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13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents[a] of gold, 14 in addition to that which the traders and merchants brought. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold. Six hundred shekels[b] of beaten gold went to one buckler. 16 He made three hundred shields of beaten gold. Three hundred shekels[c] of gold went to one shield. 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, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and armrests on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests. 19 Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps. There was nothing like it made in 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 valuable in the days of Solomon. 21 For the king had ships that went 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 All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 24 They each brought tribute, vessels of silver, vessels of gold, clothing, armor, spices, horses, and mules every year. 25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he stationed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 26 He ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars to be as abundant as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland. 28 They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt and out of all lands.

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Footnotes

  1. 9:13 A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces, so 666 talents is about 20 metric tons
  2. 9:15 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.32 Troy ounces, so 600 shekels was about 6 kilograms or about 192 Troy ounces.
  3. 9:16 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.32 Troy ounces, so 300 shekels was about 3 kilograms or about 96 Troy ounces.

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.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 9:16 three minas, 1 Kin. 10:17
  2. 2 Chronicles 9:18 Lit. hands
  3. 2 Chronicles 9:21 Heb. Huram; cf. 1 Kin. 10:22
  4. 2 Chronicles 9:21 Lit. ships of Tarshish, deep-sea vessels
  5. 2 Chronicles 9:21 Or peacocks
  6. 2 Chronicles 9:26 The Euphrates