1 And the queen of Sheba, when she heard of Solomon’s fame, came to test Solomon with riddles in Jerusalem, with a very great retinue {chayil: dignified company}, and camels bearing spices and an abundance of gold, and precious stones. And she came to Solomon and spoke with him about all that was in her heart {levavah: inner motives}.
2 And Solomon {Shelomoh: Wise Ruler} explained to her all her questions {devar: matter, issue}, and nothing was hidden from Solomon that he did not explain to her.
3 And when the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon {chokhmat: practical insight}, and the house that he had built {banah: established structure},
4 The queen observed the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his attendants and their garments, the cupbearers in their vestments, and the ascent by which he went up to the house of the LORD {YHWH, Worship Focus}; and there was no more spirit {ruach: breath, inner strength} in her.
5 And she said to the king, “The report {davar: message or matter} I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom is true {emet: reliable and faithful}.”
6 I did not believe their words until I came and saw them with my own eyes. And behold, not even half of the abundance {marbit: extraordinary measure} of your wisdom {chokhmah: refined insight} was told to me; you have exceeded the report that I heard.
7 Happy are your men {anasheikha: loyal subjects}, and happy are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom {chokhmah: skilled understanding}, O King.
8 May the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheikha, Covenant Keeper} be blessed, who delighted in you to place you on His throne as king for the LORD your God. In the love of your God for Israel, to establish them forever, He made you king over them to execute justice {mishpat: judicial order} and righteousness.
9 And she gave the king 120 talents {kikkar: Ancient Weight Standard} of gold, and a very great abundance of spices {besamim: Aromatic Luxury Commodity}, and precious stones; and there was no spice like that which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
10 And also the servants of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum-wood {atzei algummim: rare aromatic wood} and precious stones {even yekarah: high-value gems}.
11 And the king made supports of the algum wood for the house of the LORD {YHWH, Sanctuary Dedication} and for the king’s palace, and harps and lyres for the singers. Nothing like them had ever been seen before in the land of Judah {Yehudah: tribal territory}.
12 And King Solomon {shlomo: royal bestower} gave to the queen of Sheba everything she desired {cheftzah: personal wish} and asked for, apart from what she had brought to the king. Then she turned and went to her own land, she and her servants.
13 And the weight of the gold that came to Solomon {Shlomo: royal peace} in one year was 666 talents {kikkrei: weight units} of gold.
14 Apart{levad: beyond trade income} from what the merchants and the traders were bringing, all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land were bringing gold and silver to Solomon{shlomoh: Davidic king}.
15 And King Solomon made two hundred shields {tsinnah: large protective discs} of hammered gold; six hundred shekels {sheqel: standard weight} of gold went into each shield.
16 And three hundred shields {maginim: protective implements} of hammered gold—three hundred shekels of gold went upon each shield. The king placed them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon {ya’ar ha-levanon: royal palace}.
17 And the king made a great throne of ivory {shen: prestige material}, and he overlaid it with pure gold {zahav: royal ornament}.
18 There were six steps leading to the throne, and a footstool {kebesh: royal footrest} of gold attached to it, with armrests on each side of the seat, and two lions {arayot: regal symbols} standing beside the armrests.
19 Twelve lions {arayot: royal guardians} stood there on the six steps, on this side and on that side; nothing like this was made for any other kingdom {mamlakah: royal domain}.
20 And all the drinking vessels of King Solomon were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure {sagur: refined to perfection} gold; silver was not considered {nechshav: valued or esteemed} as anything in the days of Solomon.
21 The king’s ships journeyed to Tarshish {tarshish: maritime trading port} with the servants of Huram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish would return, carrying gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks {tukiyyim: ornamental birds}.
22 And King Solomon {Shelomoh: peaceful ruler} became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches {osher: material abundance} and wisdom.
23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom that God {Elohim, Wisdom Giver} had placed in his heart {lev: center of thought and will}.
24 And they were bringing each man his gift {minchato: personal tribute}—vessels of silver and vessels of gold, garments, weapons, and spices, horses, and mules—each year in its year {shanah: recurring cycle}.
25 And Solomon had four thousand stalls {uryot: specialized equine enclosures} for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen {parashim: cavalry troops}, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and also with the king in Jerusalem.
26 And he was ruling over all the kings from the River {nahar: Euphrates} to the land of the Philistines and up to the border {gevul: boundary} of Egypt.
27 And the king gave the silver in Jerusalem like stones {ka’avanim: stone-like abundance}, and the cedars he gave like the sycamores which are in the lowland in abundance {larov: great multitude}.
28 And they brought out horses from Egypt for Solomon {Shlomoh: Royal Monarch}, and from all the lands {aratzot: Surrounding Territories}.
29 And the remainder of the words of Solomon, the former{harishonim: earlier period} and the latter, are they not written on the words of Nathan the prophet, and on the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Yaadi, Iddo the seer{hachozeh: prophetic witness}, concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat?
30 And Solomon reigned {vayimlokh: consecutive succession} in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years {shanah: era of rule}.
31 And Solomon {Shelomoh: Peaceful Ruler} lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam {Rechav’am: Wide People} his son reigned in his place.