1 Kings 10:12 The king made the almug wood into steps for the house of the LORD and for the king's palace, and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had such almug wood been brought in, nor has such been seen to this day.)

◄ 1 Kings 10:12 ►

New International Version
The king used the almugwood to make supports for the temple of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. So much almugwood has never been imported or seen since that day.)

New Living Translation
The king used the sandalwood to make railings for the Temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and to construct lyres and harps for the musicians. Never before or since has there been such a supply of sandalwood.)

English Standard Version
And the king made of the almug wood supports for the house of the LORD and for the king’s house, also lyres and harps for the singers. No such almug wood has come or been seen to this day.

Berean Standard Bible
The king made the almug wood into steps for the house of the LORD and for the king’s palace, and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had such almug wood been brought in, nor has such been seen again to this day.)

King James Bible
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 were seen unto this day.

New King James Version
And the king made steps of the almug wood for the house of the LORD and for the king’s house, also harps and stringed instruments for singers. There never again came such almug wood, nor has the like been seen to this day.

New American Standard Bible
The king made from the almug trees supports for the house of the LORD and for the king’s house, and lyres and harps for the singers; such almug trees have not come in again, nor have they been seen to this day.

NASB 1995
The king made of the almug trees supports for the house of the LORD and for the king’s house, also lyres and harps for the singers; such almug trees have not come in again nor have they been seen to this day.

NASB 1977
And the king made of the almug trees supports for the house of the LORD and for the king’s house, also lyres and harps for the singers; such almug trees have not come in again, nor have they been seen to this day.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the king made of the almug trees supports for the house of Yahweh and for the king’s house, also lyres and harps for the singers; such almug trees have not come in again nor have they been seen to this day.

Amplified Bible
From the almug wood (sandalwood) the king made pillars for the house of the LORD and for the king’s palace, and also lyres and harps for the singers. Such almug wood did not come in [to Israel] again, nor has it been seen to this day.

Christian Standard Bible
The king made the almug wood into steps for the LORD’s temple and the king’s palace and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before did such almug wood arrive, and the like has not been seen again.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The king made the almug wood into steps for the LORD’s temple and the king’s palace and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had such almug wood come, and the like has not been seen again even to this very day.

American Standard Version
And the king made of the almug-trees pillars for the house of Jehovah, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for the singers: there came no such almug-trees, nor were seen, unto this day.

English Revised Version
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 the singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen, unto this day.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
With the sandalwood the king made supports for the LORD's temple and the royal palace, and lyres and harps for the singers. Never again was sandalwood like this imported [into Israel], nor has any been seen [there] to this day.

Good News Translation
Solomon used the wood to build railings in the Temple and the palace, and also to make harps and lyres for the musicians. It was the finest juniper wood ever imported into Israel; none like it has ever been seen again.)

International Standard Version
The king used the algum wood to have supports made for the LORD's Temple and for the royal palace, as well as lyres and harps for the choir, and nothing like that wood has ever come again or even been seen since right to this day.

Majority Standard Bible
The king made the almug wood into steps for the house of the LORD and for the king?s palace, and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had such almug wood been brought in, nor has such been seen again to this day.)

NET Bible
With the timber the king made supports for the LORD's temple and for the royal palace and stringed instruments for the musicians. No one has seen so much of this fine timber to this very day.)

New Heart English Bible
The king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king's house, harps also and stringed instruments for the singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen, to this day.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
The king made of the almug trees pillars for Yahweh’s house and for the king’s house, harps also and stringed instruments for the singers; no such almug trees came or were seen to this day.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and the king makes the almug-trees a support for the house of YHWH, and for the house of the king, and harps and psalteries for singers; there have not come such almug-trees, nor have there been seen [such] to this day.

Young's Literal Translation
and the king maketh the almug-trees a support for the house of Jehovah, and for the house of the king, and harps and psalteries for singers; there have not come such almug-trees, nor have there been seen such unto this day.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the king will make of the almug trees a support for the house of Jehovah, and for the king's house, harps and lyres for songs; there came not such woods of almugs, and were not seen even to this day.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king made of the thyine trees the rails of the house of the Lord, and of the king's house, and citterns and harps for singers: there were no such thyine trees as these brought, nor seen unto this day.)

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the king made, from the thyine wood, the posts of the house of the Lord, and of the house of the king, and citharas and lyres for the musicians. No thyine trees of this kind were ever again brought forth or seen, even to the present day.

New American Bible
With this wood the king made supports for the house of the LORD and for the house of the king, and harps and lyres for the singers. Never again was any such almug wood brought or seen to the present day.

New Revised Standard Version
From the almug wood the king made supports for the house of the LORD, and for the king’s house, lyres also and harps for the singers; no such almug wood has come or been seen to this day.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And the king made of the sandalwood ornaments for the house of the LORD and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for singers; never before nor since came such sandalwood to this day.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And King Solomon made trees of sandalwood decorations for the house of LORD JEHOVAH and the house of the King, and harps and lyres for Singers. There never came any like those trees of sandalwood, and had not been seen until today.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the king made of the sandal-wood pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for the singers; there came no such sandal-wood, nor was seen, unto this day.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the king made the hewn timber into buttresses of the house of the Lord and the king's house, and lyres and harps for singers: such hewn timber had not come upon the earth, nor have been seen anywhere until this day.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Queen of Sheba
…11(The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug wood and precious stones. 12The king made the almug wood into steps for the house of the LORD and for the king’s palace, and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had such almug wood been brought in, nor has such been seen to this day.) 13King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired—whatever she asked—besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned to her own country, along with her servants.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

2 Chronicles 9:11
The king made the algum wood into steps for the house of the LORD and for the king’s palace, and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had anything like them been seen in the land of Judah.)

1 Kings 9:11
King Solomon gave twenty towns in the land of Galilee to Hiram king of Tyre, who had supplied him with cedar and cypress logs and gold for his every desire.

2 Chronicles 2:8
Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants have skill to cut timber there. And indeed, my servants will work with yours

2 Chronicles 2:3-10
Then Solomon sent word to Hiram king of Tyre: “Do for me as you did for my father David when you sent him cedars to build himself a house to live in. / Behold, I am about to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God to dedicate to Him for burning fragrant incense before Him, for displaying the showbread continuously, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening as well as on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed feasts of the LORD our God. This is ordained for Israel forever. / The house that I am building will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. ...

1 Kings 5:6
Now therefore, order that cedars of Lebanon be cut down for me. My servants will be with your servants, and I will pay your servants whatever wages you set, for you know that there are none among us as skilled in logging as the Sidonians.”

1 Kings 5:8-10
Then Hiram sent a reply to Solomon, saying: “I have received your message; I will do all you desire regarding the cedar and cypress timber. / My servants will haul the logs from Lebanon to the Sea, and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate the logs, and you can take them away. And in exchange, you can meet my needs by providing my household with food.” / So Hiram provided Solomon with all the cedar and cypress timber he wanted,

2 Samuel 6:5
David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of wood instruments, harps, stringed instruments, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.

Psalm 45:8
All your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces of ivory the harps make you glad.

Isaiah 60:13
The glory of Lebanon will come to you—its cypress, elm, and boxwood together—to adorn the place of My sanctuary, and I will glorify the place of My feet.

Ezekiel 27:5
They constructed all your planking with cypress from Senir. They took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.

Revelation 18:12
cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble;

Revelation 18:22
And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsmen of any trade be found in you again, nor the sound of a millstone be heard in you again.

Revelation 5:8
When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Revelation 8:3
Then another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne.

Revelation 9:13
Then the sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God

Treasury of Scripture

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 were seen to this day.

pillars.

1 Chronicles 23:5
Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.

1 Chronicles 25:1
Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was:

Psalm 92:1-3
A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: …

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Almug Almugwood Harps House Imported Instruments King's Lyres Musicians Palace Pillars Psalteries Royal Sandal-Wood Singers Stringed Supports Temple Trees Used Wood

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Almug Almugwood Harps House Imported Instruments King's Lyres Musicians Palace Pillars Psalteries Royal Sandal-Wood Singers Stringed Supports Temple Trees Used Wood

1 Kings 10

1. The queen of Sheba admires the wisdom of Solomon
14. Solomon's gold
16. His targets
18. The throne of ivory
21. His vessels
24. His presents
26. his chariots and horse
28. his tribute

Berean Study Bible

The king
This phrase refers to King Solomon, the son of David, who was renowned for his wisdom, wealth, and building projects. Solomon's reign is often seen as the pinnacle of Israel's united monarchy, a time of peace and prosperity. His actions in this verse reflect his dedication to enhancing the worship of God and the cultural life of his kingdom.

made the almug wood
Almug wood, also known as algum wood, is a rare and valuable timber mentioned in the Bible. Its exact identity is uncertain, but it is often associated with sandalwood or a similar aromatic wood. The use of almug wood signifies the opulence and grandeur of Solomon's projects. Historically, this wood was imported from distant lands, indicating the extensive trade networks Solomon established.

into steps for the house of the LORD
The "house of the LORD" refers to the Temple in Jerusalem, which Solomon built as a permanent dwelling place for the Ark of the Covenant. The steps made from almug wood would have been both functional and decorative, enhancing the beauty and sanctity of the Temple. This reflects Solomon's commitment to honoring God with the finest materials available.

and for the king’s palace
Solomon's palace was another architectural marvel of the ancient world. By using almug wood in his palace, Solomon demonstrated his wealth and the splendor of his reign. This also shows the interconnectedness of the sacred and the royal, as both the Temple and the palace were adorned with the same precious materials.

and into lyres and harps for the singers
Music played a significant role in the worship and cultural life of ancient Israel. Lyres and harps were stringed instruments used in both religious and secular settings. By crafting these instruments from almug wood, Solomon ensured that the worship of God was accompanied by music of the highest quality. This highlights the importance of music in expressing devotion and enhancing the spiritual experience.

So much almug wood has never been brought in or seen since that day
This statement emphasizes the uniqueness and unmatched quality of the almug wood used during Solomon's reign. It underscores the extraordinary nature of Solomon's achievements and the prosperity of his kingdom. The phrase serves as a reminder of the fleeting nature of earthly wealth and glory, pointing believers to the eternal splendor of God's kingdom.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 12. - And the king made of the almug trees pillars [lit., props. In 2 Chronicles 9:11 we have a different word, מְסִלות (cf. Judges 20:31, 32; 1 Samuel 6:12, etc.), there translated stairs. The word in the text מִסְעָד is ἅπαξ λεγ. Keil understands "steps with bannisters;" Bahr (after Jarchi) "tesselated pavements;" Gesenius, "balusters;" Thenius, "divans;" Bottcher, "benches and similar moveables." But was not the pavement already laid, and of cedar; and would the sanctuary have divans, etc.?] for the house of the Lord, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries [also mentioned together (Psalm 71:22; Psalm 108:2; cf. 3). They were stringed instruments, but their precise shape and character is quite uncertain. One species of sandalwood, or of wood closely allied to it, is said to have been much sought after for musical instruments] for the singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

The king
הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

made
וַיַּ֣עַשׂ (way·ya·‘aś)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

the almug
הָאַלְמֻגִּ֜ים (hā·’al·mug·gîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 484: Perhaps the sandalwood tree

wood
עֲצֵ֨י (‘ă·ṣê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood

into steps
מִסְעָ֤ד (mis·‘āḏ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4552: A balustrade

for the house
לְבֵית־ (lə·ḇêṯ-)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of the LORD
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH

and for the king’s
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

palace,
וּלְבֵ֣ית (ū·lə·ḇêṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

and into lyres
וְכִנֹּר֥וֹת (wə·ḵin·nō·rō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3658: A harp

and harps
וּנְבָלִ֖ים (ū·nə·ḇā·lîm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5035: A skin-bag for, liquids, a vase, a lyre

for the singers.
לַשָּׁרִ֑ים (laš·šā·rîm)
Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7891: To sing

Never
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

before had such
כֵ֞ן (ḵên)
Adverb
Strong's 3651: So -- thus

almug
אַלְמֻגִּים֙ (’al·mug·gîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 484: Perhaps the sandalwood tree

wood
עֲצֵ֤י (‘ă·ṣê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood

been brought in,
בָֽא־ (ḇā-)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

nor has such
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

been seen
נִרְאָ֔ה (nir·’āh)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

to
עַ֖ד (‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

this
הַזֶּֽה׃ (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

day.)
הַיּ֥וֹם (hay·yō·wm)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

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OT History: 1 Kings 10:12 The king made of the almug trees (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)