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.

Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with difficult questions. She had a very large retinue, with camels carrying spices and a large amount of gold and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was on her heart.

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

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

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

When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house which 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 at his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, she was breathless.

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

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.

Nevertheless I did not believe their reports until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me. You surpass the report that I heard.

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

How blessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually 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, setting you on His throne as king for the Lord your God; because your God loved Israel establishing them forever, therefore 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.

Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold and a very great amount of spices and precious stones; there had never been spice like that which the queen of Sheba gave to 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 the servants 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.

From the algum trees the king made steps for the house of the Lord and for the king’s palace, and lyres and harps for the singers; and none like that was 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

King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire which she requested besides a return for what she had brought to the king. Then she turned and went to her own land with her servants. Solomon’s Wealth and Power

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

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

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 that which the traders and merchants brought; and all the kings of Arabia and the 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.

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

He made 300 shields of beaten gold, using three hundred shekels of gold 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, the king 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 footstool in gold attached to the throne, and arms on each side of the seat, and 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.

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.

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.

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; silver was not considered valuable 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 had ships which went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks.

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

So King Solomon became greater than 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 were seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart.

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.

They brought every man his gift, articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, 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.

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

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.

He was the ruler over all the kings from the Euphrates River even to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the border 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 as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the lowland.

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

And they were bringing horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all countries.

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 records 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 forty years in Jerusalem over all Israel. Death of Solomon

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

And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David; and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.