New King James Version

English Standard Version

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.

1Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions, having a very great retinue and 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.

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

2And Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing hidden from Solomon that he could not explain to her.

3And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,

3And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that 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 of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, and their clothing, his cupbearers, and their clothing, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the LORD, there was no more breath in her.

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

5And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom,

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 did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, half the greatness of your wisdom was not told me; you surpass the report that I heard.

7Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!

7Happy are your wives! Happy are these your servants, who continually stand before you and hear 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, who has delighted in you and set you on his throne as king for the LORD your God! Because your God loved Israel and would establish them forever, he has made you king over them, that you may execute 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 120 talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There were no spices such as those that 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.

10Moreover, the servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, 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.

11And the king made from the algum wood supports for the house of the LORD and for the king’s house, lyres also and harps for the singers. There never was seen the like of them before 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.

12And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked besides what she had brought to the king. So she turned and went back to her own land with her servants.

13The weight of gold that came to Solomon yearly was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold,

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

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 that which the explorers and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land 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 200 large shields of beaten gold; 600 shekels of beaten 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.

16And he made 300 shields of beaten gold; 300 shekels of gold went into each shield; and 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 great 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 and a footstool of gold, which were attached to the throne, and on each side of the seat were armrests 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.

19while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. Nothing like it was ever made for any 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 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 as anything in the days of Solomon.

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 went to Tarshish with the servants of Hiram. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

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

22Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.

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

23And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind.

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

24Every one of them brought his present, articles of silver and of gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

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.

25And Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed 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.

26And he ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to 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.

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

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

28And horses were imported for Solomon from Egypt and from all lands.

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?

29Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not written in the history 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 forty years.

30Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel 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.

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

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

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.