2 Chronicles 9:13-28
Modern English Version
The Splendor of Solomon(A)
13 The weight of gold that came to Solomon every year was six hundred and sixty-six talents[a] 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[b] were used for each large shield. 16 And he made three hundred shields of hammered gold; three hundred gold pieces[c] 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[d] 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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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 9:13-28
New King James Version
Solomon’s Great Wealth(A)
13 (B)The weight of gold that came to Solomon yearly was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, 14 besides what the traveling merchants and traders brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 And King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield. 16 He also made three hundred shields of hammered gold; [a]three hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the (C)House of the Forest of Lebanon.
17 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne; there were [b]armrests on either side of the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests. 19 Twelve lions stood there, one on each side of the six steps; nothing like this had been made for any other kingdom.
20 All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon. 21 For the king’s ships went to (D)Tarshish with the servants of [c]Hiram. Once every three years the [d]merchant ships came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and [e]monkeys.
22 So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 24 Each man brought his present: articles of silver and gold, garments, (E)armor, spices, horses, and mules, at a set rate year by year.
25 Solomon (F)had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem.
26 (G)So he reigned over all the kings (H)from [f]the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. 27 (I)The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar trees (J)as abundant as the sycamores which are in the lowland. 28 (K)And they brought horses to Solomon from Egypt and from all lands.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Chronicles 9:16 three minas, 1 Kin. 10:17
- 2 Chronicles 9:18 Lit. hands
- 2 Chronicles 9:21 Heb. Huram; cf. 1 Kin. 10:22
- 2 Chronicles 9:21 Lit. ships of Tarshish, deep-sea vessels
- 2 Chronicles 9:21 Or peacocks
- 2 Chronicles 9:26 The Euphrates
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
