 1 The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame concerning the name of the Lord and she came to test him with hard questions. 2 She came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bore spices and much gold and precious stones. She came to Solomon and told him all that was in her heart. 3 Solomon answered all her questions for her and there was nothing hidden by the king that he did not tell her. 4 When the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom and the house that he had built, 5 and the food of his table and the sitting of his servants and the attendance of his ministers and their clothing and his cupbearers and his burnt offering that he offered up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit of doubt in her. 6 She said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in my own land about your acts and your wisdom. 7 I did not believe the words until I came and my eyes had seen. Indeed+ not even half was told to me. Your wisdom and blessings are more than the fame that I heard. 8 Your men are happy, as are these who are your servants who stand always before you and who hear your wisdom. 9 Blessed is 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 judgment and justice. 10 She gave the king 120 talents of gold, a very great store of spices, and precious stones. No spice like that came any more for abundance, that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 11 Also the navy of Hiram brought gold from Ophir, from the great abundance of almug trees and precious stones. 12 The king made a support for the house of the Lord and for the king's house from the almug trees, also lyres and harps for singers. No such almug wood has been seen since to this day. 13 King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides what Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants. 14 The weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, 15 apart from the merchant men, and and from the traffic of the traders, and from all the kings of Arabia, and from the governors of the lands. 16 King Solomon made 200 targets of beaten gold. 600 shekels of gold went into one target. 17 And he made 300 shields of beaten gold. Three minas of gold went into one shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. 18 The king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round in the back part. There were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays; 20 and two lions were standing on the six steps, on this and on that side. There was not the like made in any kingdom. 21 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 were of silver. It was counted nothing in the days of Solomon. 22 For the king had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram. Once in three years the navy of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. 23 King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 24 All the earth sought Solomon, to hear his wisdom that God had put in his heart. 25 Every man brought his presents, vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and clothing and armor, and spices, horses and mules, so much year by year. 26 Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. And he had 1,400 chariots, and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver like stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars like the sycamore trees in the valley for abundance. 28 Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt and out of Kue. The king's merchants received them from Kue at a price. 29 A chariot left Egypt for 600 shekels of silver and a horse for 150. So for all the kings of the Hittites and for the kings of Syria, they brought them out by their means.
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