1 Kings 10:1-22 ▼

1 And the queen of Sheba heard the report of Solomon concerning the name of YHWH, and she came to test him with difficult questions.

2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great company, with camels that bore spices, and very much gold, and precious stones. And she came to Solomon, and she spoke with him about all that was in her heart.

3 And Solomon answered to her all her matters; there was not a thing so difficult for the king, that he could not explain it to her.

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

5 and the food on his table, and the seating of his servants, and the service of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he offered up to the house of YHWH. And there was no breath in her anymore.

6 And she said to the king, “True was the word that I heard in my land about your words and your wisdom.

7 I did not believe the words until that I came and my eyes saw, and indeed it was not told to me the half; you have added wisdom and prosperity to the report that I heard.

8 Blessed are your men! Blessed are your servants, these who stand before you continually hearing your wisdom!

9 YHWH your God be blessed, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel, because YHWH has loved Israel forever, and He has appointed you king to do justice and righteousness.”

10 And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices very many, and precious stones. There never came spice like that again in such abundance that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

11 (And the ships of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir very much almug wood, and precious stones.

12 And the king made the steps of almug wood for the house of YHWH, and for the house of the king, and harps and stringed instruments for the singers. There never came again such almug wood, nor has been seen to this day.)

13 And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides what had been given to her according to the hand of king Solomon. And she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

14 And the weight of the gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold,

15 besides that from the men—tourists—and from the merchandise of the traders, and from all the kings of Arabia, and from the governors of the country.

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

17 And he made three hundred shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold went into one shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

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

19 Six steps were to the throne, and the round top of the throne was at the back, and were armrests on this side and on this side of the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests.

20 And twelve lions stood there on the six steps, on this side and on this side. Nothing had been made like this for any kingdoms.

21 And all the drinking vessels of King Solomon were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver—it was not accounted in the days of Solomon as anything.

22 For ships of Tarshish were unto the king at sea with the ships of Hiram. Once in three years came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.