2 Chronicles 9:13-28
New American Standard Bible
Solomon’s Wealth and Power
13 (A)Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was [a]666 talents of gold, 14 besides what the traders and merchants brought; and all (B)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, [b]using six hundred shekels of beaten gold on each large shield. 16 He made three hundred shields of beaten gold, [c]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 [d]arms [e]on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the [f]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 [g]valuable in the days of Solomon. 21 (C)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 (D)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 (E)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 (F)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 (G)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 (H)And the king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the [h]lowland. 28 (I)And they were bringing horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all countries.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Chronicles 9:13 About 25 tons or 23 metric tons
- 2 Chronicles 9:15 Lit he brought up
- 2 Chronicles 9:16 Lit he brought up
- 2 Chronicles 9:18 Lit hands
- 2 Chronicles 9:18 Lit from this and from this at the place of the seat
- 2 Chronicles 9:18 Lit hands
- 2 Chronicles 9:20 Lit anything
- 2 Chronicles 9:27 Heb shephelah
2 Chronicles 9:13-28
Living Bible
13-14 Solomon received a quarter of a billion dollars worth of gold each year from the kings of Arabia and many other lands that paid annual tribute to him. In addition, there was a trade balance from the exports of his merchants. 15 He used some of the gold to make 200 large shields, each worth $100,000, 16 and 300 smaller shields, each worth $50,000. The king placed these in the Forest of Lebanon Room in his palace. 17 He also made a huge ivory throne overlaid with pure gold. 18 It had six gold steps and a footstool of gold; also gold armrests, each flanked by a gold lion. 19 Gold lions also stood at each side of each step. No other throne in all the world could be compared with it! 20 All of King Solomon’s cups were solid gold, as were all the furnishings in the Forest of Lebanon Room. Silver was too cheap to count for much in those days!
21 Every three years the king sent his ships to Tarshish, using sailors supplied by King Hiram, to bring back gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
22 So King Solomon was richer and wiser than any other king in all the earth. 23 Kings from every nation came to visit him and to hear the wisdom God had put into his heart. 24 Each brought him annual tribute of silver and gold bowls, clothing, armor, spices, horses, and mules.
25 In addition, Solomon had 4,000 stalls of horses and chariots, and 12,000 cavalrymen stationed in the chariot cities as well as in Jerusalem to protect the king. 26 He ruled over all kings and kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines and as far away as the border of Egypt. 27 He made silver become as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones in the road! And cedar was used as though it were common sycamore. 28 Horses were brought to him from Egypt and other countries.
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The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.