| New International Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan--with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones--she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind. | 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. |
| 2Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. | 2So Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for Solomon to explain to her. |
| 3When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built, | 3When the queen of Sheba observed Solomon's wisdom, the palace he had built, |
| 4the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed. | 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. |
| 5She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. | 5She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your words and about your wisdom is true. |
| 6But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. | 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. |
| 7How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! | 7How happy are your men. How happy are these servants of yours, who always stand in your presence hearing your wisdom. |
| 8Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the LORD your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness." | 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." |
| 9Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. | 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. |
| 10(The servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon brought gold from Ophir; they also brought algumwood and precious stones. | 10In addition, Hiram's servants and Solomon's servants who brought gold from Ophir also brought algum wood and precious stones. |
| 11The king used the algumwood to make steps for the temple of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen in Judah.) | 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. |
| 12King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country. | 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. |
| 13The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, | 13The weight of gold that came to Solomon annually was 25 tons, |
| 14not including the revenues brought in by merchants and traders. Also all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the territories brought gold and silver to Solomon. | 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. |
| 15King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield. | 15King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold; 15 pounds of hammered gold went into each shield. |
| 16He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three hundred shekels of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. | 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. |
| 17Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with pure gold. | 17The king also made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold. |
| 18The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. | 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. |
| 19Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. | 19Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps, one at each end. Nothing like it had ever been made in any other kingdom. |
| 20All King Solomon's goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon's day. | 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, |
| 21The king had a fleet of trading ships manned by Hiram's servants. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons. | 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. |
| 22King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. | 22King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the world in riches and wisdom. |
| 23All the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. | 23All the kings of the world wanted an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. |
| 24Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift--articles of silver and gold, and robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules. | 24Each of them would bring his own gift--items of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, and horses and mules--as an annual tribute. |
| 25Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. | 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. |
| 26He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. | 26He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River 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 cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. | 27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills. |
| 28Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from all other countries. | 28They were bringing horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all the countries. |
| 29As for the other events of Solomon's reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat? | 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. |
| 30Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. | 30Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for 40 years. |
| 31Then he rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king. | 31Solomon rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam became king in his place. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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