2 Chronicles9

New American Standard

TranslationKJV WEB ASV ESV NIV NASB NKJV NLT

¹Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with riddles. She had a very large entourage, with camels carrying balsam oil and a large amount of gold and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about everything that was on her heart.

²Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was hidden from Solomon which he did not explain to her.

³When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house which he had built,

⁴the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, she was breathless.

⁵Then she said to the king, “It was a true story that I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom.

⁶But I did not believe their stories until I came and my own eyes saw it all. And behold, not even half of the greatness of your wisdom was reported to me. You have surpassed the report that I heard.

⁷How blessed are your men, how blessed are these servants of yours, who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom!

⁸Blessed be the Lord your God who delighted in you, setting you on His throne as king for the Lord your God; because your God loved Israel, establishing them forever, He made you king over them, to carry out justice and righteousness.”

⁹Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold and a very great amount of balsam oil and precious stones; there had never been balsam oil like that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

¹⁰The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum trees and precious stones.

¹¹From the algum trees the king made steps to the house of the Lord and for the king’s palace, and lyres and harps for the singers; and nothing like them was seen before in the land of Judah.

¹²King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire, whatever she requested, besides gifts equal to what she had brought to the king. Then she turned and went to her own land with her servants.

¹³Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold,

¹⁴besides what the traders and merchants brought; and all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.

¹⁵King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold, using six hundred shekels of beaten gold on each large shield.

¹⁶He made three hundred shields of beaten gold, using three hundred shekels of gold on each shield; and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

¹⁷Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.

¹⁸There were six steps to the throne and a footstool in gold attached to the throne, and arms on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the arms.

¹⁹Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps on the one side and on the other; nothing like it was made for any other kingdom.

²⁰All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; silver was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon.

²¹For the king had ships which went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

²²So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in wealth and wisdom.

²³And all the kings of the earth were seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart.

²⁴They were bringing, each of them his gift: articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, balsam oil, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

²⁵Now Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

²⁶He was ruler over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the border of Egypt.

²⁷And the king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the lowland.

²⁸And they were bringing horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all countries.

²⁹Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from the first to the last, are they not written in the records of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat?

³⁰Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.

³¹And Solomon lay down with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David; and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 2 Chronicles 9.

Full AI study →

Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The queen of Sheba. (1–12). Solomon's riches, and his death. (13–31).

vv1-12

This history has been considered, 1Ki 10; yet because our Saviour has proposed it as an example in seeking after him, Mt 12:42, we must not pass it over without observing, that those who know the worth of true wisdom will grudge no pains or cost to obtain it. The queen of Sheba put herself to a great deal of trouble and expense to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and yet, learning from him to serve God, and do her duty, she thought herself well paid for her pains. Heavenly wisdom is that pearl of great price, for which, if we part with all, we make a good bargain.

vv13-31

The imports here mentioned, would show that prosperity drew the minds of Solomon and his subjects to the love of things curious and uncommon, though useless in themselves. True wisdom and happiness are always united together; but no such alliance exists between wealth and the enjoyment of the things of this life. Let us then acquaint ourselves with the Saviour, that we may find rest for our souls. Here is Solomon reigning in wealth and power, in ease and fulness, the like of which could never since be found; for the most known of the great princes of the earth were famed for their wars; whereas Solomon reigned forty years in profound peace. The promise was fulfilled, that God would give him riches and honour, such as no kings have had or shall have. The lustre wherein he appeared, was typical of the spiritual glory of the kingdom of the Messiah, and but a faint representation of His throne, which is above every throne. Here is Solomon dying, and leaving all his wealth and power to one who he knew would be a fool! Ec 2:18, 19. This was not only vanity, but vexation of spirit. Neither power, wealth, nor wisdom, can ward off or prepare for the stroke of death. But thanks be to God who giveth the victory to the true believer, even over this dreaded enemy, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Key Words

queenH4436Hebrew

מַלְכָּה: a queen

ShebaH7614Hebrew

שְׁבָא: Sheba, the name of three early progenitors of tribes and of an Ethiopian district

heardH8085Hebrew

שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

fameH8088Hebrew

שֵׁמַע: something heard, i.e. a sound, rumor, announcement; abstractly, audience

SolomonH8010Hebrew

שְׁלֹמֹה: Shelomah, David's successor

cameH935Hebrew

בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

JerusalemH3389Hebrew

יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם: Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine

testH5254Hebrew

נָסָה: to test; by implication, to attempt

hard questionsH2420Hebrew

חִידָה: a puzzle, hence, a trick, conundrum, sententious maxim

veryH3966Hebrew

מְאֹד: properly, vehemence, i.e. (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication, wholly, speedily, etc. (often with other words as an intensive or superlative; especially when repeated)