The Lord’s Response

9 When Solomon finished building the temple of the Lord,^(A) the royal palace, and all that Solomon desired to do,^{(B) 2} the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time just as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.^{(C) 3} The Lord said to him:

I have heard your prayer and petition you have made before me. I have consecrated this temple you have built, to put^[a] my name there forever;^(D) my eyes and my heart will be there at all times.^(E)

⁴ As for you, if you walk before me as your father David walked, with a heart of integrity and in what is right, doing everything I have commanded you, and if you keep my statutes and ordinances,^{(F) 5} I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised your father David: You will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.^(G)

⁶ If you or your sons turn away from following me and do not keep my commands—my statutes that I have set before you—and if you go and serve other gods and bow in worship to them,^{(H) 7} I will cut off Israel from the land I gave them,^(I) and I will reject^[b] the temple I have sanctified for my name.^(J) Israel will become an object of scorn and ridicule among all the peoples.^{(K) 8} Though this temple is now exalted,^[c] everyone who passes by will be appalled and will scoff.^[d] They will say, “Why did the Lord do this to this land and this temple?”^{(L) 9} Then they will say, “Because they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their ancestors out of the land of Egypt. They held on to other gods and bowed in worship to them and served them. Because of this, the Lord brought all this ruin on them.”^(M)

King Hiram’s Twenty Towns

¹⁰ At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon had built the two houses, the Lord’s temple and the royal palace^(N)— ¹¹ King Hiram of Tyre^(O) having supplied him with cedar and cypress logs and gold^(P) for his every wish^(Q)—King Solomon gave Hiram twenty towns in the land of Galilee. ¹² So Hiram went out from Tyre to look over the towns that Solomon had given him, but he was not pleased with them. ¹³ So he said, “What are these towns you’ve given me, my brother?” So he called them the Land of Cabul,^[e] as they are still called today.^{(R) 14} Now Hiram had sent the king nine thousand pounds^[f] of gold.^(S)

Solomon’s Forced Labor

¹⁵ This is the account of the forced labor^(T) that King Solomon had imposed to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the supporting terraces,^(U) the wall of Jerusalem,^(V) and Hazor,^(W) Megiddo,^(X) and Gezer.^{(Y) 16} Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He then burned it, killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and gave it as a dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.^{(Z) 17} Then Solomon rebuilt Gezer, Lower Beth-horon,^{(AA) 18} Baalath,^(AB) Tamar^[g][h] in the Wilderness of Judah, ¹⁹ all the storage cities that belonged to Solomon, the chariot cities,^(AC) the cavalry cities,^(AD) and whatever Solomon desired to build^(AE) in Jerusalem, Lebanon, or anywhere else in the land of his dominion.

²⁰ As for all the peoples who remained of the Amorites, Hethites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not Israelites— ²¹ their descendants who remained in the land after them, those whom the Israelites were unable to destroy completely^(AF)—Solomon imposed forced labor on them; it is still this way today.^{(AG) 22} But Solomon did not consign the Israelites to slavery;^(AH) they were soldiers, his servants, his commanders, his captains, and commanders of his chariots and his cavalry. ²³ These were the deputies^(AI) who were over Solomon’s work: 550 who supervised the people doing the work.^(AJ)

Solomon’s Other Activities

²⁴ Pharaoh’s daughter moved from the city of David^(AK) to the house that Solomon had built for her;^(AL) he then built the terraces.^(AM)

²⁵ Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, and he burned incense with them in the Lord’s presence.^(AN) So he completed the temple.^(AO)

²⁶ King Solomon put together a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber,^(AP) which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom. ²⁷ With the fleet, Hiram sent his servants, experienced seamen, along with Solomon’s servants. ²⁸ They went to Ophir^(AQ) and acquired gold there—sixteen tons^[i]—and delivered it to Solomon.^(AR)

The Queen of Sheba

10 The queen of Sheba^(AS) heard about Solomon’s fame^(AT) connected with the name of the Lord and came to test him with difficult questions.^{(AU) 2} She came to Jerusalem with a very large entourage, with camels bearing^(AV) spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones.^(AW) She came to Solomon and spoke to him about everything that was on her mind. ³ So Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain to her. ⁴ When the queen of Sheba observed all of Solomon’s wisdom, the palace he had built,^{(AX) 5} the food at his table,^(AY) his servants’ residence, his attendants’ service and their attire, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he offered at the Lord’s temple, it took her breath away.

⁶ She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and about your wisdom is true. ⁷ But I didn’t believe the reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, I was not even told half. Your wisdom and prosperity far exceed the report I heard.^{(AZ) 8} How happy are your men.^[j] How happy are these servants of yours, who always stand in your presence hearing your wisdom.^{(BA) 9} Blessed be the Lord your God! He delighted in you and put you on the throne of Israel,^(BB) because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel.^(BC) He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness.”^(BD)

¹⁰ Then she gave the king four and a half tons^[k] of gold,^(BE) a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again did such a quantity of spices arrive as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

¹¹ In addition, Hiram’s fleet that carried gold from Ophir brought from Ophir a large quantity of almug^[l] wood and precious stones.^{(BF) 12} The king made the almug wood into steps for the Lord’s temple and the king’s palace and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before did such almug wood arrive, and the like has not been seen again.

¹³ King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire—whatever she asked—besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she, along with her servants, returned to her own country.^(BG)

Solomon’s Wealth

¹⁴ The weight^(BH) of gold that came to Solomon annually was twenty-five tons,^{[m] 15} besides what came from merchants,^(BI) traders’ merchandise, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land.^(BJ)

¹⁶ King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; fifteen pounds^[n] of gold went into each shield. ¹⁷ He made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; nearly four pounds^[o] of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.^(BK)

¹⁸ The king also made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with fine gold. ¹⁹ The throne had six steps; there was a rounded top at the back of the throne, armrests on either side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests. ²⁰ Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps, one at each end. Nothing like it had ever been made in any other kingdom.

²¹ All of King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon^(BL) were pure gold.^(BM) There was no silver, since it was considered as nothing in Solomon’s time, ²² for the king had ships of Tarshish^(BN) at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.^[p](BO)

²³ King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the world in riches and in wisdom.^{(BP) 24} The whole world wanted an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart.^{(BQ) 25} Every man would bring his annual tribute: items^[q] of silver and gold, clothing, weapons,^[r] spices, and horses and mules.^(BR)

²⁶ Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen^(BS) and stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.^{(BT) 27} The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones,^(BU) and he made cedar^(BV) as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills. ²⁸ Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue.^[s] The king’s traders bought them from Kue at the going price.^{(BW) 29} A chariot was imported from Egypt for fifteen pounds^[t] of silver, and a horse for four pounds.^[u] In the same way, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram through their agents.^(BX)

Solomon’s Later Building Projects

8 At the end of twenty years^(A) during which Solomon had built the Lord’s temple and his own palace— ² Solomon had rebuilt the cities Hiram^[a] gave him and settled Israelites there— ³ Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and seized it. ⁴ He built Tadmor in the wilderness along with all the storage cities that he built in Hamath. ⁵ He built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon^(B)—fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars^(C)— ⁶ Baalath, all the storage cities that belonged to Solomon, all the chariot cities, the cavalry cities, and everything Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, Lebanon, or anywhere else in the land of his dominion.

⁷ As for all the peoples who remained of the Hethites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not from Israel^(D)— ⁸ their descendants who remained in the land after them, those the Israelites had not completely destroyed—Solomon imposed forced labor on them; it is this way today.^{(E) 9} But Solomon did not consign the Israelites to be slaves for his work; they were soldiers, commanders of his captains, and commanders of his chariots and his cavalry. ¹⁰ These were King Solomon’s deputies: 250 who supervised the people.

¹¹ Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh from the city of David to the house he had built for her,^(F) for he said, “My wife must not live in the house^[b] of King David of Israel because the places the ark of the Lord has come into are holy.”

Public Worship Established at the Temple

¹² At that time^(G) Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the Lord’s altar he had made in front of the portico.^{(H) 13} He followed the daily requirement^(I) for offerings according to the commandment of Moses^(J) for Sabbaths, New Moons, and the three annual appointed festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Shelters.^{(K) 14} According to the ordinances of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests over their service,^(L) of the Levites over their responsibilities to offer praise and to minister before the priests following the daily requirement,^(M) and of the gatekeepers by their divisions with respect to each temple gate,^(N) for this had been the command of David, the man of God.^{(O) 15} They did not turn aside from the king’s command regarding the priests and the Levites concerning any matter or concerning the treasuries.^{(P) 16} All of Solomon’s work was carried out from the day the foundation was laid for the Lord’s temple until it was finished. So the Lord’s temple was completed.

Solomon’s Fleet

¹⁷ At that time^(Q) Solomon went to Ezion-geber and to Eloth^(R) on the seashore in the land of Edom. ¹⁸ So Hiram^[c] sent ships to him by his servants along with crews of experienced seamen. They went with Solomon’s servants to Ophir, took from there seventeen tons^[d] of gold, and delivered it to King Solomon.^(S)

The Queen of Sheba

9 The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame,^(T) so she came to test Solomon with difficult questions at Jerusalem with a very large entourage, with camels bearing spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and spoke with him about everything that was on her mind. ² So Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for Solomon to explain to her. ³ When the queen of Sheba observed Solomon’s wisdom, the palace he had built, ⁴ the food at his table, his servants’ residence, his attendants’ service and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and the burnt offerings he offered at the Lord’s temple, it took her breath away.

⁵ She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and about your wisdom is true. ⁶ But I didn’t believe their reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, I was not even told half of your great wisdom! You far exceed the report I heard. ⁷ How happy are your men.^[e](U) How happy are these servants of yours, who always stand in your presence hearing your wisdom. ⁸ Blessed be the Lord your God! He delighted in you and put you on his throne as king for the Lord your God.^(V) Because your God loved Israel enough to establish them forever, he has set you over them as king to carry out justice and righteousness.”^(W)

⁹ Then she gave the king four and a half tons^[f] of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There never were such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. ¹⁰ In addition, Hiram’s servants and Solomon’s servants who brought gold from Ophir^(X) also brought algum wood and precious stones. ¹¹ The king made the algum wood into walkways for the Lord’s temple and for the king’s palace and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had anything like them been seen in the land of Judah.

¹² King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire, whatever she asked—far more than she had brought the king. Then she, along with her servants, returned to her own country.

Solomon’s Wealth

¹³ The weight of gold that came to Solomon^(Y) annually was twenty-five tons,^{[g] 14} besides what was brought by the merchants and traders. All the Arabian kings and governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.

¹⁵ King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; 15 pounds^[h] of hammered gold went into each shield. ¹⁶ He made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; 7½ pounds^[i] of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.^(Z)

¹⁷ The king also made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold. ¹⁸ The throne had six steps; there was a footstool covered in gold for the throne, armrests on either side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests. ¹⁹ Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps, one at each end. Nothing like it had ever been made in any other kingdom.

²⁰ All of King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, since it was considered as nothing in Solomon’s time, ²¹ for the king’s ships kept going to Tarshish^(AA) with Hiram’s servants, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.^[j]

²² King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the world in riches and wisdom.^{(AB) 23} All the kings of the world wanted an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. ²⁴ Each of them would bring his own gift—items^[k] of silver and gold, clothing, weapons,^[l][m] spices, and horses and mules—as an annual tribute.

²⁵ Solomon^(AC) had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.^(AD) He stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. ²⁶ He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines and as far as the border of Egypt.^{(AE) 27} The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills. ²⁸ They were bringing horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all the countries.

Solomon’s Death

²⁹ The remaining events^(AF) of Solomon’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the Events of the Prophet Nathan, the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and the Visions of the Seer Iddo concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat.^{(AG) 30} Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. ³¹ Solomon rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of his father David.^(AH) His son Rehoboam became king in his place.