2 Chronicles 9

2 Chronicles 9:1

Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon, she came to test him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. So she came to Solomon and spoke with him about all that was on her mind.

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2 Chronicles 9:2

And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for him to explain.

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2 Chronicles 9:3

When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built,

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2 Chronicles 9:4

the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the service and attire of his attendants and cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he presented at the house of the LORD, it took her breath away.

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2 Chronicles 9:5

She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true.

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acts or , sayings

2 Chronicles 9:6

But I did not believe the reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not half of the greatness of your wisdom was told to me. You have far exceeded the report I heard.

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2 Chronicles 9:7

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

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2 Chronicles 9:8

Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set you on His throne to be king for the LORD your God. Because your God loved Israel enough to establish them forever, He has made you king over them to carry out justice and righteousness.”

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2 Chronicles 9:9

Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

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Sheba This queen is called Balkis by the Arabians , who say she came from the city of Sheba , also called Mareb , in Yemen or Arabia Felix; but the Ethiopians call her Maqueda , claim her as their sovereign , and say that her posterity reigned there for a long time. Mr. Bruce has given us the history of her and her descendants from Abyssinian records; and Josephus says that Sheba was the ancient name of the city of Meroe . south of Egypt , and sometimes comprehended in Ethiopia and that this princess came from thence. Those who think the princess came from Arabia , rely chiefly on the fact that gold , silver , spices , and precious stones , which were the presents she made to Solomon , are the natural products of that country; and that it may well be placed at the uttermost part of the earth , as it borders on the southern ocean , and formerly they knew no land beyond it.

2 Chronicles 9:10

(The servants of Hiram and of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought algum wood and precious stones.

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2 Chronicles 9:11

The king made the algum wood into steps for the house of the LORD and for the king’s palace, and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had anything like them been seen in the land of Judah.)

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terraces or , stairs , Heb. highways

2 Chronicles 9:12

King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired—whatever she asked—far more than she had brought the king. Then she left and returned to her own country, along with her servants.

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2 Chronicles 9:13

The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents,

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2 Chronicles 9:14

not including the revenue from the merchants and traders. And all the Arabian kings and governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.

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governors or , captains

2 Chronicles 9:15

King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield.

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2 Chronicles 9:16

He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

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2 Chronicles 9:17

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

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2 Chronicles 9:18

The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with a lion standing beside each armrest.

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stays Heb. hands

2 Chronicles 9:19

Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.

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2 Chronicles 9:20

All King Solomon's drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, because it was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.

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pure Heb. shut up

none were of silver or , there was no silver in them

2 Chronicles 9:21

For the king had the ships of Tarshish that went with Hiram's servants, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

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Tarshish Bochart thinks this Tarshish was probably the promontory Cory , on the north of the island of Ceylon , which , according to him , was the land of Ophir. That it was name of a place in the East Indies , seems probable from the articles brought thence , and also from the ships sent thither being built at Ezion-geber , on the Red Sea; though Michaelis supposes that the fleet coasted along the shore of Africa , doubling the Cape of Good Hope , and came to Tartessus , in Spain , and thence back again the same way; that this accounts for their three years' voyage out and home; and that Spain and the coasts of Africa furnish all the commodities which they brought back.

ivory or , elephants' teeth

2 Chronicles 9:22

So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

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2 Chronicles 9:23

All the kings of the earth sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart.

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2 Chronicles 9:24

Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.

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2 Chronicles 9:25

Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.

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2 Chronicles 9:26

He reigned over all the kings from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt.

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2 Chronicles 9:27

The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills.

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made Heb. gave

2 Chronicles 9:28

Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from all the lands.

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2 Chronicles 9:29

As for the rest of the acts of Solomon, from beginning to end, 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 son of Nebat?

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book Heb. words

2 Chronicles 9:30

Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

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2 Chronicles 9:31

And Solomon rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David. And his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.

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am 3029 , bc 975