Solomon’s Splendor(A)

13 The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents,[a] 14 not including the revenues brought in by merchants and traders. Also all the kings of Arabia(B) and the governors of the territories brought gold and silver to Solomon.

15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels[b] of hammered gold went into each shield. 16 He also made three hundred small shields(C) of hammered gold, with three hundred shekels[c] of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.(D)

17 Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory(E) and overlaid with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. 19 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. 20 All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s day. 21 The king had a fleet of trading ships[d] manned by Hiram’s[e] servants. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.

22 King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth.(F) 23 All the kings(G) of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. 24 Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift(H)—articles of silver and gold, and robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.

25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots,(I) and twelve thousand horses,[f] which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 26 He ruled(J) over all the kings from the Euphrates River(K) to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt.(L) 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from all other countries.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 9:13 That is, about 25 tons or about 23 metric tons
  2. 2 Chronicles 9:15 That is, about 15 pounds or about 6.9 kilograms
  3. 2 Chronicles 9:16 That is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms
  4. 2 Chronicles 9:21 Hebrew of ships that could go to Tarshish
  5. 2 Chronicles 9:21 Hebrew Huram, a variant of Hiram
  6. 2 Chronicles 9:25 Or charioteers

Solomon’s Wealth

13 The weight of gold that came to Solomon(A) annually was twenty-five tons,[a] 14 besides what was brought by the merchants and traders. All the Arabian kings and governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.

15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; 15 pounds[b] of hammered gold went into each shield. 16 He made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; 7½ pounds[c] of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.(B)

17 The king also made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps; there was a footstool covered in gold for the throne, armrests on either side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests. 19 Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps, one at each end. Nothing like it had ever been made in any other kingdom.

20 All of King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, since it was considered as nothing in Solomon’s time, 21 for the king’s ships kept going to Tarshish(C) with Hiram’s servants, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.[d]

22 King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the world in riches and wisdom.(D) 23 All the kings of the world wanted an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. 24 Each of them would bring his own gift—items[e] of silver and gold, clothing, weapons,[f][g] spices, and horses and mules—as an annual tribute.

25 Solomon(E) had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.(F) He stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 26 He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines and as far as the border of Egypt.(G) 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills. 28 They were bringing horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all the countries.

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Footnotes

  1. 9:13 Lit 666 talents
  2. 9:15 Lit 600 (shekels)
  3. 9:16 Lit 300 (shekels)
  4. 9:21 Or baboons
  5. 9:24 Or vessels, or weapons
  6. 9:24 LXX reads resin
  7. 9:24 Or fragrant balsam