8. How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom!
9. Praise the lord your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so you can rule with justice and righteousness.”
10. Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000 pounds of gold, great quantities of spices, and precious jewels. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11. (In addition, Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir, and they also brought rich cargoes of red sandalwood and precious jewels.
12. The king used the sandalwood to make railings for the Temple of the lord and the royal palace, and to construct lyres and harps for the musicians. Never before or since has there been such a supply of sandalwood.)
13. King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba whatever she asked for, besides all the customary gifts he had so generously given. Then she and all her attendants returned to their own land.
14. Each year Solomon received about 25 tons of gold.