The Second Book of the Chronicles

⭑ World English Bible Catholic :: King James Version ⭑

- Chapter 9 -

(1 Kings 10:1–13)

When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to test Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great caravan, including camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. When she had come to Solomon, she talked with him about all that was in her heart.

Solomon answered all her questions. There wasn’t anything hidden from Solomon which he didn’t tell her.

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

the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers, their clothing, his cup bearers and their clothing, and his ascent by which he went up to the LORD’s house, there was no more spirit in her.(a)

She said to the king, “It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts and of your wisdom.

However I didn’t believe their words until I came, and my eyes had seen it; and behold half of the greatness of your wisdom wasn’t told me. You exceed the fame that I heard!

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

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, to establish them forever. Therefore he made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.”

She gave the king one hundred and twenty talents

(b)

of gold, spices in great abundance, and precious stones. There was never before such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum trees

(c)

and precious stones.

The king used algum tree wood to make terraces for the LORD’s house and for the king’s house, and harps and stringed instruments for the singers. There were none like these seen before in the land of Judah.

King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, more than that which she had brought to the king. So she turned and went to her own land, she and her servants.

Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor

(1 Kings 10:14–29)

Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents

(d)

of gold,

in addition to that which the traders and merchants brought. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.

King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold. Six hundred shekels(e) of beaten gold went to one large shield.

He made three hundred shields of beaten gold. Three hundred shekels(f) of gold went to one shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

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

There were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and armrests on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests.

Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps. There was nothing like it made in any other kingdom.

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.

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

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

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

They each brought tribute: vessels of silver, vessels of gold, clothing, armor, spices, horses, and mules every year.

Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen that he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem.

He ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.

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

They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt and out of all lands.

The Death of Solomon

(1 Kings 11:41–43)

Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, aren’t they 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?

Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in his father David’s city; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

Footnotes

(a)9:4 or, she was breathless.

(b)9:9 A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces, so 120 talents is about 3.6 metric tons

(d)9:13 A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces, so 666 talents is about 20 metric tons

(e)9:15 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.32 Troy ounces, so 600 shekels was about 6 kilograms or about 192 Troy ounces.

(f)9:16 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.32 Troy ounces, so 300 shekels was about 3 kilograms or about 96 Troy ounces.

(1 Kings 10:1–13)

And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not.

And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,

And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the Lord ; there was no more spirit in her.(a)

And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom:(b)

(c)

Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.

Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.

Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the Lord thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.

And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon.

And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones.(d)

And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the Lord , and to the king’s palace, and harps and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.(e)

And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants.

Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor

(1 Kings 10:14–29)

Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold;

Beside that which chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.(f)

And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target.

And three hundred shields made he of beaten gold: three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

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

And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on each side of the sitting place, and two lions standing by the stays:(g)

And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom.

And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon 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 not any thing accounted of in the days of Solomon.(h)

(i)

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

And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart.

And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.

And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.(k)

And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the low plains in abundance.(l)

And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all lands.

The Death of Solomon

(1 Kings 11:41–43)

Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?(m)

And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

Footnotes

(a)9:4 cupbearers: or, butlers

(b)9:5 report: Heb. word

(d)9:10 algum…: also called, almug trees

(e)9:11 terraces: or, stairs: Heb. highways

(f)9:14 governors: or, captains

(g)9:18 stays: Heb. hands

(h)9:20 pure: Heb. shut up

(i)9:20 none were of silver: or, there was no silver in them

(j)9:21 ivory: or, elephants’ teeth

(k)9:26 river: that is, Euphrates

(l)9:27 made silver: Heb. gave silver

(m)9:29 book: Heb. words