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14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents[a] of gold, 15 in addition to that which the traders brought, and the traffic of the merchants, and of all the kings of the mixed people, and of the governors of the country. 16 King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred shekels[b] of gold went to one buckler. 17 he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three minas[c] of gold went to one shield; and the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 18 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the finest gold. 19 There were six steps to the throne, and the top of the throne was round behind; and there were armrests on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests. 20 Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps. Nothing like it was 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, because it was considered of little value in the days of Solomon. 22 For the king had a fleet of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet. Once every three years the fleet of Tarshish came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. 23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 24 All the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 25 Year after year, every man brought his tribute, vessels of silver, vessels of gold, clothing, armor, spices, horses, and mules. 26 Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he kept in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and cedars as common as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland. 28 The horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt. The king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price. 29 A chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels[d] of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty shekels; and so they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites, and to the kings of Syria.

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Footnotes

  1. 10:14 A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces, so 666 talents is about 20 metric tons
  2. 10:16 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.32 Troy ounces, so 600 shekels is about 6 kilograms or 13.2 pounds or 192 Troy ounces.
  3. 10:17 A mina is about 600 grams or 1.3 U. S. pounds.
  4. 10:29 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces.

Solomon’s Wealth

14 The weight(A) of gold that came to Solomon annually was twenty-five tons,[a] 15 besides what came from merchants,(B) traders’ merchandise, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land.(C)

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

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(E) were pure gold.(F) There was no silver, since it was considered as nothing in Solomon’s time, 22 for the king had ships of Tarshish(G) at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.[d](H)

23 King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the world in riches and in wisdom.(I) 24 The whole world wanted an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart.(J) 25 Every man would bring his annual tribute: items[e] of silver and gold, clothing, weapons,[f] spices, and horses and mules.(K)

26 Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen(L) and stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.(M) 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones,(N) and he made cedar(O) as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills. 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue.[g] The king’s traders bought them from Kue at the going price.(P) 29 A chariot was imported from Egypt for fifteen pounds[h] of silver, and a horse for four pounds.[i] In the same way, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram through their agents.(Q)

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Footnotes

  1. 10:14 Lit 666 talents
  2. 10:16 Lit 600 (shekels)
  3. 10:17 Lit three minas
  4. 10:22 Or baboons
  5. 10:25 Or vessels, or weapons
  6. 10:25 Or fragrant balsam
  7. 10:28 = Cilicia
  8. 10:29 Lit 600 shekels
  9. 10:29 Lit 150 shekels