2 Chronicles 9 NIV NLT Parallel

◄ 2 Chronicles 9 ►

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1When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan--with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones--she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind.

1When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. She arrived 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.

2Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her.

2Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her.

3When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built,

3When the queen of Sheba realized how wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built,

4the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed.

4she 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 their robes, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the LORD.

5She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true.

5She exclaimed to the king, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true!

6But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard.

6I 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 your great wisdom! It is far beyond what I was told.

7How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!

7How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom!

8Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the LORD your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness."

8Praise the LORD your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne as king to rule for him. Because God loves Israel and desires this kingdom to last forever, he has made you king over them so you can rule with justice and righteousness.”

9Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

9Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000 pounds of gold, great quantities of spices, and precious jewels. Never before had there been spices as fine as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

10(The servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon brought gold from Ophir; they also brought algumwood and precious stones.

10(In addition, the crews of Hiram and Solomon brought gold from Ophir, and they also brought red sandalwood and precious jewels.

11The king used the algumwood to make steps for the temple of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen in Judah.)

11The king used the sandalwood to make steps for the Temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and to construct lyres and harps for the musicians. Never before had such beautiful things been seen in Judah.)

12King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

12King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba whatever she asked for—gifts of greater value than the gifts she had given him. Then she and all her attendants returned to their own land. Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor

13The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents,

13Each year Solomon received about 25 tons of gold.

14not including the revenues brought in by merchants and traders. Also all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the territories brought gold and silver to Solomon.

14This did not include the additional revenue he received from merchants and traders. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the provinces also brought gold and silver to Solomon.

15King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield.

15King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than 15 pounds.

16He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three hundred shekels of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.

16He also made 300 smaller shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than 7 1/2 pounds. The king placed these shields in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.

17Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with pure gold.

17Then the king made a huge throne, decorated with ivory and overlaid with pure gold.

18The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them.

18The throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, and the figure of a lion stood on each side of the throne.

19Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom.

19There 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!

20All King Solomon's goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon's day.

20All 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!

21The king had a fleet of trading ships manned by Hiram's servants. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.

21The king had a fleet of trading ships of Tarshish manned by the sailors sent by Hiram. Once every three years the ships returned, loaded with gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

22King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth.

22So King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king on earth.

23All the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.

23Kings from every nation came to consult him and to hear the wisdom God had given him.

24Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift--articles of silver and gold, and robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.

24Year after year everyone who visited brought him gifts of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.

25Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.

25Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his horses and chariots, and he had 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities, and some near him in Jerusalem.

26He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt.

26He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River in the north to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt in the south.

27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills.

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.

28Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from all other countries.

28Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and many other countries. Summary of Solomon’s Reign

29As for the other events of Solomon's reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat?

29The rest of the events of Solomon’s reign, from beginning to end, are recorded in The Record of Nathan the Prophet, and The Prophecy of Ahijah from Shiloh, and also in The Visions of Iddo the Seer, concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat.

30Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

30Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.

31Then he rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king.

31When he died, he was buried in the City of David, named for his father. Then his son Rehoboam became the next king.

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