2 Chronicles Chapter 9 — Solomon's Wisdom and Splendor
The Queen of Sheba visits King Solomon to witness his wisdom and wealth, confirming that his reputation is well-deserved. The chapter also details Solomon's vast riches and records the end of his forty-year reign.
1When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to test Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great caravan, including camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. When she had come to Solomon, she talked with him about all that was in her heart.
2Solomon answered all her questions. There wasn’t anything hidden from Solomon which he didn’t tell her.
3When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,
4the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers, their clothing, his cup bearers and their clothing, and his ascent by which he went up to the LORD’s house, there was no more spirit in her.*or, she was breathless.
5She said to the king, “It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts and of your wisdom.
6However I didn’t believe their words until I came, and my eyes had seen it; and behold half of the greatness of your wisdom wasn’t told me. You exceed the fame that I heard!
7Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom.
8Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you and set 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 king over them, to do justice and righteousness.”
9She gave the king one hundred and twenty talents†A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces, so 120 talents is about 3.6 metric tons of gold, spices in great abundance, and precious stones. There was never before such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
10The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum trees‡possibly Indian sandalwood, which has nice grain and a pleasant scent and is good for woodworking and precious stones.
11The king used algum tree wood to make terraces for the LORD’s house and for the king’s house, and harps and stringed instruments for the singers. There were none like these seen before in the land of Judah.
12King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, more than that which she had brought to the king. So she turned and went to her own land, she and her servants.
13Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents§A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces, so 666 talents is about 20 metric tons of gold,
14in addition to that which the traders and merchants brought. 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. Six hundred shekels*A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.32 Troy ounces, so 600 shekels was about 6 kilograms or about 192 Troy ounces. of beaten gold went to one large shield.
16He made three hundred shields of beaten gold. Three hundred shekels†A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.32 Troy ounces, so 300 shekels was about 3 kilograms or about 96 Troy ounces. of gold went to one shield. 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, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and armrests on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests.
19Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps. There was nothing like it made in 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 that went to Tarshish with Huram’s servants. Once every three years, the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
22So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
23All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
24They each brought tribute: vessels of silver, vessels of gold, clothing, armor, spices, horses, and mules every year.
25Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen that he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem.
26He ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.
27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars to be as abundant as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland.
28They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt and out of all lands.
29Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, aren’t they written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and 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 forty years.
31Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in his father David’s city; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
2 Chronicles 9:6
“However I didn’t believe their words until I came, and my eyes had seen it; and behold half of the greatness of your wisdom wasn’t told me. You exceed the fame that I heard!”
This verse highlights the overwhelming nature of Solomon's wisdom and the reality exceeding his fame.
2 Chronicles 9:23
“All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.”
This verse attributes Solomon's exceptional wisdom directly to God, showing the source of his success.
Chapter Summary
2 Chronicles 9 begins with the Queen of Sheba traveling to Jerusalem to test King Solomon with difficult questions. After seeing his wisdom, his palace, and the order of his court, she is left breathless and praises God for blessing Israel with such a king. The text details the extravagant gifts exchanged and the immense wealth Solomon accumulated, including 666 talents of gold annually, ivory thrones, and a massive fleet of ships bringing exotic goods like silver, ivory, and peacocks. Solomon is described as surpassing all other kings in both riches and wisdom, receiving tribute from across the known world. The chapter concludes by summarizing Solomon's forty-year reign, noting the historical records where his deeds were written, and mentioning his death and burial in the City of David, followed by the succession of his son Rehoboam.
Frequently Asked Questions
She traveled to Jerusalem to test Solomon's reputation for wisdom with 'hard questions.' Upon meeting him and seeing his court, she concluded that his actual wisdom and wealth far exceeded the reports she had heard.
The throne was made of ivory and overlaid with pure gold, featuring six steps with a gold footstool. It was flanked by twelve lions on the steps and two lions beside the armrests, a design described as having no equal in any other kingdom.
Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. Following his death, he was buried in the City of David, and his son Rehoboam became the next king.
The chapter cites the history of Nathan the prophet, the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and the visions of Iddo the seer as the written records containing the full account of Solomon’s life.
Study Note
The mention of 666 talents of gold as Solomon's annual revenue represents the absolute peak of Israel's economic power in the biblical narrative.
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