1 T he queen of Sheba heard how well Solomon was known in all the lands. So she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. She came with many servants and camels carrying spices and much gold and stones of much worth. When she came to Solomon, she talked with him about all that was on her heart.

When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions, accompanied by very many attendants and camels bearing spices, much gold, and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she talked with him of all that was on her mind.

2 A nd Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing hidden from him which he could not make clear to her.

And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from which he was unable to make clear to her.

3 T hen the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon and the house he had built.

And when the queen of Sheba had seen Solomon’s wisdom, the house he had built,

4 S he saw the food at his table, and all his captains sitting there. She saw all those who were bringing in the food, and how they were dressed. She saw those who carried the cups, and their clothing. And she saw the burnt gifts that Solomon gave at the house of the Lord. After that, there was no more spirit in her.

The food of his table, the seating of his officials, the attention of his servants, their apparel, his cupbearers also and their apparel, and his burnt offerings which he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her.

5 S he said to the king, “The news was true which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom.

She said to the king, The report which I heard in my own land of your acts and sayings and of your wisdom was true,

6 B ut I did not believe the news until I came and saw it with my own eyes. See, half the greatness of your wisdom was not told to me. You are greater than what I had heard.

But I did not believe their words until I came and my eyes had seen it. Behold, the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me; you surpass the fame that I heard of you.

7 H appy are your men! Happy are your servants who stand in front of you all the time hearing your wisdom!

Happy are your wives and men, and happy are these your servants who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!

8 P raise be to the Lord your God Who was pleased with you! He set you on His throne as king for the Lord your God. Your God loved Israel and would have them last forever. So He made you king over them to do what is fair and right and good.”

Blessed be the Lord your God, Who delighted in you and set you on His throne to be king for the Lord your God! Because your God loved Israel and would establish them forever, He made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.

9 T hen she gave the king gold weighing as much as 120 men, a very large amount of spices, and stones of much worth. There had never been spices like what the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

She gave the king 120 talents of gold, a very large quantity of spices, and precious stones; such spice was not anywhere as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

10 H uram’s servants and Solomon’s servants brought gold from Ophir. They also brought algum trees and stones of much worth.

The servants of Huram and of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum trees and precious stones.

11 T he king used the algum wood to make steps for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house. And he used it to make different kinds of harps for the singers. There were none seen like them before in the land of Judah.

The king made of the algum trees terraces or walks to the house of the Lord and to the king’s palace, and lyres and harps for the singers; none such had ever been seen before in the land of Judah.

12 K ing Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she asked for, much more than she had brought to him. Then she returned to her own land with her servants. King Solomon’s Riches

And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides what she had brought to the king. So she with her servants returned to her own land.

13 T he gold that came to Solomon in one year weighed as much as 666 men.

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

14 T raders and men who buy and sell brought gold also. And all the kings of Arabia and the leaders of the land brought gold and silver to Solomon.

Besides what traders and merchants brought; and all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.

15 K ing Solomon made 200 battle-coverings of beaten gold. The beaten gold he used to make each large covering was as much as 600 gold pieces.

And King Solomon made 200 large shields or bucklers of beaten gold; 600 shekels of beaten gold went into each shield.

16 A nd he made 300 battle-coverings of beaten gold, using as much as 300 gold pieces worth of gold for each covering. The king put them in the House of the Trees of Lebanon.

And he made 300 shields of beaten gold, with 300 shekels of gold spread on each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

17 T he king made a great throne of ivory and covered it with pure gold.

Moreover, made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold.

18 T here were six steps to the throne, and a part made of gold for his feet was joined to the throne. The throne had arms on each side, and two lions standing beside the arms.

There were six steps to the throne and a gold footstool attached to the throne, and arms on each side of the seat, with two lions standing beside the arms.

19 T welve lions were standing on each side of the six steps. Nothing like it had ever been made for the king of any other nation.

And twelve lions stood there one on either end of each of the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom before.

20 A ll King Solomon’s cups were made of gold. And all the cups of the House of the Trees of Lebanon were made of pure gold. Silver was not thought of as having much worth in the days of Solomon.

King Solomon’s drinking vessels were all of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; silver was not counted as anything in the days of Solomon.

21 F or the king had ships which went to Tarshish with Huram’s servants. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with Huram’s servants; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

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

King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

23 A nd all the kings of the earth wanted to be with Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put into his heart.

And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom which God had put into his mind.

24 E very one of them brought his gift. Objects of silver and gold, clothing, objects for battle, spices, horses and donkeys, were brought each year.

And every man brought his tribute: silver and gold articles, robes, armor, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

25 S olomon had 4, 000 rooms for horses and war-wagons, and 12, 000 horsemen. He put them in the war-wagon cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

Solomon had 4, 000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12, 000 horsemen, stationed in chariot cities or at Jerusalem with the king.

26 H e was the ruler over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the land of Egypt.

And he ruled over all the kings from the River to the land of Philistia and to the frontier of Egypt.

27 A nd the king made silver as easy to find as stones in Jerusalem. He made cedar trees as easy to find as sycamore trees in the valley.

The king made silver in Jerusalem as common as stones, and cedar wood as plentiful as sycamore trees in the lowlands.

28 A nd horses were brought in for Solomon from Egypt and from all countries. Death of Solomon

And they imported horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all lands.

29 N ow the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are written in the words of Nathan the man of God. They are written in the holy words of Ahijah the Shilonite. And they are written in the special dreams of Iddo, the man who tells what will happen in the future, about Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not written in the history of Nathan the prophet and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat?

30 S olomon ruled forty years in Jerusalem over all Israel.

Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

31 W hen he died he was buried in the city of his father David. And his son Rehoboam ruled in his place.

Then Solomon slept with his fathers; he was buried in the city of David his father. Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.