| Berean Study Bible | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions. | 1Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions. |
| 2She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones. So she came to Solomon and spoke to him all that was on her mind. | 2So she came to Jerusalem with a very large retinue, with camels carrying spices and very much gold and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. |
| 3And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain. | 3Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was hidden from the king which he did not explain to her. |
| 4When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built, | 4When the queen of Sheba perceived all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, |
| 5the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the service and attire of his attendants and cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he presented at the house of the LORD, it took her breath away. | 5the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her. |
| 6She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true. | 6Then she said to the king, "It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. |
| 7But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told to me. Your wisdom and prosperity have far exceeded the report I heard. | 7"Nevertheless I did not believe the reports, until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. You exceed in wisdom and prosperity the report which I heard. |
| 8How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! | 8"How blessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom. |
| 9Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set 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.” | 9"Blessed be the LORD your God who delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel; because the LORD loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness." |
| 10Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again was such an abundance of spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. | 10She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a very great amount of spices and precious stones. Never again did such abundance of spices come in as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon. |
| 11(The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug wood and precious stones. | 11Also the ships of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir a very great number of almug trees and precious stones. |
| 12The king made the almug wood into steps for the house of the LORD and for the king’s palace, and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had such almug wood been brought in, nor has such been seen to this day.) | 12The king made of the almug trees supports for the house of the LORD and for the king's house, also lyres and harps for the singers; such almug trees have not come in again nor have they been seen to this day. |
| 13King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired—whatever she asked—besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned to her own country, along with her servants. | 13King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire which she requested, besides what he gave her according to his royal bounty. Then she turned and went to her own land together with her servants. |
| 14The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents, | 14Now the weight of gold which came in to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, |
| 15not including the revenue from the merchants, traders, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land. | 15besides that from the traders and the wares of the merchants and all the kings of the Arabs and the governors of the country. |
| 16King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. | 16King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, using 600 shekels of gold on each large shield. |
| 17He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. | 17He made 300 shields of beaten gold, using three minas of gold on each shield, and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. |
| 18Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. | 18Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with refined gold. |
| 19The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with a lion standing beside each armrest. | 19There were six steps to the throne and a round top to the throne at its rear, and arms on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the arms. |
| 20Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom. | 20Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps on the one side and on the other; nothing like it was made for any other kingdom. |
| 21All 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, because it was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon. | 21All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None was of silver; it was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon. |
| 22For the king had the 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. | 22For the king had at sea the ships of Tarshish with the ships of Hiram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks. |
| 23So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. | 23So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. |
| 24The whole world sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart. | 24All the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart. |
| 25Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. | 25They brought every man his gift, articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year. |
| 26Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. | 26Now Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; and he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. |
| 27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills. | 27The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the lowland. |
| 28Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the royal merchants purchased them from Kue. | 28Also Solomon's import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king's merchants procured them from Kue for a price. |
| 29A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. Likewise, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram. | 29A chariot was imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver, and a horse for 150; and by the same means they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of the Arameans. |
| The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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