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示巴女王来访所罗门(A)

示巴女王听见所罗门的名声,就来到耶路撒冷,要用难题试试所罗门。跟随她的人很多,又有骆驼驮着香料、大批黄金和宝石。她来到所罗门那里,就把她心里所有的难题,都对所罗门说出来。 所罗门把她的一切难题,都给她解答了;没有一样难倒所罗门,不能给她解答的。 示巴女王看见所罗门的智慧和他建造的宫殿, 他席上的食物,群臣的座位,仆人的侍候和他们的服饰,酒政和酒政的服饰,以及所罗门在耶和华殿里所献的燔祭,就十分惊讶。 于是她对王说:“我在本国听见关于你的事和你的智慧,实在是真的。 我先前不信他们的话,等到我来了,亲眼看见了,才知道你智慧的伟大,人告诉我的还不到一半。你实在是见面胜似闻名。 属你的人是有福的,你的臣仆是有福的,因为他们可以常常侍立在你面前,聆听你的智慧。 耶和华你的 神是应当称颂的,因他喜悦你,使你坐在他的王位上,为耶和华你的 神作王;因为你的 神爱以色列人,要永远坚立他们,所以立你作他们的王,好秉公行义。”

示巴女王赠送的礼物(B)

于是示巴女王把约四千公斤金子、大批香料和宝石送给所罗门王;示巴女王送给所罗门王的香料,是犹大地从来没有过的。 10 希兰的仆人和所罗门的仆人从俄斐把黄金运来,也把檀香木和宝石运了来。 11 王用檀香木为耶和华的殿和王宫作了台阶,又为唱歌的人作了琴瑟;像这样的东西,是在犹大地从来没有见过的。

所罗门的回礼(C)

12 所罗门王按着示巴女王带来给他的,回送她礼物;此外,还把女王所愿所求的,都送给她,于是女王和她的臣仆都返回本国去了。

所罗门的财富与智慧(D)

13 所罗门每年所得的金子,共重两万三千公斤, 14 另外,还有从商人和行商运来的,阿拉伯诸王和本国的各总督,都把金银运来给所罗门。 15 所罗门王用锤炼好的金子做了二百面大盾牌,每一面大盾牌用锤炼好的金子七公斤。 16 又用锤炼好的金子做了三百面小盾牌,每一面小盾牌用锤炼好的金子约三公斤;王把这些盾牌都放在黎巴嫩林宫。

17 王用象牙做了一个大宝座,包上纯金。 18 宝座有六级台阶,又用金脚凳和宝座相连,座位两边都有扶手,扶手旁边各有一只狮子站立。 19 六级台阶上共有十二只狮子站立;每级两只,一左一右;在列国中都没有这样做的。 20 所罗门王的一切杯爵都是金的;黎巴嫩林宫里的一切器皿都是精金做的;在所罗门的时代,银子算不得甚么。 21 因为王的船只和希兰的仆人一同到他施去;往他施的船只每三年回来一次,载着金银、象牙、猿猴和孔雀回来。

22 所罗门王的财富和智慧,胜过世上的列王。 23 世上的列王都求见所罗门的面,要听 神赐给他的智慧。 24 他们各人带来的礼物有:银器、金器、衣服、兵器、香料、骡马;每年都有一定的数量。

25 所罗门有四千马廊的车马,还有马兵一万二千,他把这些人马安置在囤车城和耶路撒冷,就是与王在一起。 26 所罗门统治列王,从幼发拉底河到非利士地,直到埃及的边界。 27 王在耶路撒冷使银子好象石头,使香柏木好象平原的桑树那么多。 28 人们从埃及和各地把马匹运到所罗门那里。

所罗门逝世(E)

29 所罗门其余的事迹,一生的始末,不是都记在拿单先知的记录上,示罗人亚希雅的预言上,以及先见易多论到尼八的儿子耶罗波安的启示录上吗? 30 所罗门在耶路撒冷作王统治全以色列共四十年。 31 所罗门和他的列祖同睡,埋葬在他父亲大卫的城里;他的儿子罗波安接续他作王。

Chapter 9

The Queen of Sheba. (A)The queen of Sheba, having heard a report of Solomon’s fame, came to Jerusalem to test him with subtle questions, accompanied by a very numerous retinue and by camels bearing spices, a large amount of gold, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and spoke to him about everything that she had on her mind. Solomon explained to her everything she asked about, and there was nothing so obscure that Solomon could not explain it to her.(B)

(C)When the queen of Sheba witnessed Solomon’s great wisdom, the house he had built, the food at his table, the seating of his ministers, the attendance and dress of his waiters, his cupbearers and their dress, and the burnt offerings he sacrificed in the house of the Lord, it took her breath away. “The report I heard in my country about your deeds and your wisdom is true,” she told the king. “I did not believe the report until I came and saw with my own eyes that not even the half of your great wisdom had been told me. You have surpassed the report I heard. Happy your servants, happy these ministers of yours, who stand before you always and listen to your wisdom. Blessed be the Lord, your God, who was pleased to set you on his throne as king for the Lord, your God. In the love your God has for Israel, to establish them forever, he has made you king over them to carry out judgment and justice.” Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty gold talents, a very large quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again did anyone bring such an abundance of spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

10 The servants of Huram and of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought cabinet wood and precious stones. 11 With the cabinet wood the king made stairs for the house of the Lord and the house of the king, and harps and lyres for the chanters. The like of these had not been seen before in the land of Judah.(D)

12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she desired and asked for, more than she had brought to the king. Then she returned with her servants to her own country.(E)

13 (F)The gold that came to Solomon in one year weighed six hundred and sixty-six gold talents, 14 in addition to what came from the tolls on travelers and what the merchants brought. All the kings of Arabia also, and the governors of the country, brought gold and silver to Solomon.

15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold (six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield) 16 and three hundred bucklers of beaten gold (three hundred shekels of gold went into each buckler); and the king put them in the house of the Forest of Lebanon.

17 The king made a large ivory throne, and overlaid it with fine gold. 18 The throne had six steps; a footstool of gold was fastened to the throne, and there was an arm on each side of the seat, with two lions standing next to the arms, 19 and twelve other lions standing there on the steps, two to a step. Nothing like this was made in any other kingdom. 20 All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold, and all the utensils in the house of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, for in Solomon’s time silver was reckoned as nothing. 21 For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram. Once every three years the fleet of Tarshish ships would come with a cargo of gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys.

Solomon’s Renown. 22 Thus King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

23 All the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon, to hear the wisdom God had put into his heart. 24 They all brought their tribute: vessels of silver and gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses, and mules—what was due each year. 25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses, chariots, and twelve thousand horses; these he allocated among the chariot cities and to the king’s service in Jerusalem. 26 He was ruler over all the kings from the River to the land of the Philistines and down to the border of Egypt. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars as numerous as the sycamores of the Shephelah. 28 [a]Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from all the lands.

The Death of Solomon. 29 (G)The remainder of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are recorded in the acts of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam, son of Nebat. 30 Solomon was king in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. 31 Solomon rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David, his father, and Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king.

Footnotes

  1. 9:28 See note on 1:16–17.

¶ And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with enigmas at Jerusalem, with a very great host and camels that bore spices and gold in abundance and precious stones. And when she was come to Solomon, she spoke with him of all that was in her heart.

But Solomon told her all her questions, and nothing remained that Solomon did not declare unto her.

And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon and the house that he had built

and the food of his table and the seat of his slaves and the attendance of his ministers and their apparel, his butlers also and their apparel, and his sacrifices which he sacrificed in the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her.

And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in my own land of thy word and of thy wisdom,

but I did not believe their words until I came, and my eyes had seen it, and, behold, not even the half of the greatness of thy wisdom was told me, for thou dost exceed the fame that I heard.

Blessed are thy men and blessed are these thy slaves, who stand continually before thee and hear thy wisdom.

The LORD thy God be blessed, who delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore, he made thee king over them, to do judgment and righteousness.

And she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold and of spices great abundance and precious stones; never had there been any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

10 Also the slaves of Hiram and the slaves of Solomon, who had brought gold from Ophir, brought brazil wood and precious stones.

11 And the king made of the brazil wood stairs to the house of the LORD and to the king’s palace and harps and psalteries for the singers, and such wood had never been seen before in the land of Judah.

12 And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, more than what she had brought unto the king. Then she turned and went away to her own land with her slaves.

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

14 besides that which the traders and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land brought gold and silver to Solomon.

15 And King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to each buckler.

16 And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three hundred shekels of gold went to each shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

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

18 And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on each side of the seat, and two lions standing by the stays.

19 There were also twelve lions standing on one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom.

20 And all the drinking vessels of King Solomon were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. In the days of Solomon silver was not esteemed.

21 For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the slaves of Hiram, and every three years the ships came from Tarshish bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

22 And King Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart.

24 And of these, each his present, vessels of silver and vessels of gold and raiment, arms, spices, horses, and mules, every year.

25 And Solomon also had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

26 And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt.

27 And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar trees as the sycamore trees that are in the low plains in abundance.

28 And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt and out of all lands.

29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the books of Nathan, the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah, the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo, the seer against Jeroboam, the son of Nebat?

30 And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

31 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David, his father; and Rehoboam, his son, reigned in his stead.