1 Kings 10:14-29
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
14 The weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold,(A) 15 besides that which came from the traders and from the business of the merchants and from all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land. 16 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each large shield.(B) 17 He made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went into each shield; and the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.(C) 18 The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with the finest gold.(D) 19 The throne had six steps. The top of the throne was rounded in the back, and on each side of the seat were arm rests and two lions standing beside the arm rests, 20 while twelve lions were standing, one on each end of a step on the six steps. Nothing like it was ever made in any kingdom. 21 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 not considered as anything in the days of Solomon. 22 For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.[a](E)
23 Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.(F) 24 The whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind.(G) 25 Every one of them brought a present, objects of silver and gold, garments, weaponry, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.
26 Solomon gathered together chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.(H) 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamores of the Shephelah. 28 Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s traders received them from Kue at a price.(I) 29 A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver and a horse for one hundred fifty, so through the king’s traders they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.(J)
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- 10.22 Or baboons
1 Kings 10:14-29
International Standard Version
Solomon’s Wealth(A)
14 Solomon’s annual revenue was 666 talents[a] of gold, 15 not including revenue from traders, merchants, and from all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land. 16 King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, overlaying each large shield with the gold from 600 gold pieces,[b] 17 and 300 shields from beaten gold, overlaying each shield with the gold from 300 gold pieces.[c] The king put them in his palace in the Lebanon forest. 18 The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold. 19 Six steps led up to the throne, which had a round canopy fastened to the rear of the throne and armrests on each side of the seat and two lions standing on either side of each armrest. 20 Twelve lions were placed on both sides of the six steps leading to the throne,[d] and nothing comparable was made for any other[e] kingdoms. 21 All of King Solomon’s drinking vessels were made of[f] gold, and all the vessels in his palace in the Lebanon forest were made of[g] pure gold. None were of silver, because silver was never considered to be valuable during Solomon’s lifetime, 22 because the king had ships that sailed to Tarshish accompanied by Hiram’s ships. Once every three years ships from Tarshish returned, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. 23 As a result, King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in regards to wealth and wisdom. 24 All the earth continued to seek audiences with Solomon so they could hear the wise things that God had put in his heart. 25 Everyone kept on bringing gifts on an annual basis, including items made of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules. 26 Solomon accumulated chariots and cavalry. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 cavalry soldiers. He stationed them in various chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver as common as[h] stones in Jerusalem, and made cedar trees as abundant as sycamore[i] trees in the Shephelah.[j] 28 Solomon imported horses from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s buyers procured them at market price from Kue. 29 A chariot from Egypt cost 600 pieces[k] of silver, and a horse 150 pieces of silver,[l] but then they were exported to all the Hittite kings and to the Aramean kings.
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- 1 Kings 10:14 I.e. about 49,950 pounds; a talent weighed about 75 pounds
- 1 Kings 10:16 MT does not identify the individual unit of measure
- 1 Kings 10:17 MT does not identify the individual unit of measure
- 1 Kings 10:20 The Heb. lacks leading to the throne
- 1 Kings 10:20 The Heb. lacks other
- 1 Kings 10:21 The Heb. lacks made of
- 1 Kings 10:21 The Heb. lacks made of
- 1 Kings 10:27 The Heb. lacks as common as
- 1 Kings 10:27 The sycamore fruit tree native to Israel bears figs
- 1 Kings 10:27 I.e. the verdant central lowlands of Israel; cf. Josh 10:40
- 1 Kings 10:29 The denomination of silver coin is not specified.
- 1 Kings 10:29 The Heb. lacks pieces of silver
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