7. "How happy your men must be! How happy your officials must be! They always get to serve you and hear the wise things you say.
8. "May the Lord your God be praised. He must take great delight in you. He placed you on his throne as king. He put you there to rule for him. Your God loves Israel very much. He longs to take good care of them forever. That's why he has made you king over them. He knows that you will do what is fair and right."
9. She gave the king four and a half tons of gold. She also gave him huge amounts of spices and valuable jewels. There had never been as many spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
10. The servants of Hiram and those of Solomon brought gold from Ophir. They also brought algumwood and valuable jewels.
11. The king used the algumwood to make steps for the Lord's temple and the royal palace. He also used it to make harps and lyres for those who played the music. No one had ever seen that much algumwood in Judah before.
12. King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she wanted and asked for. In fact, he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left. She returned to her own country with her attendants.
13. Each year Solomon received 25 tons of gold.
14. That didn't include the money that was brought in by business and trade. All of the kings of Arabia also brought gold and silver to Solomon. So did the governors of Israel.
15. King Solomon made 200 large shields out of hammered gold. Each one weighed seven and a half pounds.