2 Chronicles Chapter 9
The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon
1 When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. She brought a large contingent of camels carrying spices, and lots of gold and precious stones. When she got there, she talked to him about everything on her mind. 2 He answered her questions; there wasn’t anything he couldn’t explain to her. 3 When she’d seen his wisdom, the palace he’d built, 4 the food at his table, the seating of his officials, the attendance by his servers and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, the stairway he used to go up to Yahveh’s Temple, she was breathless,
5 “The report was true that I heard in my country about your words and wisdom. 6 But I didn’t believe it till I saw it. They didn’t tell me half of it. 7 How fortunate your officers must feel, being around you continually and listening to your wisdom. 8 Bless Yahveh your God that delighted in you and set you on his throne. He loved Israel and established the nation permanently; that’s why he made you their king—to do justice and goodness.” 2 Ch 9:1-8
9 She gave him 4½ tons 120 talents of gold and a large amount of spices and precious stones. There’d never been spices like what she gave him. 10 Then Hiram and Solomon’s crews brought gold from Ophir plus algum wood and precious stones. 11 From the algum wood he made steps for Yahveh’s Temple and the king’s palace as well as lyres and harps for the singers. Nobody in Judah had ever seen anything like them. 12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she asked for—more than what she’d brought him. Then she and her attendants went back to her country. 2 Ch 9:9-12
Solomon’s Wealth and Spendor
13 The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 25 tons 666 talents 14besides what traders and merchants brought, and besides the gold and silver the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought. 15 King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, using 15 lbs 600 shekels of beaten gold on each one. 16 He made 300 shields of beaten gold, using 7½ lbs 300 shekels of gold on each one. He put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. 17 He made a large throne out of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 It had 6 steps leading up to it, a gold footstool attached to it, arms on each side of the seat, and 2 lions standing beside the arms. 19 12 lions stood on opposite sides of the 6 steps. Nothing like it was ever made for any other kingdom. 20 King Solomon’s drinking cups were made out of gold. The items for the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Silver wasn’t considered valuable in his time. 21 He had ships that went to Tarshish every three years with Hiram’s sailors, and brought back gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks. 2 Ch 9:13-21
22 King Solomon became greater than any king other anywhere in wealth and wisdom. 23 Kings from all over the world wanted to be around him to hear the wisdom God put in him. 24 Each one brought his gift: silver and gold articles, clothes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules—so much a year.
25 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots and 12,000 cavalry. He stationed them in the chariot cities and with him in Jerusalem. 26 He ruled the kings from the Euphrates River to the Philistine border and the border of Egypt. 27 He made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem and made cedars as plentiful as sycamores in the western foothills. 28 They brought horses for Solomon from Egypt and every country.
Summary of Solomon’s Reign
29 The rest of the acts of Solomon, first to last, are recorded in The Chronicles of Nathan the Prophet, The Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and The Visions of Iddo the Seer about Jeroboam Ben-Nebat. 30 He ruled for 40 years in Jerusalem over all Israel. 31 He died and they buried him in The City of David. His son Rehoboam reigned. 2 Ch 9:22-31