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1 Kings 10

When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame about the name of the Lord, she came to test him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a huge entourage, camels loaded with spices, a great deal of gold and precious stones. When she met Solomon, she talked with him about everything on her mind. Solomon answered every quest

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The queen of Sheba

When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame about the name of the Lord, she came to test him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a huge entourage, camels loaded with spices, a great deal of gold and precious stones. When she met Solomon, she talked with him about everything on her mind. Solomon answered every question she put to him. Nothing was too hard for the king to explain. When the queen of Sheba saw all Solomon's wisdom and the house he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service and clothing of his attendants, his cupbearers, and the way he went up to the house of the Lord, she was completely overwhelmed. She told the king: The report I heard back home about your achievements and wisdom was true. I didn't believe it until I came and saw it with my own eyes. And not even half of it was told to me. Your wisdom and prosperity go well beyond what I'd heard. Happy are your men, and happy are these servants of yours who always stand before you and hear your wisdom. Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you and put you on the throne of Israel. Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he made you king to uphold judgment and justice. She gave the king 120 talents of gold, an enormous quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again did such a load of spices arrive as the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon. Hiram's fleet, which brought gold from Ophir, also brought large quantities of almug wood and precious stones from Ophir. The king used the almug wood to make supports for the house of the Lord and the royal palace, and harps and lyres for the singers. Nothing like that almug wood had ever been imported or seen since. King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she wanted and asked for, on top of what he gave her from his royal generosity. Then she and her servants headed home to her own country.

And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon about the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great company, with camels that carried spices and very plenty of gold and precious stones. And when she'd come to Solomon, she talked with him about everything in her heart. And Solomon answered all her questions. There wasn't anything hidden from the king that he didn't tell her. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom and the house he'd built, and the food of his table and the seating of his servants and the standing of his waiters and their clothing and his cupbearers, and his going up by which he went up into the house of the Lord — there was no more spirit in her. And she said to the king: It was a true report I heard in my own land about your acts and about your wisdom. But I didn't believe the words till I came and my eyes had seen it. And look — the half wasn't told me. Your wisdom and wealth go past the fame I heard. Happy are your men, happy are these servants of yours, who stand in front of you all the time and hear your wisdom. Blessed be the Lord your God, who took delight in you to set you on the throne of Israel. Because the Lord loved Israel forever, that's why he made you king, to do judgment and justice. And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold and very plenty of spices and precious stones. There never came such plenty of spices as those the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon. And the fleet of Hiram too, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in plenty of almug trees and precious stones from Ophir. And the king made supports of the almug trees for the house of the Lord and for the king's house, and harps and lyres for the singers. There came no almug trees like that or were seen right to this day. And King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she wanted, whatever she asked for, besides what Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built, And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice. And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones. And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day. And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

1

When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame about the name of the Lord, she came to test him with difficult questions.

Plain English

And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon about the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.

King James Version, 1611

And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.

2

She arrived in Jerusalem with a huge entourage, camels loaded with spices, a great deal of gold and precious stones. When she met Solomon, she talked with him about everything on her mind.

Plain English

And she came to Jerusalem with a very great company, with camels that carried spices and very plenty of gold and precious stones. And when she'd come to Solomon, she talked with him about everything in her heart.

King James Version, 1611

And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

3

Solomon answered every question she put to him. Nothing was too hard for the king to explain.

Plain English

And Solomon answered all her questions. There wasn't anything hidden from the king that he didn't tell her.

King James Version, 1611

And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

4

When the queen of Sheba saw all Solomon's wisdom and the house he had built,

Plain English

And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom and the house he'd built,

King James Version, 1611

And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built,

5

the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service and clothing of his attendants, his cupbearers, and the way he went up to the house of the Lord, she was completely overwhelmed.

Plain English

and the food of his table and the seating of his servants and the standing of his waiters and their clothing and his cupbearers, and his going up by which he went up into the house of the Lord — there was no more spirit in her.

King James Version, 1611

And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

6

She told the king: The report I heard back home about your achievements and wisdom was true.

Plain English

And she said to the king: It was a true report I heard in my own land about your acts and about your wisdom.

King James Version, 1611

And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.

7

I didn't believe it until I came and saw it with my own eyes. And not even half of it was told to me. Your wisdom and prosperity go well beyond what I'd heard.

Plain English

But I didn't believe the words till I came and my eyes had seen it. And look — the half wasn't told me. Your wisdom and wealth go past the fame I heard.

King James Version, 1611

Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

8

Happy are your men, and happy are these servants of yours who always stand before you and hear your wisdom.

Plain English

Happy are your men, happy are these servants of yours, who stand in front of you all the time and hear your wisdom.

King James Version, 1611

Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

9

Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you and put you on the throne of Israel. Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he made you king to uphold judgment and justice.

Plain English

Blessed be the Lord your God, who took delight in you to set you on the throne of Israel. Because the Lord loved Israel forever, that's why he made you king, to do judgment and justice.

King James Version, 1611

Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.

10

She gave the king 120 talents of gold, an enormous quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again did such a load of spices arrive as the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

Plain English

And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold and very plenty of spices and precious stones. There never came such plenty of spices as those the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

King James Version, 1611

And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.

11

Hiram's fleet, which brought gold from Ophir, also brought large quantities of almug wood and precious stones from Ophir.

Plain English

And the fleet of Hiram too, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in plenty of almug trees and precious stones from Ophir.

King James Version, 1611

And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.

12

The king used the almug wood to make supports for the house of the Lord and the royal palace, and harps and lyres for the singers. Nothing like that almug wood had ever been imported or seen since.

Plain English

And the king made supports of the almug trees for the house of the Lord and for the king's house, and harps and lyres for the singers. There came no almug trees like that or were seen right to this day.

King James Version, 1611

And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.

13

King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she wanted and asked for, on top of what he gave her from his royal generosity. Then she and her servants headed home to her own country.

Plain English

And King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she wanted, whatever she asked for, besides what Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

King James Version, 1611

And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

Solomon's wealth

The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents, not counting what came from merchants, traders, all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land. King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold, using six hundred shekels of gold for each shield. He also made three hundred smaller shields of beaten gold, using three minas of gold for each one. The king placed them in the house of the Forest of Lebanon. The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with the finest gold. The throne had six steps and a rounded top at the back. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with a lion standing beside each armrest. Twelve more lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. All King Solomon's drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels in the house of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. None were silver; silver was barely worth mentioning in Solomon's days. The king had a fleet of Tarshish at sea alongside Hiram's fleet. Once every three years it returned carrying gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks. So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. People from all over the earth sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. Year after year they brought gifts: articles of silver and gold, clothing, armour, spices, horses and mules. Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore trees in the lowlands. Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt, along with linen yarn bought by the king's merchants at the going price. A chariot imported from Egypt cost six hundred shekels of silver and a horse one hundred and fifty. The merchants supplied them in the same way to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.

Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, besides what he had of the traders and of the trade of the merchants and of all the kings of Arabia and of the governors of the country. And King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold. Six hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. And he made three hundred small shields of beaten gold. Three minas of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the Forest of Lebanon. What's more, the king made a great throne of ivory and covered it with the best gold. The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind. And there were armrests on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests. And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps. There wasn't anything like it made in any kingdom. And all King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were of silver. It counted for nothing in the days of Solomon. Because the king had at sea a fleet of Tarshish with the fleet of Hiram. Once in three years the fleet of Tarshish came, bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks. So King Solomon went past all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. And all the earth looked for Solomon, to hear his wisdom that God had put in his heart. And they brought every man his gift — vessels of silver and vessels of gold and clothing and armour and spices, horses and mules — year by year. And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. And he had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, that he put in the chariot towns and with the king at Jerusalem. And the king made silver in Jerusalem as plentiful as stones, and cedars he made as plentiful as the sycamore trees in the lowland. And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt and linen yarn. The king's traders got the linen yarn at a price. And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. And that's how they brought them out for all the kings of the Hittites and for the kings of Aram, by their means.

Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold, Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country. And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target. And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold. The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays. And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom. And all king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year. And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem. And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance. And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price. And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

14

The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents,

Plain English

Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold,

King James Version, 1611

Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,

15

not counting what came from merchants, traders, all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land.

Plain English

besides what he had of the traders and of the trade of the merchants and of all the kings of Arabia and of the governors of the country.

King James Version, 1611

Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.

16

King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold, using six hundred shekels of gold for each shield.

Plain English

And King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold. Six hundred shekels of gold went to one shield.

King James Version, 1611

And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target.

17

He also made three hundred smaller shields of beaten gold, using three minas of gold for each one. The king placed them in the house of the Forest of Lebanon.

Plain English

And he made three hundred small shields of beaten gold. Three minas of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the Forest of Lebanon.

King James Version, 1611

And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

18

The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with the finest gold.

Plain English

What's more, the king made a great throne of ivory and covered it with the best gold.

King James Version, 1611

Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.

19

The throne had six steps and a rounded top at the back. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with a lion standing beside each armrest.

Plain English

The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind. And there were armrests on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests.

King James Version, 1611

The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays.

20

Twelve more lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom.

Plain English

And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps. There wasn't anything like it made in any kingdom.

King James Version, 1611

And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom.

21

All King Solomon's drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels in the house of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. None were silver; silver was barely worth mentioning in Solomon's days.

Plain English

And all King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were of silver. It counted for nothing in the days of Solomon.

King James Version, 1611

And all king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.

22

The king had a fleet of Tarshish at sea alongside Hiram's fleet. Once every three years it returned carrying gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks.

Plain English

Because the king had at sea a fleet of Tarshish with the fleet of Hiram. Once in three years the fleet of Tarshish came, bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks.

King James Version, 1611

For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

23

So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

Plain English

So King Solomon went past all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

King James Version, 1611

So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.

24

People from all over the earth sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.

Plain English

And all the earth looked for Solomon, to hear his wisdom that God had put in his heart.

King James Version, 1611

And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.

25

Year after year they brought gifts: articles of silver and gold, clothing, armour, spices, horses and mules.

Plain English

And they brought every man his gift — vessels of silver and vessels of gold and clothing and armour and spices, horses and mules — year by year.

King James Version, 1611

And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.

26

Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

Plain English

And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. And he had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, that he put in the chariot towns and with the king at Jerusalem.

King James Version, 1611

And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.

27

The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore trees in the lowlands.

Plain English

And the king made silver in Jerusalem as plentiful as stones, and cedars he made as plentiful as the sycamore trees in the lowland.

King James Version, 1611

And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.

28

Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt, along with linen yarn bought by the king's merchants at the going price.

Plain English

And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt and linen yarn. The king's traders got the linen yarn at a price.

King James Version, 1611

And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.

29

A chariot imported from Egypt cost six hundred shekels of silver and a horse one hundred and fifty. The merchants supplied them in the same way to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.

Plain English

And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. And that's how they brought them out for all the kings of the Hittites and for the kings of Aram, by their means.

King James Version, 1611

And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.