21. He had many ships that carried goods to be traded. The crews of those ships were made up of Hiram's men. Once every three years the ships returned. They brought gold, silver, ivory, apes and baboons.
22. King Solomon was richer than all of the other kings on earth. He was also wiser than they were.
23. All of these kings wanted to meet Solomon in person. They wanted to see for themselves how wise God had made him.
24. Year after year, everyone who came to him brought a gift. They brought articles that were made out of silver and gold. They brought robes, weapons and spices. They also brought horses and mules.
25. Solomon had 4,000 spaces where he kept his horses and chariots. He had 12,000 horses. He kept some of his horses and chariots in the chariot cities. He kept the others with him in Jerusalem.
26. Solomon ruled over all of the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines. He ruled all the way to the border of Egypt.
27. The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones. He made cedar wood as common there as sycamore-fig trees in the western hills.
28. Solomon got horses from Egypt. He also got them from many other countries.
29. The other events of Solomon's rule from beginning to end are written down. They are written in the records of the prophet Nathan. They are written in the prophecy of Ahijah. He was from Shiloh. They are also written in the records of the visions of the prophet Iddo about Jeroboam. Jeroboam was the son of Nebat.
30. Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over the whole nation of Israel for 40 years.