New American Standard Bible 1995

International 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.

1When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon's reputation with the LORD, she came to test him with difficult 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 brought along a large retinue, camels laden with spices, and lots of gold and precious stones. Upon her arrival, she spoke with Solomon about everything that was on her mind.

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

3Solomon answered all of her questions. Nothing was hidden from Solomon that he did not explain to her.

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

4When the queen of Sheba had seen all of Solomon's wisdom for herself, the palace 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 set at his table, his servants who sat with him, his ministers in attendance and how they were dressed, his personal staff and how they were dressed, and even his personal stairway by which he went up to the LORD's Temple, she was breathless!

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

6"Everything I heard about your wisdom and what you have to say is true!" she gasped,

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.

7"but I didn't believe it at first! But then I came here and I've seen it for myself! It's amazing! I wasn't told half of what's really great about your wisdom. You're far better in person than what the reports have said about you!

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

8How blessed are your staff! And how blessed are your employees, who serve you continuously and get to listen to 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."

9And blessed be the LORD your God, who is delighted with you! He set you in place on the throne of Israel because the LORD loved Israel forever. That's why he made you to be king, so you could carry out justice and implement 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, a vast quantity of spices, and precious stones. No spices ever came again that were comparable to those 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.

11Hiram's ships that brought gold from Ophir, also brought from Ophir lots of algum 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.

12The 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.

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.

13In return, King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she wanted and had requested in addition to what he had given her consistent with his generosity. Afterward, she returned 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,

14Solomon's annual revenue 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.

15not including revenue from traders, merchants, and from all the kings of Arabia and 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, overlaying each large shield with the gold from 600 gold pieces,

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 300 shields from beaten gold, overlaying each shield with the gold from 300 gold pieces. The king put them in his palace in the Lebanon forest.

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 pure 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.

19Six steps led up to the throne, which had a round canopy fastened to the rear of the throne and armrests on each side of the seat and two lions standing on either side of each armrest.

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.

20Twelve lions were placed on both sides of the six steps leading to the throne, and nothing comparable was made for any other kingdoms.

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 of King Solomon's drinking vessels were made of gold, and all the vessels in his palace in the Lebanon forest were made of pure gold. None were of silver, because silver was never considered to be valuable during Solomon's lifetime,

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.

22because the king had ships that sailed to Tarshish accompanied by Hiram's ships. Once every three years ships from Tarshish returned, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

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

23As a result, King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in regards to wealth and wisdom.

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

24All the earth continued to seek audiences with Solomon so they could hear the wise things that God had put in his heart.

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

25Everyone kept on bringing gifts on an annual basis, including items made of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules.

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.

26Solomon accumulated chariots and cavalry. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 cavalry soldiers. He stationed them in various 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.

27The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and made cedar trees as abundant as sycamore trees in 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.

28Solomon imported horses from Egypt and Kue, and the king's buyers procured them at market price from Kue.

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 from Egypt cost 600 pieces of silver, and a horse 150 pieces of silver, but then they were exported to all the Hittite kings and to the Aramean kings.

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

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.