New Living Translation | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
1When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. | 1The queen of Sheba heard about Solomon's fame connected with the name of Yahweh and came to test him with difficult questions. |
2She arrived in Jerusalem with a large group of attendants and a great caravan of camels loaded with spices, large quantities of gold, and precious jewels. When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind. | 2She came to Jerusalem with a very large entourage, with camels bearing spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and spoke to him about everything that was on her mind. |
3Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. | 3So Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain to her. |
4When the queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built, | 4When the queen of Sheba observed all of Solomon's wisdom, the palace he had built, |
5she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the LORD. | 5the food at his table, his servants' residence, his attendants' service and their attire, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he offered at the LORD's temple, it took her breath away. |
6She exclaimed to the king, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true! | 6She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your words and about your wisdom is true. |
7I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of it! Your wisdom and prosperity are far beyond what I was told. | 7But I didn't believe the reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, I was not even told half. Your wisdom and prosperity far exceed the report I heard. |
8How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom! | 8How happy are your men. How happy are these servants of yours, who always stand in your presence hearing your wisdom. |
9Praise the LORD your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so you can rule with justice and righteousness.” | 9May Yahweh your God be praised! He delighted in you and put you on the throne of Israel, because of the LORD's eternal love for Israel. He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness." |
10Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000 pounds of gold, great quantities of spices, and precious jewels. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. | 10Then she gave the king four and a half tons of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again did such a quantity of spices arrive as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. |
11(In addition, Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir, and they also brought rich cargoes of red sandalwood and precious jewels. | 11In addition, Hiram's fleet that carried gold from Ophir brought from Ophir a large quantity of almug wood and precious stones. |
12The king used the sandalwood to make railings for the Temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and to construct lyres and harps for the musicians. Never before or since has there been such a supply of sandalwood.) | 12The king made the almug wood into steps for the LORD's temple and the king's palace and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had such almug wood come, and the like has not been seen again even to this very day. |
13King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba whatever she asked for, besides all the customary gifts he had so generously given. Then she and all her attendants returned to their own land. Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor | 13King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire--whatever she asked--besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she, along with her servants, returned to her own country. |
14Each year Solomon received about 25 tons of gold. | 14The weight of gold that came to Solomon annually was 25 tons, |
15This did not include the additional revenue he received from merchants and traders, all the kings of Arabia, and the governors of the land. | 15besides what came from merchants, traders' merchandise, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land. |
16King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than fifteen pounds. | 16King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold; 15 pounds of gold went into each shield. |
17He also made 300 smaller shields of hammered gold, each weighing nearly four pounds. The king placed these shields in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. | 17He made 300 small shields of hammered gold; about four pounds of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. |
18Then the king made a huge throne, decorated with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. | 18The king also made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with fine gold. |
19The throne had six steps and a rounded back. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, and the figure of a lion stood on each side of the throne. | 19The throne had six steps; there was a rounded top at the back of the throne, armrests on either side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests. |
20There were also twelve other lions, one standing on each end of the six steps. No other throne in all the world could be compared with it! | 20Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps, one at each end. Nothing like it had ever been made in any other kingdom. |
21All of King Solomon’s drinking cups were solid gold, as were all the utensils in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. They were not made of silver, for silver was considered worthless in Solomon’s day! | 21All 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, |
22The king had a fleet of trading ships of Tarshish that sailed with Hiram’s fleet. Once every three years the ships returned, loaded with gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. | 22for the king had ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram's fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. |
23So King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king on earth. | 23King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the world in riches and in wisdom. |
24People from every nation came to consult him and to hear the wisdom God had given him. | 24The whole world wanted an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart. |
25Year after year everyone who visited brought him gifts of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. | 25Every man would bring his annual tribute: items of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, and horses and mules. |
26Solomon built up a huge force of chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him in Jerusalem. | 26Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen and stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. |
27The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. And valuable cedar timber was as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah. | 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 Cilicia ; the king’s traders acquired them from Cilicia at the standard price. | 28Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and Kue. The king's traders bought them from Kue at the going price. |
29At that time chariots from Egypt could be purchased for 600 pieces of silver, and horses for 150 pieces of silver. They were then exported to the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram. | 29A chariot was imported from Egypt for 15 pounds of silver, and a horse for about four pounds. In the same way, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram through their agents. |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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