1 Kings 10

Recognition of Solomon's Wisdom 1 Kings 10:4–9

⁴Verse 4. When the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, ⁵Verse 5. the food of his table, the sitting of his servants, the attendance of his officials, their clothing, his cup bearers, and his ascent by which he went up to Yahweh’s house; there was no more spirit in her. ⁶Verse 6. She said to the king, “It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts, and of your wisdom. ⁷Verse 7. However I didn’t believe the words until I came and my eyes had seen it. Behold, not even half was told me! Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard.

⁸Verse 8. Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you, who hear your wisdom. ⁹Verse 9. Blessed is Yahweh your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel. Because Yahweh loved Israel forever, therefore he made you king, to do justice and righteousness.”

The Queen's Gifts and Departure 1 Kings 10:10–13

¹⁰Verse 10. She gave the king one hundred twenty talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again was there such an abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. ¹¹Verse 11. The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir, also brought in from Ophir great quantities of almug trees and precious stones. ¹²Verse 12. The king made of the almug trees pillars for Yahweh’s house, and for the king’s house, harps also and stringed instruments for the singers; no such almug trees came or were seen, to this day. ¹³Verse 13. King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own land, she and her servants.

Solomon's Wealth and Splendor 1 Kings 10:14–22

¹⁴Verse 14. Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold, ¹⁵Verse 15. besides that which the traders brought, and the traffic of the merchants, and of all the kings of the mixed people, and of the governors of the country. ¹⁶Verse 16. King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went to one buckler. ¹⁷Verse 17. he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went to one shield; and the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. ¹⁸Verse 18. Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the finest gold.

¹⁹Verse 19. There were six steps to the throne, and the top of the throne was round behind; and there were armrests on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests. ²⁰Verse 20. Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps. Nothing like it was made in any kingdom. ²¹Verse 21. 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. None were of silver, because it was considered of little value in the days of Solomon.

²²Verse 22. For the king had a fleet of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet. Once every three years the fleet of Tarshish came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

Solomon's Power and Trade 1 Kings 10:23–29

²³Verse 23. So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. ²⁴Verse 24. All the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. ²⁵Verse 25. Year after year, every man brought his tribute, vessels of silver, vessels of gold, clothing, armor, spices, horses, and mules. ²⁶Verse 26. Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he kept in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. ²⁷Verse 27. The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and cedars as common as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland.

²⁸Verse 28. The horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt. The king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price. ²⁹Verse 29. A chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty shekels; and so they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites, and to the kings of Syria.