Holman Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame, so she came to test Solomon with difficult questions at Jerusalem with a very large entourage, with camels bearing spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and spoke with him about everything that was on her mind.

1Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with difficult questions. She had a very large retinue, with camels carrying spices and a large amount of gold and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was on her heart.

2So Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for Solomon to explain to her.

2Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was hidden from Solomon which he did not explain to her.

3When the queen of Sheba observed Solomon's wisdom, the palace he had built,

3When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house which he had built,

4the food at his table, his servants' residence, his attendants' service and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and the burnt offerings he offered at the LORD's temple, it took her breath away.

4the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, she was breathless.

5She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your words and about your wisdom is true.

5Then she said to the king, "It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom.

6But I didn't believe their reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, I was not even told half of your great wisdom! You far exceed the report I heard.

6"Nevertheless I did not believe their reports until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me. You surpass the report that I heard.

7How happy are your men. How happy are these servants of yours, who always stand in your presence hearing your wisdom.

7"How blessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom.

8May the LORD your God be praised! He delighted in you and put you on His throne as king for the LORD your God. Because Your God loved Israel enough to establish them forever, He has set you over them as king to carry out justice and righteousness."

8"Blessed be the LORD your God who delighted in you, setting you on His throne as king for the LORD your God; because your God loved Israel establishing them forever, therefore He made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness."

9Then she gave the king four and a half tons of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There never were such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

9Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold and a very great amount of spices and precious stones; there had never been spice like that which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

10In addition, Hiram's servants and Solomon's servants who brought gold from Ophir also brought algum wood and precious stones.

10The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum trees and precious stones.

11The king made the algum wood into walkways for the LORD's temple 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.

11From the algum trees the king made steps for the house of the LORD and for the king's palace, and lyres and harps for the singers; and none like that was seen before in the land of Judah.

12King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire, whatever she asked--far more than she had brought the king. Then she, along with her servants, returned to her own country.

12King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire which she requested besides a return for what she had brought to the king. Then she turned and went to her own land with her servants.

13The weight of gold that came to Solomon annually was 25 tons,

13Now the weight of gold which came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold,

14besides what was brought by the merchants and traders. All the Arabian kings and governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.

14besides 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.

15King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold; 15 pounds of hammered gold went into each shield.

15King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, using 600 shekels of beaten gold on each large shield.

16He made 300 small shields of hammered gold; about eight pounds of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

16He made 300 shields of beaten gold, using three hundred shekels of gold on each shield, and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

17The king also made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold.

17Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold.

18The throne had six steps; there was a footstool covered in gold for the throne, armrests on either side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests.

18There were six steps to the throne and a footstool in gold attached to the throne, and arms on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the arms.

19Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps, one at each end. Nothing like it had ever been made in any other kingdom.

19Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps on the one side and on the other; nothing like it was made for any other kingdom.

20All of King Solomon's drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, since it was considered as nothing in Solomon's time,

20All 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.

21for the king's ships kept going to Tarshish with Hiram's servants, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

21For the king had ships which went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks.

22King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the world in riches and wisdom.

22So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

23All the kings of the world wanted an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.

23And all the kings of the earth were seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart.

24Each of them would bring his own gift--items of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, and horses and mules--as an annual tribute.

24They brought every man his gift, articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses and mules, so much year by year.

25Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horsemen. He stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

25Now Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots and 12,000 horsemen, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

26He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines and as far as the border of Egypt.

26He was the ruler over all the kings from the Euphrates River even to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the border of Egypt.

27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills.

27The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the lowland.

28They were bringing horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all the countries.

28And they were bringing horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all countries.

29The remaining events of Solomon's reign, from beginning to end, are written in the Events of Nathan the Prophet, the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and the Visions of Iddo the Seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat.

29Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not written in the records 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?

30Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for 40 years.

30Solomon reigned forty years in Jerusalem over all Israel.

31Solomon rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam became king in his place.

31And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David; and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org