21. All of Solomon’s drinking cups, as well as the dishes in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon, were made of pure gold. Nothing was made from silver, because silver was not valuable in Solomon’s time.
22. King Solomon also had many trading ships at sea, along with Hiram’s ships. Every three years the ships returned, bringing back gold, silver, ivory, apes, and baboons.
23. So Solomon had more riches and wisdom than all the other kings on earth.
24. People everywhere wanted to see King Solomon and listen to the wisdom God had given him.
25. Every year those who came brought gifts of silver and gold, clothes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
26. Solomon had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses. He kept some in special cities for the chariots, and others he kept with him in Jerusalem.
27. In Jerusalem Solomon made silver as common as stones and cedar trees as common as the fig trees on the western hills.