9:1 When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon,1 she came to challenge2 him3 with difficult questions.4 She arrived in Jerusalem5 with a great deal of pomp,6 bringing with her camels carrying spices,7 a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind. 9:2 Solomon answered all her questions; there was no question too complex for the king.8 9:3 When the queen of Sheba saw for herself Solomon’s extensive wisdom,9 the palace10 he had built, 9:4 the food in his banquet hall,11 his servants and attendants12 in their robes, his cupbearers in their robes, and his burnt sacrifices which he presented in the Lord’s temple,13 she was amazed.14 9:5 She said to the king, “The report I heard back home15 about your wise sayings and insight16 was true. 9:6 I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn’t hear even half the story!17 Your wisdom surpasses what was reported to me. 9:7 Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy!18 9:8 The Lord your God is worthy of praise because he favored19 you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf!20 Because of your God’s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them,21 he made you king over them so you may make just and right decisions.”22 9:9 She gave the king one hundred twenty units23 of gold and a very large quantity of spices and precious gems. The quantity of spices the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon has never been matched.24 9:10 (Huram’s25 servants, aided by Solomon’s servants, brought gold from Ophir, as well as26 algum timber and precious gems. 9:11 With the algum timber the king made steps27 for the Lord’s temple and royal palace as well as stringed instruments28 for the musicians. No one had seen anything like them in the land of Judah prior to that.29) 9:12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, more than what she had brought him.30 Then she left and returned31 to her homeland with her attendants.
Solomon’s Wealth
9:13 Solomon received six hundred sixty-six units32 of gold per year,33 9:14 besides what he collected from the merchants34 and traders. All the Arabian kings and the governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon. 9:15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred measures35 of hammered gold were used for each shield. 9:16 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three hundred measures36 of gold were used for each of those shields. The king placed them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.37
9:17 The king made a large throne decorated with ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 9:18 There were six steps leading up to the throne, and a gold footstool was attached to the throne. The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side.38 9:19 There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom.39
9:20 All of King Solomon’s cups were made of gold, and all the household items in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were made of pure gold. There were no silver items, for silver was not considered very valuable in Solomon’s time.40 9:21 The king had a fleet of ships41 manned by Huram’s men42 that traveled to Tarshish. Once every three years the ships from Tarshish came into port with43 gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.44
9:22 King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth.45 9:23 All the kings of the earth wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom.46 9:24 Year after year visitors brought their gifts, which included items of silver, items of gold, clothes, perfume, spices, horses, and mules.47
9:25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for his chariot horses and twelve thousand horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem.48 9:26 He ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River49 to the land of the Philistines as far as the border of Egypt. 9:27 The king made silver as plentiful50 in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was51 as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands52. 9:28 Solomon acquired horses from Egypt and from all the lands.
Solomon’s Reign Ends
9:29 The rest of the events of Solomon’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded53 in the Annals of Nathan the Prophet, the Prophecy of Achijah the Shilonite, and the Vision of Iddo the Seer pertaining to Jeroboam son of Nebat. 9:30 Solomon ruled over all Israel from Jerusalem54 for forty years. 9:31 Then Solomon passed away55 and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam replaced him as king.
The Northern Tribes Rebel