1When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon's fame, especially concerning the name of Yahweh, she came to test him with challenging questions.
2She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan, with camels carrying spices, a great deal of gold, and precious stones. When she met Solomon, she discussed with him everything that was on her mind.
3Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing hidden from the king that he didn't tell her.
4When the queen of Sheba saw all of Solomon's wisdom and the palace he had built,
5the food on his table, the seating arrangement of his servants, the way his officials waited on him, their clothing, his cupbearers, and the stairway he used to go up to Yahweh's house, she was overwhelmed.
6She said to the king, "The reports I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom were true.
7But I didn't believe the reports until I came and saw it with my own eyes. Look, I wasn't even told half of it! Your wisdom and wealth are greater than the fame I heard about.
8How happy your men must be! How happy these servants of yours are, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!
9Praise be to Yahweh your God, who was pleased with you and set you on the throne of Israel. Because Yahweh loved Israel forever, he made you king to administer justice and righteousness."
10She gave the king 4,500 pounds of gold, a very large quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again was there such an abundance of spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11Hiram's fleet, which brought gold from Ophir, also brought in from Ophir great quantities of almug wood and precious stones.
12From the almug wood, the king made pillars for Yahweh's house and for the king's house, as well as harps and stringed instruments for the singers. No such almug wood had ever come or been seen until that day.
13King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she desired and asked for, in addition to what Solomon gave her from his royal generosity. Then she returned and went to her own country, she and her servants.
14The amount of gold that came to Solomon in one year was about 16.5 tons,
15besides what the traders brought, what the merchants dealt in, and what all the kings of the mixed peoples and the governors of the country brought.
16King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold; about 15 pounds of gold went into each large shield.
17He also made 300 smaller shields of hammered gold; about 7.5 pounds of gold went into each smaller shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
18Furthermore, the king made a large throne of ivory and overlaid it with the finest gold.
19There were six steps leading up to the throne, and the top of the throne was rounded at the back. There were armrests on either side of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests.
20Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one on each side. Nothing like it was made in any kingdom.
21All of King Solomon's drinking vessels were made of gold, and all the vessels in the House of the Forest of Lebanon were made of pure gold. None were made of silver, because silver was considered of little value during Solomon's time.
22For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram's fleet. Once every three years, the fleet of Tarshish came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
23So King Solomon was richer and wiser than all the other kings on earth.
24Everyone from all over the world wanted to meet Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had given him.
25Each year, everyone who came brought gifts: silver articles, gold articles, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
26Solomon gathered chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, which he kept in the chariot cities and with him in Jerusalem.
27The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and cedar wood as common as the sycamore trees in the lowlands.
28Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt. The king's merchants bought them in groups, each group at a set price.
29A chariot was imported from Egypt for 600 silver shekels, and a horse for 150 silver shekels. They then exported horses to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.