English Standard Version

Berean Study Bible

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

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.

3And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her.

3And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain.

4And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,

4When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built,

5the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the LORD, there was no more breath in her.

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.

6And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom,

6She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true.

7but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard.

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.

8Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!

8How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!

9Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.”

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.”

10Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again came such an abundance of spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

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.

11Moreover, the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a very great amount of almug wood and precious stones.

11(The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug wood and precious stones.

12And the king made of the almug wood supports for the house of the LORD and for the king’s house, also lyres and harps for the singers. No such almug wood has come or been seen to this day.

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.)

13And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked besides what was given her by the bounty of King Solomon. So she turned and went back to her own land with her servants.

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.

14Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold,

14The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents,

15besides that which came from the explorers and from the business of the merchants, and from all the kings of the west and from the governors of the land.

15not including the revenue from the merchants, traders, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land.

16King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold; 600 shekels of gold went into each shield.

16King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield.

17And he made 300 shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

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.

18The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with the finest gold.

18Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold.

19The throne had six steps, and the throne had a round top, and on each side of the seat were armrests and two lions standing beside the armrests,

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.

20while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom.

20Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.

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 were of silver; silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon.

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.

22For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

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.

23Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.

23So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

24And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind.

24The whole world sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart.

25Every one of them brought his present, articles of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

25Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.

26And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

26Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.

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

27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills.

28And Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s traders received them from Kue at a price.

28Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the royal merchants purchased them from Kue.

29A chariot could be imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver and a horse for 150, and so through the king’s traders they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.

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.

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.

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