5. She said:Solomon, in my own country I had heard about your wisdom and all you've done.
6. But I didn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes! And there's so much I didn't hear about. You are greater than I was told.
7. Your people and officials are lucky to be here where they can listen to the wise things you say.
8. I praise the Lord your God. He is pleased with you and has made you king of Israel. God loves the people of this country and will never desert them, so he has given them a king who will rule fairly and honestly.
9. The Queen of Sheba gave Solomon more than four thousand kilogrammes of gold, a large amount of jewels, and the best spices anyone had ever seen.
10-12. In return, Solomon gave her everything she wanted—even more than she had given him. Then she and her officials went back to their own country.Hiram's and Solomon's sailors brought gold, juniper wood, and jewels from the country of Ophir. Solomon used the wood to make steps for the temple and palace, and harps and other stringed instruments for the musicians. Nothing like these had ever been made in Judah.
13. Solomon received almost twenty-three thousand kilogrammes of gold each year,
14. not counting what the merchants and traders brought him. The kings of Arabia and the leaders of Israel also gave him gold and silver.
15. Solomon made two hundred gold shields that weighed over three kilogrammes each.
16. He also made three hundred smaller gold shields that weighed almost two kilogrammes, and he put these shields in his palace in Forest Hall.
17. His throne was made of ivory and covered with pure gold.
18. It had a gold footstool attached to it and arm rests on each side. There was a statue of a lion on each side of the throne,