New King James Version

Christian Standard Bible

1Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions, having a very great retinue, camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart.

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.

2So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for Solomon that he could not explain it to her.

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

3And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that 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 servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers and their apparel, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her.

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.

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

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

6However I did not believe their words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me. You exceed the fame of which 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.

7Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually 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.

8Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you, setting you on His throne to be king for the LORD your God! Because your God has loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore He made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.”

8Blessed be the LORD your God! 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."

9And she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great abundance, and precious stones; there never were any spices such 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.

10Also, the servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum wood and precious stones.

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

11And the king made walkways of the algum wood for the house of the LORD and for the king’s house, also harps and stringed instruments for singers; and there were none such as these seen before in the land of 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.

12Now King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all she desired, whatever she asked, much more than she had brought to the king. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

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 gold that came to Solomon yearly was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold,

13The weight of gold that came to Solomon annually was twenty-five tons,

14besides what the traveling merchants and traders brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country 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.

15And King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield.

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

16He also made three hundred shields of hammered gold; three hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

16He made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; 7 1/2 pounds of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

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

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

18The throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne; there were armrests on either side of the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests.

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 there, one on each side of the six steps; nothing like this had 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 drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.

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,

21For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Hiram. Once every three years the merchant ships came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys.

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.

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

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

23And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which 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.

24Each man brought his present: articles of silver and gold, garments, armor, spices, horses, and mules, at a set rate year by year.

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 horsemen whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem.

25Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. He stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

26So he reigned over all the kings from the 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 he made cedar trees as abundant as the sycamores which are in the lowland.

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

28And they brought horses to Solomon from Egypt and from all lands.

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

29Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat?

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

30Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

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

31Then Solomon rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

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

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.