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示巴女王來訪所羅門(A)

示巴女王聽見所羅門的名聲,就來到耶路撒冷,要用難題試試所羅門。跟隨她的人很多,又有駱駝馱著香料、大批黃金和寶石。她來到所羅門那裡,就把她心裡所有的難題,都對所羅門說出來。 所羅門把她的一切難題,都給她解答了;沒有一樣難倒所羅門,不能給她解答的。 示巴女王看見所羅門的智慧和他建造的宮殿, 他席上的食物,群臣的座位,僕人的侍候和他們的服飾,酒政和酒政的服飾,以及所羅門在耶和華殿裡所獻的燔祭,就十分驚訝。 於是她對王說:“我在本國聽見關於你的事和你的智慧,實在是真的。 我先前不信他們的話,等到我來了,親眼看見了,才知道你智慧的偉大,人告訴我的還不到一半。你實在是見面勝似聞名。 屬你的人是有福的,你的臣僕是有福的,因為他們可以常常侍立在你面前,聆聽你的智慧。 耶和華你的 神是應當稱頌的,因他喜悅你,使你坐在他的王位上,為耶和華你的 神作王;因為你的 神愛以色列人,要永遠堅立他們,所以立你作他們的王,好秉公行義。”

示巴女王贈送的禮物(B)

於是示巴女王把約四千公斤金子、大批香料和寶石送給所羅門王;示巴女王送給所羅門王的香料,是猶大地從來沒有過的。 10 希蘭的僕人和所羅門的僕人從俄斐把黃金運來,也把檀香木和寶石運了來。 11 王用檀香木為耶和華的殿和王宮作了臺階,又為唱歌的人作了琴瑟;像這樣的東西,是在猶大地從來沒有見過的。

所羅門的回禮(C)

12 所羅門王按著示巴女王帶來給他的,回送她禮物;此外,還把女王所願所求的,都送給她,於是女王和她的臣僕都返回本國去了。

所羅門的財富與智慧(D)

13 所羅門每年所得的金子,共重兩萬三千公斤, 14 另外,還有從商人和行商運來的,阿拉伯諸王和本國的各總督,都把金銀運來給所羅門。 15 所羅門王用錘煉好的金子做了二百面大盾牌,每一面大盾牌用錘煉好的金子七公斤。 16 又用錘煉好的金子做了三百面小盾牌,每一面小盾牌用錘煉好的金子約三公斤;王把這些盾牌都放在黎巴嫩林宮。

17 王用象牙做了一個大寶座,包上純金。 18 寶座有六級臺階,又用金腳凳和寶座相連,座位兩邊都有扶手,扶手旁邊各有一隻獅子站立。 19 六級臺階上共有十二隻獅子站立;每級兩隻,一左一右;在列國中都沒有這樣做的。 20 所羅門王的一切杯爵都是金的;黎巴嫩林宮裡的一切器皿都是精金做的;在所羅門的時代,銀子算不得甚麼。 21 因為王的船隻和希蘭的僕人一同到他施去;往他施的船隻每三年回來一次,載著金銀、象牙、猿猴和孔雀回來。

22 所羅門王的財富和智慧,勝過世上的列王。 23 世上的列王都求見所羅門的面,要聽 神賜給他的智慧。 24 他們各人帶來的禮物有:銀器、金器、衣服、兵器、香料、騾馬;每年都有一定的數量。

25 所羅門有四千馬廊的車馬,還有馬兵一萬二千,他把這些人馬安置在囤車城和耶路撒冷,就是與王在一起。 26 所羅門統治列王,從幼發拉底河到非利士地,直到埃及的邊界。 27 王在耶路撒冷使銀子好像石頭,使香柏木好像平原的桑樹那麼多。 28 人們從埃及和各地把馬匹運到所羅門那裡。

所羅門逝世(E)

29 所羅門其餘的事蹟,一生的始末,不是都記在拿單先知的記錄上,示羅人亞希雅的預言上,以及先見易多論到尼八的兒子耶羅波安的啟示錄上嗎? 30 所羅門在耶路撒冷作王統治全以色列共四十年。 31 所羅門和他的列祖同睡,埋葬在他父親大衛的城裡;他的兒子羅波安接續他作王。

And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great train, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, 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; and there was not anything hid from Solomon which he told her not. 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 sitting of his servants, and the [a]attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, his cupbearers also, and their apparel, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of Jehovah; 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 thine [b]acts, and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it; and, behold, the half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: thou exceedest the fame that I heard. Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, that stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom. Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on his throne, to be king for Jehovah thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do justice and righteousness.

And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. 10 And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, that brought gold from Ophir, brought [c]algum-trees and precious stones. 11 And the king made of the algum-trees terraces for the house of Jehovah, and for the king’s house, and harps and psalteries for the singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah. 12 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, besides that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.

13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold, 14 besides that which the traders and merchants brought: and all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country 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 one buckler. 16 And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three hundred shekels of gold went to one 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 [d]stays on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the stays. 19 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. 20 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: silver was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. 21 For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram; once every three years came the ships of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

22 So king Solomon exceeded 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, which God had put in his heart. 24 And they brought every man his tribute, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, armor, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year. 25 And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 26 And he ruled 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 to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore-trees that are in the lowland, for abundance. 28 And they brought horses for Solomon 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 [e]history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of [f]Iddo the seer concerning 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.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 9:4 Hebrew standing.
  2. 2 Chronicles 9:5 Or, sayings
  3. 2 Chronicles 9:10 In 1 Kin. 10:11, almug-trees.
  4. 2 Chronicles 9:18 Or, arms. Hebrew hands.
  5. 2 Chronicles 9:29 Hebrew words.
  6. 2 Chronicles 9:29 Hebrew Jedai, or, Jedo.

Visit of the Queen of Sheba

(A)Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with riddles. She had a very large entourage, with camels carrying balsam oil and a large amount of gold and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about everything that was on her heart. Solomon [a]answered all her questions; nothing was hidden from Solomon which he did not [b]explain to her. When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house which he had built, the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and [c]his stairway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, she was breathless. Then she said to the king, “It was a true [d]story that I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. But I did not believe their [e]stories until I came and my own eyes saw it all. And behold, not even half of the greatness of your wisdom was reported to me. You have surpassed the report that I heard. How [f]blessed are your men, how [g]blessed are these servants of yours, who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God who delighted in you, (B)setting you on His throne as king for the Lord your God; (C)because your God loved Israel, establishing them forever, He made you king over them, to carry out justice and righteousness.” Then she gave the king [h]120 talents of gold and a very great amount of balsam oil and precious stones; there had never been balsam oil like that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

10 The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon (D)who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum trees and precious stones. 11 From the algum trees the king made steps to the house of the Lord and for the king’s palace, and lyres and harps for the singers; and nothing like them was seen before in the land of Judah.

12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire, whatever she requested, besides gifts equal to what she had brought to the king. Then she turned and went to her own land with her servants.

Solomon’s Wealth and Power

13 (E)Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was [i]666 talents of gold, 14 besides what the traders and merchants brought; and all (F)the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold, [j]using six hundred shekels of beaten gold on each large shield. 16 He made three hundred shields of beaten gold, [k]using three hundred shekels of gold on 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 There were six steps to the throne and a footstool in gold attached to the throne, and [l]arms [m]on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the [n]arms. 19 Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps on the one side and on the other; nothing like it was made for any other kingdom. 20 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; silver was not considered [o]valuable in the days of Solomon. 21 (G)For the king had ships which went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

22 (H)So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in wealth and wisdom. 23 And all the kings of the earth were seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart. 24 (I)They were bringing, each of them his gift: articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, balsam oil, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

25 Now Solomon had (J)four thousand stalls for horses and chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 26 (K)He was ruler over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the border of Egypt. 27 (L)And the king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the [p]lowland. 28 (M)And they were bringing horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all countries.

29 (N)Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from the first to the last, (O)are they not written in the [q]records of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of [r]Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30 (P)Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.

Death of Solomon

31 And Solomon [s]lay down with his fathers and was buried in (Q)the city of his father David; and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 9:2 Lit told her all her words
  2. 2 Chronicles 9:2 Lit tell
  3. 2 Chronicles 9:4 Or his burnt offering which he offered
  4. 2 Chronicles 9:5 Lit word
  5. 2 Chronicles 9:6 Lit words
  6. 2 Chronicles 9:7 Or happy
  7. 2 Chronicles 9:7 Or happy
  8. 2 Chronicles 9:9 About 4.5 tons or 4 metric tons
  9. 2 Chronicles 9:13 About 25 tons or 23 metric tons
  10. 2 Chronicles 9:15 Lit he brought up
  11. 2 Chronicles 9:16 Lit he brought up
  12. 2 Chronicles 9:18 Lit hands
  13. 2 Chronicles 9:18 Lit from this and from this at the place of the seat
  14. 2 Chronicles 9:18 Lit hands
  15. 2 Chronicles 9:20 Lit anything
  16. 2 Chronicles 9:27 Heb shephelah
  17. 2 Chronicles 9:29 Lit words
  18. 2 Chronicles 9:29 Heb Jedo
  19. 2 Chronicles 9:31 I.e., died