2 Chronicles 9 Catholic Public Domain Version

91 Also, when the queen of Sheba had heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem, with great riches and with camels which were carrying aromatics, and very much gold, and precious gems, so that she might test him with enigmas. And when she had approached Solomon, she spoke to him all that was in her heart. 2 And Solomon explained for her all that she had proposed. And there was nothing that he did not make clear to her. 3 And after she saw these things, specifically, the wisdom of Solomon, and the house which he had built, 4 indeed also the foods of his table, and the habitations of the servants, and the duties of his ministers, and their apparel, and also his cupbearers and their garments, and the victims which he was immolating in the house of the Lord, there was no longer any spirit in her, due to astonishment. 5 And she said to the king: “The word is true, which I had heard in my own land, about your virtues and wisdom. 6 I did not believe those who described it, until I had arrived and my eyes had seen, and I had proven that not even half of your wisdom had been described to me. You have exceeded your fame with your virtue. 7 Blessed are your men, and blessed are your servants, who stand before you at all times and listen to your wisdom. 8 Blessed is the Lord your God, who willed to set you upon his throne as a king for the Lord your God. Since God loves Israel, he wishes to preserve them unto eternity. For this reason, he appointed you as king over them, so that you may accomplish judgment and justice.” 9 Then she gave to the king one hundred twenty talents of gold, and an exceedingly great abundance of aromatics, and very precious gems. Never were there such aromatics as those that the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. 10 Then too, the servants of Hiram, with the servants of Solomon, brought gold from Ophir, and wood from thyine trees, and very precious gems. 11 And the king made, from this particular thyine wood, steps in the house of the Lord, and in the house of the king, and also harps and psalteries for the singing men. Never was there seen such wood in the land of Judah. 12 Then king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, and all that she requested, and much more than what she had brought to him. And returning, she went away to her own land with her servants. 13 Now the weight of the gold, which was being brought to Solomon throughout each year, was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold, 14 apart from the sum that the legates of various nations and the merchants were accustomed to bring, and apart from the gold and silver that all the kings of Arabia, and the princes of the lands, were bringing together for Solomon. 15 And so, king Solomon made two hundred gold spears, from six hundred gold pieces, the amount used for each spear, 16 and also three hundred gold shields, from three hundred gold pieces, which covered each shield. And the king placed them in the armory, which was situated in a forest. 17 Also, the king made a great ivory throne, and he clothed it with the purest gold. 18 And there were six steps, by which he would ascend to the throne, and a footstool of gold, and two arms, one on each side, and two lions standing beside the arms. 19 Moreover, there were twelve additional little lions standing upon the six steps on both sides. There was no similar throne in all the kingdoms. 20 Also, all the vessels for the feasts of the king were of gold, and the vessels of the forest house of Lebanon were from the purest gold. For silver in those days was considered as nothing. 21 For indeed, the ships of the king went to Tarshish, with the servants of Hiram, once every three years. And they brought from there gold, and silver, and ivory, and primates, and peacocks. 22 And so, Solomon was magnified above all the kings of the earth in wealth and glory. 23 And all the kings of the lands were desiring to see the face of Solomon, so that they might hear the wisdom that God had granted to his heart. 24 And they were bringing to him gifts, vessels of silver and of gold, and garments, and armor, and aromatics, and horses, and mules, throughout each year. 25 Also, Solomon had forty thousand horses in the stables, and twelve thousand chariots and horsemen, and he appointed them to the cities of the chariots, and where the king was in Jerusalem. 26 Now he also exercised authority over all the kings from the river Euphrates as far as the land of the Philistines, and as far as the borders of Egypt. 27 And he brought forth so much silver that it was as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones. And cedar trees were as great in number as the sycamores that spring up in the plains. 28 And horses were brought to him from Egypt and from every region. 29 Now the rest of the works of Solomon, the first and the last, have been written in the words of Nathan, the prophet, and in the books of Ahijah, the Shilonite, as well as in the vision of Iddo, the seer, against Jeroboam, the son of Nabat. 30 And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem, over all of Israel, for forty years. 31 And he slept with his fathers. And they buried him in the City of David. And his son, Rehoboam, reigned in his place.