2 Chronicles 9
1 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 train, and camels that bore spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she had come to Solomon, she talked with him of all that was in her heart.
When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. She came with a very long caravan, with camels loaded with spices, much gold, and many precious gemstones. When she had come to Solomon, she told him all that was in her heart.
2 Solomon told her all her questions; and there was not anything hidden from Solomon which he did not tell her.
Solomon answered her all her questions; nothing was too difficult for Solomon; there was no question that he did not answer.
3 When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,
When the queen of Sheba saw Solomon's wisdom and the palace that he had built,
4 and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their clothing, his cup bearers also, and their clothing, and his burnt offerings which he presented at the house of YHWH; it left her breathless.
the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the work of his servants and their clothing, also his cupbearers and their clothing, and the burnt offerings he made at the house of Yahweh, and there was no more breath in her.
5 She said to the king, "It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts, and of your wisdom.
She said to the king, “It is true, the report that I heard in my own land of your words and your wisdom.
6 However I did not believe their words, until I came, and my eyes had seen it; and look, the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me: you exceed the fame that I heard.
I did not believe what I heard until I came here, and now my eyes have seen it. Not half was told me about your wisdom and wealth! You have exceeded the fame that I heard about.
7 Happy are your wives, and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you, and hear your wisdom.
How blessed are your people, and how blessed are your servants who constantly stand before you, because they hear your wisdom.
8 Blessed be YHWH your God, who delighted in you, to set you on his throne, to be king for YHWH your God: because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore he made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness."
Blessed be Yahweh your God, who has taken pleasure in you, who placed you on his throne, to be king for Yahweh your God. Because your God loved Israel, in order to establish them forever, he had made you king over them, for you to do justice and righteousness!”
9 She gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.
She gave the king 120 talents of gold and a large amount of spices and precious stones. No greater amount of spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon was ever given to him again.
10 The servants also of Hiram, and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones.
The servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum wood and precious stones.
11 The king made of the algum trees steps for the house of YHWH, and for the king's house, and harps and stringed instruments for the singers: and there were none like these seen before in the land of Judah.
With the algum wood, the king made steps for the house of Yahweh and for his house, as well as harps and lyres for the musicians. No wood like this had been seen before in the land of Judah.
12 King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides that which she had brought to the king. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.
King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba everything she desired and whatever she asked for; he gave her more than what she had brought to the king. So she left and went back to her own land, she and her servants.
13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold,
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold,
14 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.
besides the gold that the traders and merchants brought. All the kings of Arabia and the governors in the country also brought gold and silver to Solomon.
15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to each shield.
King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold. Six hundred shekels of gold went into each one.
16 He made three hundred shields 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.
He also made three hundred shields of beaten gold. Three minas of gold went into each shield; the king put them into the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
17 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.
Then the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with the finest gold.
18 And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the stays.
There were six steps to the throne, and a footstool was attached to the throne. On each side of the throne there were armrests with two lions standing beside each of them.
19 Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps: there was nothing like it made in any kingdom.
Twelve lions stood on the steps, one on each side of each of the six steps. There was no throne like it in any other kingdom.
20 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 nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
All King Solomon's drinking cups were gold, and all the drinking cups in the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were silver because silver was not considered valuable in Solomon's days.
21 For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with the servants of Hiram; once every three years came the ships of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
The king had at sea a fleet of oceangoing ships, along with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet brought gold, silver, and ivory, as well as apes and baboons.
22 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the world in riches and in wisdom.
23 All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon in order to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
24 They brought every man his tribute, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and clothing, armor, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
Those who visited brought tribute, vessels of silver and of gold, clothes, armor, and spices, as well as horses and mules, year after year.
25 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.
Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with himself in Jerusalem.
26 He ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.
He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.
27 The king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance.
The king had silver in Jerusalem, as much as the stones on the ground. He made cedar wood to be as abundant as the sycamore fig trees that are in the lowlands.
28 They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt, and out of all lands.
They brought horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all the lands.
29 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?
As for the other matters concerning Solomon, first and last, are they not written in The History of Nathan the Prophet, in The Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in The Visions of Iddo the Seer (which also had information about Jeroboam son of Nebat)?
30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.
Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.
31 Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the City of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
He slept with his ancestors and the people buried him in the city of David his father. Rehoboam, his son, became king in his place.
