The Queen of Sheba Visits Jerusalem^(A)

9 When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon’s reputation, she traveled to Jerusalem and tested him^[a] with difficult questions. She brought along a large retinue, camels laden with spices, and lots of gold and precious stones. Upon her arrival, she spoke with Solomon about everything that was on her mind.^{[b] 2} Solomon answered all of her questions. Because nothing was hidden from Solomon, he hid nothing from her. ³ When the queen of Sheba had seen Solomon’s wisdom for herself, the palace that he had built, ⁴ the food set at his table, his servants who waited on him, his ministers in attendance and how they were dressed, his personal staff^[c] and how they were dressed, and even his personal stairway by which he went up to the Lord’s Temple, she was breathless!

⁵ “Everything I heard about your wisdom and what you have to say is true!” she gasped, ⁶ “but I didn’t believe it at first! But then I came here and I’ve seen it for myself! It’s amazing! I wasn’t told half of what’s really great about your wisdom. You’re far better in person than what the reports have said about you! ⁷ How blessed are your staff! And how blessed are your employees,^[d] who serve you continually and get to listen to your wisdom! ⁸ Blessed be the Lord your God, who is delighted with you! He set you in place on his throne to be king for the Lord your God. He made you king over them so you could carry out justice and implement righteousness, because your God loves Israel and intends to establish them^[e] forever.”

⁹ Then she gave the king 120 talents^[f] of gold, a vast quantity of spices, and precious stones. There were no spices comparable to those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. ¹⁰ Hiram’s servants and Solomon’s servants, who brought gold from Ophir,^[g] also presented algum wood^[h] and other precious stones. ¹¹ The king used the algum wood^[i] to have steps made for the Lord’s Temple and for the royal palace, as well as lyres and harps for the choir,^[j] and nothing like that wood^[k] had been seen before in the territory of Judah. ¹² In return, King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she wanted and requested in addition to what she had brought for the king. Afterward, she returned to her own land, accompanied by her servants.