1 N ow 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.

When the queen of Sheba heard about the wisdom Solomon had from the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.

2 S o 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.

She came to Jerusalem and many people came with her. She brought camels carrying spices and much gold and stones of much worth. When she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind.

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

And Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing hidden from the king which he could not make plain to her.

4 W hen the queen of Sheba perceived all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,

The queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the house he had built,

5 t he 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.

the food on his table, and his many servants seated to eat. She saw those who brought the food and how they were dressed, and those who carried his cups. She saw the steps by which he went up to the house of the Lord. And there was no more spirit in her.

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

She said to the king, “The news was true that I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom.

7 N evertheless 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.

But I did not believe the news until I came. Now my eyes have seen it. And half of it was not told to me. You have more wisdom and riches than I heard you had.

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

How happy are your men! How happy are these your servants who stand in front of you always and hear your wisdom!

9 B lessed 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.”

Thanks be to the Lord your God Who was pleased with you and set you on the throne of Israel. Because the Lord loved Israel forever, He has made you king, to do what is fair and right and good.”

10 S he 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.

Then she gave the king gold weighing as much as 120 small men. She gave him a very large amount of spices and stones of much worth. Never again did so much spices come in as that which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

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

The ships of Hiram brought from Ophir gold and very many almug trees and stones of much worth.

12 T he 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.

The king used the almug trees to make pillars for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house. And he used them to make different kinds of harps for the singers. No such almug trees have come in again or have been seen to this day.

13 K ing 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

King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all she wanted, whatever she asked, as well as his gifts to her from the king’s riches. Then she and her servants returned to her own land. Solomon’s Riches

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

The gold which came in to Solomon in one year weighed as much as 666 small men,

15 b esides that from the traders and the wares of the merchants and all the kings of the Arabs and the governors of the country.

besides all the gold that came from the traders and all the kings of the Arabs and the leaders of the country.

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

King Solomon made 200 large body coverings for battle of beaten gold. For each covering he used 600 pieces of gold.

17 H e 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.

And he made 300 coverings of beaten gold, using 150 pieces of gold on each covering. The king put them in the house among the trees of Lebanon.

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

Then the king made a large throne of ivory and covered it with fine gold.

19 T here 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.

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

20 T welve 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.

Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one on each end. Nothing like it was made for any other king.

21 A ll 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.

All of King Solomon’s cups were made of gold. And all the cups of the house among the trees of Lebanon were made of pure gold. None of them were made of silver. Silver was not thought of as being of much worth in the days of Solomon.

22 F or 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.

For the king had a group of ships of Tarshish at sea with the ships of Hiram. Every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks.

23 S o King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.

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

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

They came from all over the earth to see Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart.

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

Every one of them brought his gift. They brought objects of silver and gold, clothing, objects for fighting in battle, spices, horses and donkeys, so much year by year.

26 N ow 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.

Solomon gathered war-wagons and horsemen. He had 1, 400 war-wagons and 12, 000 horsemen. He kept them in the war-wagon cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

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

The king made silver as easy to find as stones in Jerusalem. He made cedar trees as easy to find as the sycamore trees of the valley.

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

Solomon had horses brought from Egypt and Kue. The king’s traders bought them from Kue, each for a price.

29 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.

A war-wagon could be brought from Egypt for 600 pieces of silver, and a horse for 150 pieces of silver. They got them in the same way for all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.