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gave the city to his daughter as a wedding gift
when she married Solomon. 17 So Solomon rebuilt the city of Gezer.) He also built up the towns
of Lower Beth-horon, 18 Baalath, and Tamar* in
the wilderness within his land. 19 He built towns
as supply centers and constructed towns where
his chariots and horses* could be stationed. He
built everything he desired in Jerusalem and Lebanon and throughout his entire realm.
20 There were still some people living in the
land who were not Israelites, including Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 21 These were descendants of the nations
whom the people of Israel had not completely
destroyed.* So Solomon conscripted them as
slaves, and they serve as forced laborers to
this day. 22 But Solomon did not conscript any
of the Israelites for forced labor. Instead, he assigned them to serve as fighting men, government officials, officers and captains in his army,
commanders of his chariots, and charioteers.
23 Solomon appointed 550 of them to supervise
the people working on his various projects.
24 Solomon moved his wife, Pharaoh’s daughter, from the City of David to the new palace he
had built for her. Then he constructed the supporting terraces.
25 Three times each year Solomon presented
burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar
he had built for the Lord. He also burned incense to the Lord. And so he finished the work
of building the Temple.
26 King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at
Ezion-geber, a port near Elath* in the land of
Edom, along the shore of the Red Sea.* 27 Hiram sent experienced crews of sailors to sail
the ships with Solomon’s men. 28 They sailed to
Ophir and brought back to Solomon some sixteen tons* of gold.
Visit of the Queen of Sheba
When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to
the name of the Lord,* she came to test him
with hard questions. 2 She arrived in Jerusalem
with a large group of attendants and a great caravan of camels loaded with spices, large quantities of gold, and precious jewels. When she
met with Solomon, she talked with him about
everything she had on her mind. 3 Solomon had
answers for all her questions; nothing was too
10
9:18 An alternate reading in the Masoretic Text reads
Tadmor. 9:19 Or and charioteers. 9:21 The Hebrew term
used here refers to the complete consecration of things or
people to the Lord, either by destroying them or by giving
them as an offering. 9:26a As in Greek version (see also
2 Kgs 14:22; 16:6); Hebrew reads Eloth, a variant spelling of
Elath. 9:26b Hebrew sea of reeds. 9:28 Hebrew 420 talents
[14 metric tons]. 10:1 Or which was due to the name of the
Lord. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. 10:6 Hebrew
your words. 10:8 Greek and Syriac versions and Latin Vulgate
read your wives. 10:10 Hebrew 120 talents [4,000 kilograms].
10:11 Hebrew almug wood; also in 10:12. 10:14 Hebrew
666 talents [23 metric tons]. 10:16 Hebrew 600 [shekels] of
gold [6.8 kilograms]. 10:17 Hebrew 3 minas [1.8 kilograms].
1 KINGS 10
hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the
queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon
was, and when she saw the palace he had built,
5 she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed
at the food on his tables, the organization of his
officials and their splendid clothing, the cupbearers, and the burnt offerings Solomon made
at the Temple of the Lord.
6 She exclaimed to the king, “Everything I
heard in my country about your achievements*
and wisdom is true! 7 I didn’t believe what was
said until I arrived here and saw it with my own
eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of it! Your
wisdom and prosperity are far beyond what I was
told. 8 How happy your people* must be! What a
privilege for your officials to stand here day after
day, listening to your wisdom! 9 Praise the Lord
your God, who delights in you and has placed
you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s
eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so
you can rule with justice and righteousness.”
10 Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000
pounds* of gold, great quantities of spices,
and precious jewels. Never again were so many
spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba
gave to King Solomon.
11 (In addition, Hiram’s ships brought gold
from Ophir, and they also brought rich cargoes
of red sandalwood* and precious jewels. 12 The
king used the sandalwood to make railings for
the Temple of the Lord and the royal palace,
and to construct lyres and harps for the musicians. Never before or since has there been such
a supply of sandalwood.)
13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba whatever she asked for, besides all the customary gifts
he had so generously given. Then she and all her
attendants returned to their own land.
Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor
14 Each year Solomon received about 25 tons*
of gold. 15 This did not include the additional
revenue he received from merchants and traders, all the kings of Arabia, and the governors
of the land.
16 King Solomon made 200 large shields of
hammered gold, each weighing more than
fifteen pounds.* 17 He also made 300 smaller
shields of hammered gold, each weighing nearly
four pounds.* The king placed these shields in
the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.
18 Then the king made a huge throne, decorated with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. 19 The
throne had six steps and a rounded back. There
were armrests on both sides of the seat, and the
figure of a lion stood on each side of the throne.
20 There were also twelve other lions, one standing
on each end of the six steps. No other throne in all
the world could be compared with it!
21 All of King Solomon’s drinking cups were
solid gold, as were all the utensils in the Palace