16. He also made 300 small shields of hammered gold, using 7½ pounds of gold on each shield. The king put them in the hall ⌊named⌋ the Forest of Lebanon.
17. The king also made a large ivory throne and covered it with pure gold.
18. Six steps led to the throne, which had a gold footstool attached to it. There were armrests on both sides of the seat. Two lions stood beside the armrests.
19. Twelve lions stood on six steps, one on each side. Nothing like this had been made for any other kingdom.
20. All King Solomon’s cups were gold, and all the utensils for the hall ⌊named⌋ the Forest of Lebanon were fine gold. (Silver wasn’t considered valuable in Solomon’s time.)
21. The king had ships going to Tarshish with Huram’s sailors. Once every three years the Tarshish ships would bring gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys.
22. In wealth and wisdom King Solomon was greater than all the ⌊other⌋ kings of the world.
23. All the kings of the world wanted to listen to the wisdom that God gave Solomon.