10. Then she gave the king four and a half tons of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again did such a quantity of spices arrive as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11. In addition, Hiram’s fleet that carried gold from Ophir brought from Ophir a large quantity of almug wood and precious stones.
12. The king made the almug wood into steps for the Lord’s temple and the king’s palace and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had such almug wood come, and the like has not been seen again even to this very day.
13. King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire — whatever she asked — besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she, along with her servants, returned to her own country.
14. The weight of gold that came to Solomon annually was 25 tons,
15. besides what came from merchants, traders’ merchandise, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land.
16. King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold; 15 pounds of gold went into each shield.
17. He made 300 small shields of hammered gold; about four pounds of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
18. The king also made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with fine gold.
19. The throne had six steps; there was a rounded top at the back of the throne, armrests on either side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests.
20. Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps, one at each end. Nothing like it had ever been made in any other kingdom.