6. I did not believe it until I came and saw it with my own eyes. Now I see that it is even greater than what I heard. Your wealth and wisdom is much greater than people told me.
7. Your wives and officers are very fortunate! They can serve you and hear your wisdom every day.
8. Praise the Lord your God! He was pleased to make you king of Israel. The Lord God loves Israel, so he made you the king. You follow the law and treat people fairly.”
9. Then the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon 4 1/2 tons of gold, a huge amount of spices, and precious stones. She gave Solomon more spices than anyone has ever brought into Israel.
10. Hiram’s servants brought gold from Ophir. They also brought in jewels and a special kind of wood.
11. King Solomon used this special wood to make steps for the Lord’S Temple and the king’s palace. Solomon also used the algum wood to make lyres and harps for the singers. No one ever saw such beautiful things like those made from the algum wood in the country of Judah.
12. King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she asked for. He gave her more than she brought to give him. Then the queen of Sheba and her servants left and went back to their own country.
13. Every year Solomon got almost 25 tons of gold.
14. In addition to the gold brought in by the traveling merchants and traders, all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.
15. King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold. He used about 15 pounds of gold for each shield.
16. He also made 300 smaller shields of hammered gold. He used about 7 1/2 pounds of gold for each shield. The king put them in the Forest-of-Lebanon House.
17. King Solomon also built a large throne with ivory decorations. It was covered with pure gold.
18. There were six steps leading up to the throne. The back of the throne was round at the top. There were armrests on both sides of the throne, and there were lions in the sides of the throne under the armrests.