Lebanon” hall. 17 The king also made a large ivory throne, which he overlaid with pure gold; 18 the throne had six steps and a footstool of gold, fixed to the throne, with arms on each side of the seat, flanked by two lions, 19 while twelve lions stood on each side of the six steps. No such throne was ever made in any kingdom. 20 King Solomon’s drinking service was all made of gold, and all the articles in the “Forest of Lebanon” hall were made of pure gold; silver was thought nothing of in Solomon’s day. 21 For the king had ships that sailed to Tartessus along with Huram’s seamen; once every three years the Tartessus fleet came home with gold and silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

22 So in wealth and in wisdom king Solomon excelled all kings on earth. 23 All kings on earth came to visit Solomon, to listen to the wisdom which God had put into his mind, 24 and everyone brought his present: silver articles, gold articles, robes, weapons, and spices, horses and mules, so much year by year. 25 King Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand cavalry, stationed in the chariot-towns or at Jerusalem beside the king. 26 He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and as far as the frontier of Egypt. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar wood as plentiful as sycomore-trees in the lowlands. 28 Horses were brought to Solomon from Egypt and from every country. 10 Huram’s sailors and Solomon’s sailors, who brought gold from Ophir, also brought sandal-wood and jewels; 11 out of the sandalwood the king made balustrades for the temple of the Eternal and for the royal palace, as well as lyres and lutes for the singers; none such had ever been Seen before in Judah.

9 When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon, she came to test him with puzzling questions at Jerusalem, accompanied by a very large retinue, with camels bearing spices, ample gold, and jewels. As soon as she reached Solomon, she opened out all that was on her mind, 2 and Solomon answered all her questions; there was not a single thing hidden from Solomon, which he could not explain to her. 3 When the queen of Sheba realized all this wisdom of Solomon, when she saw the palace he had built, 4 the food at his table, the way his courtiers were arranged and his servants waited, and their dress, the cupbearers and their dress, and the burnt-offerings he used to offer in the temple of the Eternal, she was quite overwhelmed; 5 she said to the king, “That was a true tale I heard in my own country, of your words and wisdom! 6 But I did not believe what they said, till I came and saw for myself. And now I see not half was told me about your vast wisdom; you are far more than all the reports I heard. 7 Happy are your wives! Happy men, these courtiers who are always waiting on you and hearing your wisdom! 8 Blessed be the Eternal your God, who delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel, to rule for the Eternal your God! It is because your God loved Israel, meaning to establish them for all time, that he made you king over them, to govern and administer justice.”

9 She presented the king with six hundred and ninety-three thousand pounds in gold, a wealth of spices, and jewels; never was any such supply of spices seen as the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. 12 King Solomon in turn presented the queen of Sheba with whatever she desired, with anything she asked, besides returning the value of her own present. Then she went back to her own land, she and her retinue.

29 As for the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not described in the History of the prophet Nathan and in the “Prophecies” of Ahijah from Shilo, and in the “Visions” of Iddo the seer regarding Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. 31 Then Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father. His son Rehoboam reigned instead of him.

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Moff 2 CHR Chapter 9

Moff 2 CHR Chapter 9