1. When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. She arrived with a large group of attendants and a great caravan of camels loaded with spices, large quantities of gold, and precious jewels. When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind.
2. Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her.
3. When the queen of Sheba realized how wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built,
4. she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers and their robes, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the lord.
5. She exclaimed to the king, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true!
6. I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of your great wisdom! It is far beyond what I was told.
7. How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom!
8. Praise the lord your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne as king to rule for him. Because God loves Israel and desires this kingdom to last forever, he has made you king over them so you can rule with justice and righteousness.”
9. Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000 pounds of gold, great quantities of spices, and precious jewels. Never before had there been spices as fine as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
10. (In addition, the crews of Hiram and Solomon brought gold from Ophir, and they also brought red sandalwood and precious jewels.
11. The king used the sandalwood to make steps for the Temple of the lord and the royal palace, and to construct lyres and harps for the musicians. Never before had such beautiful things been seen in Judah.)
12. King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba whatever she asked for—gifts of greater value than the gifts she had given him. Then she and all her attendants returned to their own land.
13. Each year Solomon received about 25 tons of gold.
14. This did not include the additional revenue he received from merchants and traders. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the provinces also brought gold and silver to Solomon.
15. King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than 15 pounds.
16. He also made 300 smaller shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than 71/2 pounds. The king placed these shields in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.
17. Then the king made a huge throne, decorated with ivory and overlaid with pure gold.
18. The throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, and the figure of a lion stood on each side of the throne.
19. There were also twelve other lions, one standing on each end of the six steps. No other throne in all the world could be compared with it!
20. All of King Solomon’s drinking cups were solid gold, as were all the utensils in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. They were not made of silver, for silver was considered worthless in Solomon’s day!