1 Kings 10

1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to try him with hard questions.

When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame concerning the name of Yahweh, she came to test him with hard questions.

2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bore spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she had come to Solomon, she talked with him of all that was in her heart.

She came to Jerusalem with a very long caravan, with camels loaded with spices, much gold, and many precious gemstones. When she arrived, she told Solomon all that was in her heart.

3 And Solomon answered all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing she asked that the king did not answer.

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

When the queen of Sheba saw all Solomon's wisdom, the palace 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 apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up to the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the work of his servants and their clothing, also his cupbearers, and the manner in which he offered burnt offerings in the house of Yahweh, there was no more breath in her.

6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in my own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.

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

7 However I believed not the words, until I came, and my eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which 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.

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

How blessed are your wives, and how blessed are your servants who constantly stand before you, because they hear your wisdom.

9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore he made thee king, to do judgment and justice.

May Yahweh your God be praised, who has taken pleasure in you, who placed you on the throne of Israel. Because Yahweh loved Israel forever, he has made you king, for you to do justice and righteousness!”

10 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices a very great quantity, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which 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.

11 And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.

The fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, also brought from Ophir a large amount of almug wood and precious stones.

12 And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor have they been seen to this day.

The king made almug wood pillars for the temple of Yahweh and for the king's palace, and harps and lyres for the singers. No such quantity of almug wood has ever come or been seen again to this day.

13 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba everything she wished for, whatever she asked, in addition to what Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she returned to her own land with her servants.

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

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

15 Besides what he had of the merchants, and of the trade of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.

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.

16 And king Solomon made two hundred shields of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one shield.

King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold. Six hundred shekels of gold went into each one.

17 And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pounds 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 Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.

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

Then the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with the finest gold.

19 The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were arms on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the arms.

There were six steps to the throne, and the back of it had a rounded top. There were armrests on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests.

20 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.

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.

21 And 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 not considered as any thing in the days of Solomon.

All King Solomon's drinking cups were gold, and all the drinking cups in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were silver, because silver was not considered valuable in Solomon's days.

22 For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, 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.

23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.

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

24 And all the earth consulted Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.

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

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

Those who visited brought tribute, vessels of silver and of gold, and clothes, armor, and spices, as well as horses and mules, year after year.

26 And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.

Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and twelve thousand horsemen that he stationed in the chariot cities and with himself in Jerusalem.

27 And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars he made to be as the sycamore trees that are in the vale, 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 And Solomon had horses brought from Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.

The horses that belonged to Solomon were imported from Egypt, and Kue and the king's merchants purchased them from Kue.

29 And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

Chariots were purchased out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver each, and horses for 150 shekels each. Many of these were then sold to all the kings of the Hittites and Aram.