2 Chronicles 9
Expanded Bible
The Queen of Sheba Visits(A)
9 When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to ·test [challenge] him with ·hard questions [difficult riddles]. She ·had a large group of servants with her [L came with very great strength; C possibly referring to her large retinue or great wealth] and camels carrying spices, ·jewels [precious stones], and much gold. When she came to Solomon, she talked with him about all she had ·in mind [L on her heart/mind], 2 and Solomon answered all her questions. Nothing was ·too hard for him to [hidden from him that he could not] explain to her. 3 The queen of Sheba ·saw [realized; observed] that Solomon was very wise. She saw the ·palace [L house] he had built, 4 the food on his table, ·his many officers [the organization/attendance of his officials], the palace servants and their ·good [fine; splendid] clothes, the ·servants who served Solomon his wine [cupbearers] and their ·good [fine; splendid] clothes. She saw the whole burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] he made in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. All these things ·amazed her [overwhelmed her; took her breath away].
5 So she said to King Solomon, “What I heard in my own country about your ·achievements [wise sayings; L words] and wisdom is true. 6 I did not believe it then, but now I have come and seen it with my own eyes. I was not told even half of your great wisdom! You ·are much greater than [surpass/exceed what] I had heard. 7 Your people and officials are very ·lucky [happy; fortunate; blessed], because in ·always serving [continually standing before] you, they are able to hear your wisdom. 8 ·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord your God who ·was pleased to make you king [delights in you]. He has put you on his throne to ·rule [reign] for the Lord your God, because your God loves the people of Israel and ·supports [upholds; secures; establishes] them forever. He has made you king over them to ·keep justice and to rule fairly [rule/act with justice and righteousness].”
9 Then she gave the king ·about nine thousand pounds [L 120 talents] of gold and many spices and ·jewels [precious stones]. No one had ever given such spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
10 ·Hiram’s [or Huram’s; 2:3] men and Solomon’s men brought gold from Ophir [C perhaps a region in southern Arabia], ·juniper wood [sandalwood; algum], and ·jewels [precious stones]. 11 King Solomon used the ·juniper wood [sandalwood; algum] to build steps for the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord and the ·palace [L house] and to make lyres and harps for the ·musicians [singers]. No one in Judah had ever seen ·such beautiful things as these [anything like them].
12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she ·wanted [desired] and asked for, even more than she had brought to him. Then she and her servants returned to her own country.
Solomon’s Wealth(B)
13 Every year King Solomon received ·about fifty thousand pounds [L 666 talents] of gold. 14 Besides that, he also received gold from traders and merchants. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.
15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold, each of which contained ·about seven and one-half pounds [L six hundred shekels] of hammered gold. 16 He also made three hundred smaller shields of hammered gold, each of which contained ·about four pounds [L three hundred shekels] of gold. The king put them in the ·Palace [L house] of the Forest of Lebanon [1 Kin. 7:2; 10:17, 21].
17 The king built a large throne of ivory and ·covered [overlaid] it with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps on it and an attached gold footstool. There were armrests on both sides of the ·chair [seat], and each armrest had a lion beside it. 19 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any other kingdom. 20 All of Solomon’s drinking cups, as well as the ·dishes [vessels; utensils] in the ·Palace [L house] of the Forest of Lebanon, were made of pure gold. In Solomon’s time ·people did not think silver was valuable [silver was considered worthless].
21 King Solomon had many ships that ·he sent out to trade [L went to Tarshish; C in present-day Spain, hence a large, seagoing trading ship], with ·Hiram’s [or Huram’s; 2:3] men as the crews. Every three years the ships returned, bringing back gold, silver, ivory, apes, and ·baboons [or peacocks].
22 King Solomon had more riches and wisdom than all the other kings on earth. 23 All the kings of the earth ·wanted to see [sought audience with; came to consult] Solomon and listen to the wisdom God had given him. 24 Year after year everyone who came brought gifts of silver and gold, ·clothes [robes], weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and he had twelve thousand ·horses [or horsemen; cavalry]. He kept some in ·special cities for the chariots [chariot cities], and others he kept with him in Jerusalem. 26 Solomon ·ruled [reigned] over all the ·kingdoms [L kings] from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt [1 Kin. 4:20–21]. 27 In Jerusalem the king made silver as common as stones and cedar trees as plentiful as the ·fig [sycamore-fig] trees ·on the western hills [L in the Shephelah]. 28 Solomon imported horses from Egypt and all other countries.
Solomon’s Death(C)
29 ·Everything else Solomon did [The rest of the events/acts/history of Solomon’s reign], from ·the beginning to the end [first to last], ·is [are they not…?] written in the ·records [history; annals] of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the ·seer [prophet], who wrote about Jeroboam, Nebat’s son [C some consider these titles of writings]. 30 Solomon ·ruled [reigned] in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. 31 Then Solomon ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried in the city of David [C Jerusalem], his father. And Solomon’s son Rehoboam became king in his place.
2 Chronicles 9
Good News Translation
The Visit of the Queen of Sheba(A)
9 (B)The queen of Sheba heard of King Solomon's fame, and she traveled to Jerusalem to test him with difficult questions. She brought with her a large group of attendants, as well as camels loaded with spices, jewels, and a large amount of gold. When she and Solomon met, she asked him all the questions that she could think of. 2 He answered them all; there was nothing too difficult for him to explain. 3 The queen of Sheba heard Solomon's wisdom and saw the palace he had built. 4 She saw the food that was served at his table, the living quarters for his officials, the organization of his palace staff and the uniforms they wore, the clothing of the servants who waited on him at feasts, and the sacrifices he offered[a] in the Temple. It left her breathless and amazed.
5 She said to the king, “What I heard in my own country about you[b] and your wisdom is true! 6 I did not believe what they told me until I came and saw for myself. I had not heard of even half your wisdom. You are even wiser than people say. 7 How fortunate are those who serve you, who are always in your presence and are privileged to hear your wise sayings! 8 Praise the Lord your God! He has shown how pleased he is with you by making you king, to rule in his name. Because he loves his people Israel and wants to preserve them forever, he has made you their king so that you can maintain law and justice.”
9 She presented to King Solomon the gifts she had brought: almost five tons of gold and a very large amount of spices and jewels. There have never been any other spices as fine as those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
(10 The sailors of King Hiram and of King Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought juniper wood and jewels. 11 Solomon used the wood to make stairs for the Temple and for his palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing like that had ever been seen before in the land of Judah.)
12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she asked for. This was in addition to what he gave her in exchange for the gifts[c] she brought to him. Then she and her attendants returned to the land of Sheba.
King Solomon's Wealth(C)
13 Every year King Solomon received over twenty-five tons of gold, 14 in addition to the taxes paid by the traders and merchants. The kings of Arabia and the governors of the Israelite districts also brought him silver and gold. 15 Solomon made two hundred large shields, each of which was covered with about fifteen pounds of beaten gold, 16 and three hundred smaller shields, each covered with about eight pounds of beaten gold. He had them all placed in the Hall of the Forest of Lebanon.[d]
17 The king also had a large throne made. Part of it was covered with ivory and the rest of it was covered with pure gold. 18 Six steps led up to the throne, and there was a footstool attached to it, covered with gold. There were arms on each side of the throne, and the figure of a lion stood at each side. 19 Twelve figures of lions were on the steps, one at either end of each step. No throne like this had ever existed in any other kingdom.
20 All of King Solomon's drinking cups were made of gold, and all the utensils in the Hall of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. Silver was not considered valuable in Solomon's day. 21 He had a fleet of ocean-going ships sailing with King Hiram's fleet. Every three years his fleet would return, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys.
22 King Solomon was richer and wiser than any other king in the world. 23 They all consulted him, to hear the wisdom that God had given him. 24 Each of them brought Solomon gifts—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. This continued year after year.
25 (D)King Solomon also had four thousand stalls for his chariots and horses, and had twelve thousand cavalry horses. Some of them he kept in Jerusalem and the rest he stationed in various other cities. 26 (E)He was supreme ruler of all the kings in the territory from the Euphrates River to Philistia and the Egyptian border. 27 During his reign silver was as common in Jerusalem as stone, and cedar was as plentiful as ordinary sycamore in the foothills of Judah. 28 (F)Solomon imported horses from Musri[e] and from every other country.
Summary of Solomon's Reign(G)
29 The rest of the history of Solomon from beginning to end is recorded in The History of Nathan the Prophet, in The Prophecy of Ahijah of Shiloh, and in The Visions of Iddo the Prophet, which also deal with the reign of King Jeroboam of Israel. 30 Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. 31 He died and was buried in David's City, and his son Rehoboam succeeded him as king.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 9:4 Probable text (see 1 K 10.5) sacrifices he offered; Hebrew his upper rooms.
- 2 Chronicles 9:5 you; or your deeds.
- 2 Chronicles 9:12 Probable text he gave her in exchange for the gifts; Hebrew unclear.
- 2 Chronicles 9:16 A large ceremonial hall in the palace, probably so called because it was paneled in cedar.
- 2 Chronicles 9:28 Probable text (see 1.16) Musri; Hebrew Egypt.
2 Chronicles 9
Modern English Version
The Queen of Sheba Visits(A)
9 The queen of Sheba heard a report of Solomon, and she came to Jerusalem with a very impressive retinue—with camels carrying spices, an abundance of gold, and precious stones—to test Solomon with riddles. When she came to Solomon she shared with him everything that was on her heart. 2 Solomon declared to her everything that she asked, and there was not any matter concealed from Solomon that he did not declare to her. 3 When the queen of Sheba had observed the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 4 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, and their clothing, his valets, and their clothing, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit left in her.
5 Then she said to the king, “True was the report that I heard in my land concerning your words and wisdom. 6 But I did not believe their reports until I came and my eyes saw; and indeed, half the greatness of your wisdom was not declared to me. You have exceeded the report that I heard. 7 How happy your men must be! How happy these servants, those who are continually before you listening to your wisdom. 8 May the Lord your God be blessed, who has delighted in you, to set you as king on the throne of the Lord your God. Your God has loved Israel to establish them continually and has set you as king over them to perform justice and righteousness.”
9 Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents[a] of gold and a great abundance of spices and precious stones. And there were no spices like those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
10 Moreover, the servants of Hiram and Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought algum wood and precious stones. 11 And the king used the algum wood for steps for the house of the Lord and the palace of the king, even for lyres and harps for the singers. And there had not been anything seen like these in the land of Judah.
12 And King Solomon gave everything to the queen of Sheba in which she had pleasure, even what she asked for in addition to what she brought to the king. Then she turned and left for her own land with her servants.
The Splendor of Solomon(B)
13 The weight of gold that came to Solomon every year was six hundred and sixty-six talents[b] of gold. 14 In addition to what the explorers and merchants brought in, all the kings of Arabia and governors of the land brought in gold and silver to Solomon.
15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold, and six hundred gold pieces[c] were used for each large shield. 16 And he made three hundred shields of hammered gold; three hundred gold pieces[d] were used for each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
17 And the king made a great throne of ivory, and he covered it with fine gold. 18 And there were six steps and a gold footstool attached to the throne, and on each side at the place of the seat were armrests with two lions standing beside the armrests. 19 So twelve lions stood there on the six steps, one on each side, and there was nothing like this in any kingdom. 20 Even all the drinking vessels of King Solomon were gold, and all the vessels in the House of the Forest of Lebanon were fine gold. And silver was not thought to be valuable in the days of Solomon. 21 The ships of Solomon went to Tarshish with the servants of Hiram. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish returned carrying gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
22 So King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth in wealth and wisdom. 23 All the kings of the earth sought out an audience before Solomon to hear his wisdom that God gave to his mind. 24 Every year each man brought his own tribute, vessels of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules.
25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots and twelve thousand horses, and he put them in designated cities and with him in Jerusalem. 26 He ruled over all the kings from the River[e] to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. 27 So the king made silver in Jerusalem as abundant as stones and cedar as plentiful as sycamore trees in the lowlands of the Shephelah. 28 The horses of Solomon were imported from Egypt and from all other lands.
The Death of Solomon(C)
29 And the rest of the acts of Solomon, from beginning to end, are they not written in the annals of Nathan the prophet, and the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30 So Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. 31 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David his father. And Rehoboam his son then ruled in his place.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 9:9 About 4½ tons or 4 metric tons.
- 2 Chronicles 9:13 About 25 tons, or 23 metric tons.
- 2 Chronicles 9:15 About 15 pounds, or 6.9 kilograms.
- 2 Chronicles 9:16 About 7½ pounds, or 3.5 kilograms.
- 2 Chronicles 9:26 Euphrates River.
2 Chronicles 9
Tree of Life Version
The Queen of Sheba Visits Jerusalem
9 When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions.[a] Accompanied by a large caravan train, including camels carrying an abundance of spices and gold, and precious stones, she came to Solomon and spoke with him about all that was in her heart. 2 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was hidden from Solomon which he did not explain to her.
3 When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built, 4 as well as the food on his table, the seating of his courtiers, the service and attire of his attendants, his cupbearers and their attire, and his procession with which he went up to the House of Adonai, it took her breath away.
5 She said to the king: “The report that I heard in my own land about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 6 But I did not believe their reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. And behold, not even half of the greatness of your wisdom was described to me—you surpass the report that I heard! 7 How blessed are your men, how blessed are your courtiers who continually stand in your presence and hear your wisdom. 8 Blessed be Adonai your God who delighted in you, setting you on His throne as king before Adonai your God. Because your God loved Israel, establishing them forever, He made you king over them to execute justice and righteousness.”
9 Then she gave the king 120 gold talents, large quantities of spices and precious stones. There had never been such quantities of spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 10 The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought algumwood and precious stones. 11 From the sandalwood the king made ramps for the House of Adonai and for the royal palace, and lyres and harps for the singers—nothing like them had ever been seen before in the land of Judah. 12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for—more than what she had brought to the king. Then she with her courtiers, returned, going back to her own land.
Solomon Exceeds All the Earth’s Kings
13 Now the weight of gold that Solomon received in one year was 666 gold talents, 14 besides what the traders and merchants brought and the gold and silver that all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the region brought to Solomon. 15 King Solomon made 200 shields of beaten gold, 600 shekels of beaten gold for each shield, 16 and also 300 shields of beaten gold, 300 shekels of gold for each shield. The king put them in the palace of the Lebanon Forest. 17 Furthermore, the king made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps and a golden footstool attached to it, and arms on each side of the seat. Two lions stood beside the arms 19 and 12 lions stood on the six steps, one at each end of each step. None like it was ever made for any kingdom. 20 All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold and all the vessels of the palace of the Lebanon Forest were of pure gold—silver was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon. 21 Because the king’s ships sailed to Tarshish with Huram’s servants once every three years, the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks.
22 So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23 And all the kings of the earth sought an audience with Solomon to listen to the wisdom that God had put in his heart. 24 Everyone brought his tribute—vessels of silver, vessels of gold, garments, armor, spices, horses and mules—in the due amount each year.
25 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horsemen that he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. 26 And he ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the border of Egypt. 27 The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars as plentiful as the sycamore trees that are in the foothills. 28 Horses were brought for Solomon from Egypt and from all countries.
Solomon Buried in David’s City
29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, the beginning and the end, are they not written in the chronicles of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Jedo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel 40 years. 31 Then Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David, and Rehoboam his son became king in his
place.
Footnotes
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.