The Queen of Sheba Visits King Solomon |
2 Chronicles 9:1-31 2 Chronicles in [Smaller Chunks] |
When the Queen of Sheba heard of [Solomon’s] fame, she came to Jerusalem [to test] Solomon with hard questions. [She came] with a very [large] company & camels that [carried:] spices & gold in abundance & precious stones. |
And when she [came] to Solomon, she [discussed] with him all that was on her heart. And Solomon [answered] all her questions & there wasn’t [anything he was unable to answer.] |
And when the Queen of Sheba had seen [Solomon’s] wisdom, the [palace] he built, the [food on] his table, the [seating] of his servants, the attendance of his ministers & their [clothing,] his cup bearers & their [clothing] & the [path used when] he went [up] to the [Lord’s] house, there was no more spirit [left] in her. |
And she said to king [Solomon,] The report I heard in [my] own land was true [about your actions] & your wisdom. [But] I [didn’t] believe their words, until I [saw] it with my [own] eyes. And [saw] ½ of the greatness of your wisdom wasn’t told [to] me. For you exceeded [your] fame that I heard. |
Your men & your servants are happy, [who] continually stand before you & hear your wisdom. Blessed be the Lord your God, [Who delights] in you, to [put] you on His throne, to be king for the Lord your God: because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever. |
Therefore, He made you [the] king over them, to [provide] judgment & justice. And she gave king [Solomon] 120 talents of gold & an abundance of [rare] spices & precious stones. Neither [had] there [been] such [spices, like those] the Queen of Sheba gave [to] king Solomon. |
The servants of Huram, [a.k.a. Hiram,] & [Solomon’s] servants brought [him] gold from Ophir & algum, [a.k.a. almug,] trees & precious stones. And king [Solomon] made terraces [for] the house of the Lord [with] the algum trees & [for] the king’s palace & harps & [lyres] for singers. |
And there [was nothing like this] seen before in the land of Judah. [Besides what] she had brought to the king, Solomon gave to the Queen of Sheba all she desired] & [whatever] she asked [for.] So she & her servants [returned] to her own land. |
Now, the weight of the gold that came to Solomon in 1 year was 666 talents of gold. [Besides what] the [traders] & merchants brought. And all [Arabia’s] kings & governors of the country brought gold & silver to Solomon. |
And king Solomon made 200 [large shields] of beaten gold & 600 shekels of [hammered] gold went [into each shield.] And king [Solomon] put them in the house [at] the Forest of Lebanon. [Also,] the king made a [large] throne of ivory & overlaid it with pure gold. |
There were 6 steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne. There were [armrests] on each side [of where he sat] & 2 lions standing by the [armrests.] And there [were] 12 lions, [6 on each side] upon the 6 steps to the throne. There wasn’t [anything like this] made in any kingdom. |
And all of [Solomon’s] drinking [goblets] were gold. All the vessels of the house [in] the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold & none were of silver. [There was nothing like this during all] the days of Solomon. |
For [Solomon’s] ships went to Tarshish every 3 years with [Huram’s] servants [& returned with] gold, silver, ivory, apes & peacocks. And king Solomon [surpassed] all kings of the earth in riches & wisdom. And all the kings of the earth sought to [come to] Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart. |
[Each] man brought [Solomon a present:] vessels of silver & of gold, [clothing, harnesses,] spices, horses, mules [year] by [year.] And Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses & chariots. And 12,000 horsemen; whom [Solomon had presented, for them to stay] in the chariot cities & with the king [in] Jerusalem. |
And Solomon [ruled] over all the kings from the river, even to the land of the Philistines & to the border of Egypt. And king [Solomon] made silver in Jerusalem [as plentiful] as stones & he made cedar trees [abundant like] the sycamore trees in the low plains, [a.k.a. foothills.] |
And they brought horses out of Egypt & all [the] lands to Solomon. [Aren’t] the rest of [Solomon’s actions] 1st & last, written in the book of Nathan, the prophet, & in the prophecy of Ahijah, the Shilonite & in the visions of Iddo, the seer, against Jeroboam, [Nebat’s] son? |
And Solomon [ruled] over all [of] Israel for 40 years in Jerusalem. And Solomon [died] & slept with his [forefathers] & he was buried in the city of David, his father. And Rehoboam, his son, [ruled] in his [place.] |