示巴女王拜訪所羅門

示巴女王聽聞所羅門的名聲,便來用難題考問他。她率領許多隨從,用駱駝馱著香料、寶石和大量的黃金到耶路撒冷晉見所羅門王,與所羅門談論她心中的疑問。 所羅門王解答了她所有的問題,沒有一樣難得住他。 示巴女王看見所羅門的智慧,又看見他建的宮殿、 席上的美味、入座的群臣、侍立一旁的僕人、他們的服裝、酒政、以及他在耶和華殿裡獻的燔祭,感到萬分驚奇。 她對所羅門王說:「我在本國聽到的有關你的功業和智慧原來都是真的。 若不是親眼目睹,我不會相信。事實上,我聽到的還不到一半!你的智慧遠超過我聽到的傳聞。 你的臣僕經常侍立在你面前聆聽智慧之言,真有福氣! 你的上帝耶和華當受稱頌!祂喜愛你,立你做王統治祂的子民。因為你的上帝愛以色列人,要使他們永遠堅立,所以立你為他們的王,使你秉公行義。」

示巴女王將四噸黃金、大量香料和寶石獻給所羅門王。再無人像示巴女王那樣獻給所羅門王那麼多香料。 10 希蘭的僕人和所羅門的僕人從俄斐運來黃金、檀香木和寶石。 11 所羅門王用這些檀香木建造耶和華的殿和王宮的階梯,又製作歌樂手的琴瑟。在猶大從來沒有見過這樣的物品。 12 所羅門王滿足了示巴女王的一切要求,回贈她的禮物超過了她帶來的。之後,女王和隨從就回示巴去了。

所羅門王的財富

13 所羅門每年收到的黃金約二十三噸, 14 此外還有商人、阿拉伯諸王和國內各總督送給他的金銀。 15 所羅門王用錘好的金子打造了二百面大盾牌,每面用七公斤金子; 16 又用錘好的金子打造了三百面小盾牌,每面用三點五公斤金子,全部放在黎巴嫩林宮。 17 王又造了一個象牙大寶座,外面用純金包裹。 18 這寶座有六級臺階,又有金腳凳與寶座相連,寶座兩旁有扶手,扶手兩邊各站著一頭獅子, 19 六級臺階上共站著十二頭獅子,每級臺階兩端各站一頭。這寶座舉世無雙。 20 所羅門王所有的杯子都是金的,黎巴嫩林宮裡所有的器皿都是純金的,沒有一件是用銀子造的,因為所羅門年間銀子不算什麼。 21 王有船隊與希蘭的僕人一起出海去他施,每三年就運回金銀、象牙、猿猴和孔雀。 22 所羅門王的財富和智慧超過天下諸王。 23 天下的君王都紛紛來朝見所羅門,聆聽上帝賜給他的智言慧語。 24 他們年年都帶來禮物,有金銀器皿、衣服、兵器、香料和騾馬。 25 所羅門有四千個安置戰車和馬匹的棚,有一萬二千名騎兵,駐紮在屯車城和他所在的耶路撒冷。 26 所羅門統管從幼發拉底河到非利士地區,遠至埃及邊境的諸王。 27 王使耶路撒冷的金銀多如石頭,使香柏木多如丘陵的無花果樹。 28 所羅門的馬匹都是從埃及和其他國家運來的。

所羅門逝世

29 所羅門一生的事蹟,自始至終都記在拿單先知的史記、示羅人亞希雅的《預言書》和易多先見論尼八的兒子耶羅波安的《啟示書》中。 30 所羅門在耶路撒冷統治以色列四十年, 31 他與祖先同眠後,葬在他父親大衛的城裡。他兒子羅波安繼位。

The Queen of Sheba’s Praise of Solomon(A)

Now (B)when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions, having a very great retinue, camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for Solomon that he could not explain it to her. And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his (C)cupbearers and their apparel, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her.

Then she said to the king: “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. However I did not believe their words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me. You exceed the fame of which I heard. Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on His throne to be king for the Lord your God! Because your God has (D)loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore He made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.”

And she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great abundance, and precious stones; there never were any spices such as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

10 Also, the servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon, (E)who brought gold from Ophir, brought [a]algum wood and precious stones. 11 And the king made walkways of the [b]algum wood for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house, also harps and stringed instruments for singers; and there were none such as these seen before in the land of Judah.

12 Now King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all she desired, whatever she asked, much more than she had brought to the king. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

Solomon’s Great Wealth(F)

13 (G)The weight of gold that came to Solomon yearly was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, 14 besides what the traveling merchants and traders brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 And King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield. 16 He also made three hundred shields of hammered gold; [c]three hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the (H)House of the Forest of Lebanon.

17 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne; there were [d]armrests on either side of the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests. 19 Twelve lions stood there, one on each side of the six steps; nothing like this had been made for any other kingdom.

20 All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon. 21 For the king’s ships went to (I)Tarshish with the servants of [e]Hiram. Once every three years the [f]merchant ships came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and [g]monkeys.

22 So King Solomon surpassed 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 Each man brought his present: articles of silver and gold, garments, (J)armor, spices, horses, and mules, at a set rate year by year.

25 Solomon (K)had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem.

26 (L)So he reigned over all the kings (M)from [h]the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. 27 (N)The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar trees (O)as abundant as the sycamores which are in the lowland. 28 (P)And they brought horses to Solomon from Egypt and from all lands.

Death of Solomon(Q)

29 (R)Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of (S)Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of (T)Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30 (U)Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31 Then Solomon [i]rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 9:10 almug, 1 Kin. 10:11, 12
  2. 2 Chronicles 9:11 almug, 1 Kin. 10:11, 12
  3. 2 Chronicles 9:16 three minas, 1 Kin. 10:17
  4. 2 Chronicles 9:18 Lit. hands
  5. 2 Chronicles 9:21 Heb. Huram; cf. 1 Kin. 10:22
  6. 2 Chronicles 9:21 Lit. ships of Tarshish, deep-sea vessels
  7. 2 Chronicles 9:21 Or peacocks
  8. 2 Chronicles 9:26 The Euphrates
  9. 2 Chronicles 9:31 Died and joined his ancestors

A rainha de Sabá

A fama do rei Salomão chegou ao conhecimento da rainha de Sabá. Ela viajou até Jerusalém para pô-lo à prova com perguntas difíceis. Foi com uma escolta muito grande, camelos carregados de especiarias, pedras preciosas e muito ouro. Quando ela conheceu a Salomão, fez a ele todo tipo de perguntas. Salomão respondeu a todas as perguntas; nenhuma delas foi muito difícil para ele. A rainha de Sabá comprovou a grande inteligência de Salomão e viu o palácio que ele havia construído. Também viu o que eles comiam, onde viviam seus servos, como serviam seus ministros e como eles se vestiam. Viu seus conselheiros, e o sacrifício que devia ser queimado completamente[a] em honra ao SENHOR. Ela ficou extremamente impressionada e disse ao rei:

—Tudo aquilo que me falaram no meu país sobre as suas grandes obras e a sua sabedoria é verdade. Não podia acreditar nas notícias que me falavam até eu vir e olhar com meus próprios olhos. Só ali me dei conta que não tinham me contado nem metade da grandeza da sua sabedoria. Você tem ultrapassado o que havia escutado. Que afortunados são as suas esposas[b] e os seus servos! Eles o servem e ouvem sua sabedoria todos os dias. Bendito seja o SENHOR, seu Deus! Ele se agradou em fazê-lo rei. O SENHOR, seu Deus, sempre amou a Israel, e por isso o fez rei, para que governe com justiça e retidão.

Então a rainha de Sabá deu ao rei cerca de 3.960 quilos[c] de ouro. Também lhe deu muitas especiarias e pedras preciosas. Ninguém nunca antes viu tal abundância de especiarias como as que ela deu ao rei Salomão.

10 Os servos de Hirão e os de Salomão trouxeram ouro de Ofir e também muita madeira de junípero e pedras preciosas. 11 Salomão usou a madeira para fazer escadarias no templo do SENHOR e no palácio. Também usou a madeira para fazer harpas e liras para os cantores do templo. Nunca tinha sido visto em Judá algo semelhante.

12 Então o rei Salomão deu à rainha de Sabá tudo o que ela quis e pediu. Ele lhe deu mais do que ela havia trazido ao rei. Depois ela e seus servos regressaram ao seu país.

O esplendor de Salomão

13 Cada ano o rei Salomão recebia ao redor de 22.000 quilos[d] de ouro, 14 além dos impostos[e] cobrados dos que estavam de passagem, dos comerciantes e de todos os reis árabes, e o ouro e a prata que os governadores das províncias traziam a Salomão. 15 O rei Salomão fez duzentos escudos de ouro batido. Cada escudo continha cerca de seis quilos e meio[f] de ouro. 16 Também fez trezentos escudos menores de ouro batido, que pesavam cerca de três quilos[g] cada um. O rei os colocou no palácio chamado “Floresta do Líbano”.

17 O rei Salomão também construiu um trono grande de marfim e o revestiu de ouro puro. 18 O trono tinha seis degraus, um estrado de ouro unido ao trono. O assento tinha braços em cada lado e havia duas estátuas de leões, uma estátua em cada lado. 19 Em cada degrau havia duas estátuas de leões; eram doze ao todo. Nenhum outro reino tinha algo semelhante. 20 Todas as taças e vasilhas que Salomão usava eram de ouro. Todos os utensílios[h] do palácio da Floresta do Líbano eram de ouro puro. Nada no palácio era feito de prata porque no tempo de Salomão o povo de Israel não dava muito valor à prata.

21 O rei também tinha uma frota de navios de carga que ia até Társis com os servos de Hirão. Cada três anos a frota de Társis voltava com um carregamento de ouro, prata, marfim, macacos e pavões.

22 Salomão ultrapassou todos os reis do mundo em sabedoria e riqueza. 23 Todos os reis da terra queriam ver o rei Salomão para ouvir a grande sabedoria que Deus tinha lhe dado. 24 A cada ano, todos levavam presentes para ele: objetos de prata e ouro, vestidos, armaduras, especiarias, cavalos e mulas.

25 Salomão tinha 4.000 estábulos para cavalos e carros de combate. Tinha 12.000 cavalos que ele posicionou nas cidades dedicadas à cavalaria e aos carros, e em seu palácio em Jerusalém. 26 Salomão reinou sobre todos os reis desde o Eufrates até o território dos filisteus e até a fronteira do Egito. 27 O rei fez com que a prata fosse tão comum em Jerusalém como a pedra. Ele também fez com que a madeira de cedro fosse tão comum como as figueiras que crescem na planície. 28 Os cavalos de Salomão eram importados do Egito e de todos os outros países.

A morte de Salomão

29 As demais coisas que Salomão fez, do fim ao início, estão escritos em As crônicas do profeta Natã, A profecia de Aías o silonita e As visões do vidente Ido (neste último se fala sobre Jeroboão, filho de Nebate). 30 Durante quarenta anos, Salomão governou em Jerusalém sobre todo Israel. 31 Depois morreu e foi sepultado com os seus antepassados na Cidade de Davi, seu pai. Seu filho Roboão reinou no seu lugar.

Footnotes

  1. 9.4 sacrifício (…) completamente Segundo a LXX, a versão siríaca, a Vulgata, assim como o texto hebraico paralelo em 1Rs 10.5. O TM tem: “seu quarto no andar de cima”. A troca de uma só letra deu origem às duas leituras.
  2. 9.7 esposas De acordo com a LXX. O TM tem: “homens”.
  3. 9.9 3.960 quilos Literalmente, “120 talentos”. Ver tabela de pesos e medidas.
  4. 9.13 ao redor de 22.000 quilos Literalmente, “666 talentos”. Ver tabela de pesos e medidas.
  5. 9.14 impostos De acordo com alguns manuscritos da LXX. O TM tem: “os mercadores”.
  6. 9.15 seis quilos e meio Literalmente, “seiscentos siclos”. Ver tabela de pesos e medidas.
  7. 9.16 cerca de três quilos Literalmente, “trezentos siclos”. Ver tabela de pesos e medidas.
  8. 9.20 utensílios A palavra hebraica aqui pode se referir a pratos, ferramentas ou armas.

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 company, 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 nothing 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 meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent 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 which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom:

Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.

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

Blessed be the Lord thy God, which 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 made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.

And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon.

10 And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones.

11 And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the Lord, and to the king's palace, and harps and psalteries for 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, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away 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 Beside that which chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.

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

16 And three hundred shields made he 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 stays on each side of the sitting place, and two lions standing by 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 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: none were of silver; it was not any thing accounted of in the days of Solomon.

21 For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and 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 they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, 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; 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 cedar trees made he as the sycomore 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 book 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.

The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon(A)

When the queen of Sheba(B) heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon,(C) as well as the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at[a] the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.

She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe what they said until I came(D) and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne(E) as king to rule for the Lord your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king(F) over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.”

Then she gave the king 120 talents[b] of gold,(G) large quantities of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

10 (The servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon brought gold from Ophir;(H) they also brought algumwood[c] and precious stones. 11 The king used the algumwood to make steps for the temple of the Lord and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen in Judah.)

12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

Solomon’s Splendor(I)

13 The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents,[d] 14 not including the revenues brought in by merchants and traders. Also all the kings of Arabia(J) and the governors of the territories brought gold and silver to Solomon.

15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels[e] of hammered gold went into each shield. 16 He also made three hundred small shields(K) of hammered gold, with three hundred shekels[f] of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.(L)

17 Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory(M) and overlaid with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. 19 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. 20 All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s day. 21 The king had a fleet of trading ships[g] manned by Hiram’s[h] servants. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.

22 King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth.(N) 23 All the kings(O) of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. 24 Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift(P)—articles of silver and gold, and robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.

25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots,(Q) and twelve thousand horses,[i] which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 26 He ruled(R) over all the kings from the Euphrates River(S) to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt.(T) 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from all other countries.

Solomon’s Death(U)

29 As for the other events of Solomon’s reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Nathan(V) the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah(W) the Shilonite and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam(X) son of Nebat? 30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31 Then he rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David(Y) his father. And Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 9:4 Or and the ascent by which he went up to
  2. 2 Chronicles 9:9 That is, about 4 1/2 tons or about 4 metric tons
  3. 2 Chronicles 9:10 Probably a variant of almugwood
  4. 2 Chronicles 9:13 That is, about 25 tons or about 23 metric tons
  5. 2 Chronicles 9:15 That is, about 15 pounds or about 6.9 kilograms
  6. 2 Chronicles 9:16 That is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms
  7. 2 Chronicles 9:21 Hebrew of ships that could go to Tarshish
  8. 2 Chronicles 9:21 Hebrew Huram, a variant of Hiram
  9. 2 Chronicles 9:25 Or charioteers