1 W hen the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon with the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions (problems and riddles).

Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with difficult questions.

2 S he came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels bearing spices, very much gold, and precious stones. When she had come to Solomon, she communed with him about all that was in her mind.

So she came to Jerusalem with a very large retinue, with camels carrying spices and very much gold and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart.

3 S olomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king which he failed to explain to her.

Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was hidden from the king which he did not explain to her.

4 W hen the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom and skill, the house he had built,

When the queen of Sheba perceived all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,

5 T he food of his table, the seating of his officials, the standing at attention of his servants, their apparel, his cupbearers, his ascent by which he went up to the house of the Lord, she was breathless and overcome.

the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her.

6 S he said to the king, It was a true report I heard in my own land of your acts and sayings and wisdom.

Then she said to the king, “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom.

7 I did not believe it until I came and my eyes had seen. Behold, the half was not told me. You have added wisdom and goodness exceeding the fame I heard.

Nevertheless I did not believe the reports, until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. You exceed in wisdom and prosperity the report which I heard.

8 H appy are your men! Happy are these your servants who stand continually before you, hearing your wisdom!

How blessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom.

9 B lessed be the Lord your God, Who delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, He made you king to execute justice and righteousness.

Blessed be the Lord your God who delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel; because the Lord loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.”

10 A nd she gave the king 120 talents of gold and of spices a very great store and precious stones. Never again came such abundance of spices as these the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a very great amount of spices and precious stones. Never again did such abundance of spices come in as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

11 T he navy also of Hiram brought from Ophir gold and a great plenty of almug (algum) wood and precious stones.

Also the ships of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir a very great number of almug trees and precious stones.

12 O f the almug wood the king made pillars for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house, and lyres also and harps for the singers. No such almug wood came again or has been seen to this day.

The king made of the almug trees supports for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house, also lyres and harps for the singers; such almug trees have not come in again nor have they been seen to this day.

13 K ing Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all she wanted, whatever she asked, besides his gifts to her from his royal bounty. So she returned to her own country, she and her servants.

King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire which she requested, besides what he gave her according to his royal bounty. Then she turned and went to her own land together with her servants. Wealth, Splendor and Wisdom

14 N ow the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold,

Now the weight of gold which came in to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold,

15 B esides what the traders brought and the traffic of the merchants and from all the kings and governors of the land of Arabia.

besides that from the traders and the wares of the merchants and all the kings of the Arabs and the governors of the country.

16 K ing Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold; 600 shekels of gold went into each shield.

King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, using 600 shekels of gold on each large shield.

17 A nd he made 300 shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

He made 300 shields of beaten gold, using three minas of gold on each shield, and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

18 A lso the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with the finest gold.

Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with refined gold.

19 T he throne had six steps, and attached at the rear of the top of the throne was a round covering or canopy. On either side of the seat were armrests, and two lions stood beside the armrests.

There were six steps to the throne and a round top to the throne at its rear, and arms on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the arms.

20 T welve lions stood there, one on either end of each of the six steps; there was nothing like it ever made in any kingdom.

Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps on the one side and on the other; nothing like it was made for any other kingdom.

21 A ll King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were of silver; it was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.

All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None was of silver; it was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon.

22 F or the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

For the king had at sea the ships of Tarshish with the ships of Hiram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks.

23 S o King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom (skill).

So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.

24 A nd all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom which God had put in his mind.

All the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart.

25 E very man brought tribute: vessels of silver and gold, garments, equipment, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

They brought every man his gift, articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

26 S olomon collected chariots and horsemen; he had 1, 400 chariots and 12, 000 horsemen, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

Now Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; and he had 1, 400 chariots and 12, 000 horsemen, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

27 T he king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars as plentiful as the sycamore trees in the lowlands.

The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the lowland.

28 S olomon’s horses were brought out of Egypt, and the king’s merchants received them in droves, each at a price.

Also Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s merchants procured them from Kue for a price.

29 A chariot could be brought out of Egypt for 600 shekels of silver, and a horse for 150. And so to all the kings of the Hittites and of Syria they were exported by the king’s merchants.

A chariot was imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver, and a horse for 150; and by the same means they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of the Arameans.