9 The queen from the Sheva region had heard all about Shelomoh, and she came to Yerushalem with some hard questions. Her party included a large number of camels carrying lots of spices and gold and valuable gemstones. She came to Shelomoh and discussed everything that was on her mind with him.[ref] 2 Shelomoh responded to all her queries, and there wasn’t any subject that he wasn’t able to speak to. 3 When the queen from Sheva saw Shelomoh’s wisdom, and saw the palace that he’d built 4 and the food at his table, as well as the seating of his servants, his well-dressed ministers standing by, his cup-bearers in their uniforms, and the burnt offerings that he sacrificed at Yahweh’s temple, it took her breath away 5 and she told the king, “Everything I heard in my own country about you and you wisdom was true. 6 I didn’t believe what they reported to me until I saw it with my own eyes, and wow, the reports that I heard didn’t even cover half of the extent of your wisdom! 7 Your men are blessed, and even your servants are blessed to be able to continually stand in front of you and listen to your wisdom. 8 Let your god Yahweh be blessed—the one who delighted in you to place you on his throne as his king. Your God loved Yisrael and wanted to establish them forever, so he’s placed you over them as king—to give justice and do what is right.”

9 Then she gave the king four tonnes of gold, a very large quantity of spices, and valuable gemstones. Nobody before had ever seen such a large amount of spicies as what the queen from Sheva gave to King Shelomoh.

10 (Also, King Huram’s servants working together with Shelomoh’s servants brought gold from Ofir, as well as algum wood and valuable gemstones. 11 The king made the algum wood into staircases for Yahweh’s temple and for the king’s palace, and into lyres and harps for the singers. Nothing like that had been seen before in Yehudah.)

12 King Shelomoh gave the queen from Sheba everything she wanted—more than what she’d brought to the king. Then she departed with her servants and went back to her country.

10 Now the queen from Sheva had heard a report about how Yahweh had blessed Shelomoh, and she came to test him with difficult questions.[ref] 2 She came to Yerushalem with lots of her top people, camels carrying spices and gemstones and a lot of gold. Then she went to Shelomoh and started asking him everything that had been on her mind. 3 He answered all her questions—there wasn’t any topic that he wasn’t able to shed light on. 4 When the queen from Sheva saw the extent of Shelomoh’s wisdom, the palace that he’d built, 5 the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the uniforms and the service of his waiters, and the burnt offerings that he sacrificed at Yahweh’s temple, she was totally lost for words.

6 She told the king, “Wow, everything that I heard about you back in my own country, and about how wise you are, is true. 7 I hadn’t believed it until I got here and saw it with my own eyes, but then I find that what I heard is only half of how incredible it is. Your wisdom and your goodness is way more than what I’d heard described. 8 Your men are so fortunate and especially your servants who are always standing in front of you and able to hear the wise things that you say. 9 May your god Yahweh be blessed, who was pleased with you and placed you on Yisrael’s throne. He appointed you as king to rule them fairly and honestly because Yahweh loves Yisrael forever.”

10 Then the queen gave to king four tonnes of gold and very many spices and precious gemstones. Never again did King Shelomoh receive more spices than what the queen gave him that day.

11 King Hiram’s fleet also brought gold from Ofir as well as a lot of almug wood and precious gemstones. 12 The king used the almug timber to make railings[fn] for the temple and the palace, and lyres and harps for the musicians. Such a quantity and quality of almug wood has never again been brought in or seen in Israel to this day.

13 Then King Solomon gave the queen from Sheva everything she wanted—whatever she requested on top of what he had already given to her. Then she departed with her servants and returned to her country.