New American Standard Bible 1995

English Standard Version

1Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.

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

2So she came to Jerusalem with a very large retinue, with camels carrying spices and very much gold and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart.

2She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind.

3Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was hidden from the king which he did not explain to her.

3And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her.

4When the queen of Sheba perceived all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,

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

5the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her.

5the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the LORD, there was no more breath in her.

6Then she said to the king, "It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom.

6And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom,

7"Nevertheless I did not believe the reports, until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. You exceed in wisdom and prosperity the report which I heard.

7but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard.

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

8Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!

9"Blessed be the LORD your God who delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel; because the LORD loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness."

9Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.”

10She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a very great amount of spices and precious stones. Never again did such abundance of spices come in as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

10Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again came such an abundance of spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

11Also the ships of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir a very great number of almug trees and precious stones.

11Moreover, the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a very great amount of almug wood and precious stones.

12The 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.

12And 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.

13King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire which she requested, besides what he gave her according to his royal bounty. Then she turned and went to her own land together with her servants.

13And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked besides what was given her by the bounty of King Solomon. So she turned and went back to her own land with her servants.

14Now the weight of gold which came in to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold,

14Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold,

15besides that from the traders and the wares of the merchants and all the kings of the Arabs and the governors of the country.

15besides that which came from the explorers and from the business of the merchants, and from all the kings of the west and from the governors of the land.

16King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, using 600 shekels of gold on each large shield.

16King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold; 600 shekels of gold went into each shield.

17He made 300 shields of beaten gold, using three minas of gold on each shield, and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

17And he made 300 shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

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

18The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with the finest gold.

19There were six steps to the throne and a round top to the throne at its rear, and arms on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the arms.

19The throne had six steps, and the throne had a round top, and on each side of the seat were armrests and two lions standing beside the armrests,

20Twelve 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.

20while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom.

21All 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 was of silver; it was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon.

21All 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; silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon.

22For the king had at sea the ships of Tarshish with the ships of Hiram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks.

22For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

23So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.

23Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.

24All the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart.

24And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind.

25They brought every man his gift, articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

25Every one of them brought his present, articles of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

26Now Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; and he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

26And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

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

27And the king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah.

28Also Solomon's import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king's merchants procured them from Kue for a price.

28And Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s traders received them from Kue at a price.

29A chariot was imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver, and a horse for 150; and by the same means they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of the Arameans.

29A chariot could be imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver and a horse for 150, and so through the king’s traders they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.

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