The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon(A)
10 When the queen of Sheba heard ·about [the reports about; or the fame of] Solomon ·because of [L for; to] the ·reputation [name] of the Lord, she came to test him with ·hard questions [riddles]. 2 She traveled to Jerusalem with a ·large group of servants [caravan; retinue] and camels carrying spices, ·jewels [precious stones], and ·much [immense quantities of] gold. When she came to Solomon, she talked with him about all she had in ·mind [L her heart], 3 and Solomon answered all her questions. Nothing was ·too hard for [hidden from; too obscure for] him to explain to her. 4 The queen of Sheba ·learned [perceived; observed; realized] that Solomon was very wise. She saw the ·palace [L house] he had built, 5 the food on his table, the ·accommodations [seating; organization] of his many ·officers [officials; servants], the ·palace [attending of his] servants, and their ·good clothes [robes]. She saw ·the servants who served him at feasts [his cupbearers] and the whole burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] he made in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. All these things ·amazed [overwhelmed; L took the spirit from] her.
6 So she said to King Solomon, “What I heard in my own country about your ·achievements [or words] and wisdom is true. 7 I could not believe it then, but now I have come and seen it with my own eyes. I was not told even half of it! Your wisdom and wealth are much greater than I had heard. 8 Your ·men and officers [or wives and servants] are very ·lucky [blessed; happy], because in always ·serving [standing before] you, they ·are able to hear [listen to] your wisdom. 9 ·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord your God, who ·was pleased to make you king [delighted in you and set you on the throne] of Israel. The Lord has ·constant [eternal; everlasting] love for Israel, so he made you king to ·keep [maintain; execute; administer] justice and ·to rule fairly [righteousness].”
10 Then she gave the king ·about nine thousand pounds [L one hundred and twenty talents] of gold and many spices and ·jewels [precious stones]. No one since that time has brought more spices than the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11 (Moreover, Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir, as well as much ·juniper wood [almug; red sandalwood] and ·jewels [precious stones]. 12 Solomon used the ·juniper wood [almug; red sandalwood] to build supports for the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord and the ·palace [L king’s house], and to make harps and lyres for the ·musicians [singers]. Such fine ·juniper wood [almug; red sandalwood] has not been brought in or been seen since that time.)
13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she wanted and asked for, in addition to what he had already given her ·of his wealth [according to his royal bounty; or out of his royal treasury]. Then she and her ·servants [attendants; retinue] returned to her own country.
Solomon’s Wealth(B)
14 ·Every [or In one] year King Solomon received ·about fifty thousand pounds [L 666 talents] of gold. 15 Besides that, he also received gold from the traders and merchants, as well as from the kings of Arabia and governors of the ·land [territories; provinces].
16 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of ·hammered [beaten] gold, each of which contained ·about seven and one-half pounds [L six hundred shekels] of gold. 17 He also made three hundred smaller shields of ·hammered [beaten] gold, each of which contained ·about four pounds [L three minas] of gold. The king put them in the ·Palace [L House] of the Forest of Lebanon.
18 The king built a large throne ·of [decorated with] ivory and covered it with fine gold. 19 The throne had six steps on it, and its back was round at the top. There were armrests on both sides of the chair, and each armrest had a lion beside it. 20 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any other kingdom. 21 All of Solomon’s drinking ·cups [goblets; vessels], as well as the ·dishes [utensils; vessels] in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon, were made of pure gold. Nothing was made from silver, because silver was ·not valuable [considered worthless/nothing] in Solomon’s time.
22 King Solomon also had ·many trading ships [L a fleet of ships of Tarshish] at sea, along with Hiram’s ships. Every three years the ·ships [L fleet of Tarshish] returned, bringing back gold, silver, ivory, apes, and ·baboons [or peacocks].
23 So Solomon had more riches and wisdom than all the other kings on earth. 24 ·People everywhere wanted [The whole earth sought] to see King Solomon and listen to the wisdom God had ·given him [L put into his heart/mind]. 25 Every ·year [or one of] those who came brought gifts of silver and gold, ·clothes [robes; garments], weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
26 Solomon had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand ·horses [or horsemen; charioteers]. He ·kept [stationed] some in special cities for the chariots, and others he kept with him in Jerusalem. 27 In Jerusalem Solomon made silver as common as stones and cedar trees as ·common [plentiful] as the ·fig [sycamore] trees on the ·western hills [or lowlands]. 28 He imported horses from Egypt and ·Kue [Cilicia]. His traders bought them in Kue. 29 A chariot from Egypt cost ·about fifteen pounds [L six hundred shekels] of silver, and a horse cost ·nearly four pounds [L 150 pieces] of silver. Solomon’s traders also ·sold [exported] horses and chariots to all the kings of the Hittites and the Arameans.