2 Chronicles 9:1

Solomon Entertains a Queen

9:1 When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon,¹ she came to challenge² him³ with difficult questions.⁴ She arrived in Jerusalem⁵ with a great display of pomp,⁶ bringing with her camels carrying spices,⁷ a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind.

2 Chronicles 9:4-8

9:4 the food in his banquet hall,⁸ his servants and attendants⁹ in their robes, his cupbearers in their robes, and his burnt sacrifices which he presented in the Lord’s temple,¹⁰ she was amazed.¹¹ 9:5 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight¹² was true! 9:6 I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn’t hear even half the story!¹³ Your wisdom surpasses what was reported to me. 9:7 Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy!¹⁴ 9:8 May the Lord your God be praised because he favored¹⁵ you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf!¹⁶ Because of your God’s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them,¹⁷ he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions.”¹⁸

2 Chronicles 9:23-24

9:23 All the kings of the earth wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom.¹⁹ 9:24 Year after year visitors brought their gifts, which included items of silver, items of gold, clothes, perfume, spices, horses, and mules.²⁰

¹tn Heb “the report about Solomon.”

²tn Or “test.”

³tn Heb “Solomon.” The recurrence of the proper name here is redundant in terms of contemporary English style, so the pronoun has been used in the translation instead.

⁴tn Or “riddles.”

⁵map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

⁶tn Heb “with very great strength.” The Hebrew word חַיִל (khayil, “strength”) may refer here to the size of her retinue or to the great wealth she brought with her.

⁷tn Or “balsam oil.”

⁸tn Heb “the food on his table.”

⁹tn Heb “the seating of his servants and the standing of his attendants.”

¹⁰tc The Hebrew text has here, “and his upper room [by] which he was going up to the house of the Lord.” But עֲלִיָּתוֹ (’aliyyato, “his upper room”) should be emended to עֹלָתוֹ, (’olato, “his burnt sacrifice[s]”). See the parallel account in 1 Kgs 10:5.

¹¹tn Or “it took her breath away”; Heb “there was no breath still in her.”

¹²tn Heb “about your words [or perhaps, “deeds”] and your wisdom.”

¹³tn Heb “the half was not told to me.”

¹⁴tn Heb “How happy are your men! How happy are these servants of yours, who stand before you continually, who hear your wisdom!”

¹⁵tn Or “delighted in.”

¹⁶tn Heb “as king for the Lord your God.”

¹⁷tn Heb “to make him stand permanently.”

¹⁸tn Heb “to do justice and righteousness.”

¹⁹tn Heb “and all the kings of the earth were seeking the face of Solomon to hear his wisdom which God had placed in his heart.”

²⁰tn Heb “and they were bringing each one his gift, items of silver…and mules, the matter of a year in a year.”