2 Chronicleschapter 9

A.The queen of Sheba: the half was not told mevv. 1-12

1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon, she came to test him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. So she came to Solomon and spoke with him about all that was on her mind. 2 And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for him to explain. 3 When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built, 4 the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the service and attire of his attendants and cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he presented at the house of the LORD, it took her breath away. 5 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true. 6 But I did not believe the reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not half of the greatness of your wisdom was told to me. You have far exceeded the report I heard. 7 How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! 8 Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set you on His throne to be king for the LORD your God. Because your God loved Israel enough to establish them forever, He has made you king over them to carry out justice and righteousness.” 9 Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 10 (The servants of Hiram and of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought algum wood and precious stones. 11 The king made the algum wood into steps for the house of the LORD and for the king’s palace, and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had anything like them been seen in the land of Judah.) 12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired—whatever she asked—far more than she had brought the king. Then she left and returned to her own country, along with her servants.

B.Six hundred sixty-six talents, and silver counted as nothingvv. 13-21

13 The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents, 14 not including the revenue from the merchants and traders. And all the Arabian kings and governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield. 16 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 17 Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with a lion standing beside each armrest. 19 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom. 20 All King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, because it was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon. 21 For the king had the ships of Tarshish that went with Hiram’s servants, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

C.The fame of Solomon, and the end of his forty yearsvv. 22-31

22 So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23 All the kings of the earth sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart. 24 Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. 25 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 26 He reigned over all the kings from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills. 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from all the lands. 29 As for the rest of the acts of Solomon, from beginning to end, are they not written in the Records of Nathan the Prophet, in the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the Visions of Iddo the Seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat? 30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31 And Solomon rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David. And his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.

← Back: 2 Chronicles 8 Continue: 2 Chronicles 10 →

Chapter summary

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴

The queen of Sheba comes with hard questions and a great train of spices and gold, and finds nothing hid from Solomon; seeing his house, his table, and his ascent to the house of Jehovah, 'there was no more spirit in her.' Her verdict: 'the half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me,' and blessed be Jehovah thy God, who delighted in thee. Then the glory piles up: six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold in a year, the great ivory throne with twelve lions on six steps, silver counted as nothing. He reigns forty years and dies. Jesus later stands in that shadow and says a greater than Solomon is here (Matthew 12:42).

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Ezra — 2 Chronicles overview

A. 1–12 The queen of Sheba: the half was not told me
B. 13–21 Six hundred sixty-six talents, and silver counted as nothing
C. 22–31 The fame of Solomon, and the end of his forty years

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

1 Kings 1013 verses
- 1 Kings 10:1Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.
- 1 Kings 10:3And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain.
- 1 Kings 10:6She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true.
- 1 Kings 10:7But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told to me. Your wisdom and prosperity have far exceeded the report I heard.
- 1 Kings 10:10Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again was such an abundance of spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
- 1 Kings 10:11(The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug wood and precious stones.
- Read 1 Kings 10: 7 more there →
2 Chronicles 14 verses
- 2 Chronicles 1:12therefore wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. And I will also give you riches and wealth and honor unlike anything given to the kings before you or after you.”
- 2 Chronicles 1:14Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.
- 2 Chronicles 1:15The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills.
- 2 Chronicles 1:16Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the royal merchants purchased them from Kue.
- Read 2 Chronicles 1 →
1 Kings 43 verses
- 1 Kings 4:21And Solomon reigned over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These kingdoms offered tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.
- 1 Kings 4:26Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses and 12,000 horses.
- 1 Kings 4:34So men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.
- Read 1 Kings 4 →
1 Kings 113 verses
- 1 Kings 11:29During that time, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met Jeroboam on the road as he was going out of Jerusalem. Now Ahijah had wrapped himself in a new cloak, and the two of them were alone in the open field.
- 1 Kings 11:41As for the rest of the acts of Solomon—all that he did, as well as his wisdom—are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon?
- 1 Kings 11:42Thus the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.
- Read 1 Kings 11 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Psalms 722 verses
- Psalms 72:10May the kings of Tarshish and distant shores bring tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
- Psalms 72:15Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him; may they bless him all day long.
- Read Psalms 72 →
1 Chronicles 292 verses
- 1 Chronicles 29:23So Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king in place of his father David. He prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.
- 1 Chronicles 29:29Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are indeed written in the Chronicles of Samuel the Seer, the Chronicles of Nathan the Prophet, and the Chronicles of Gad the Seer,
- Read 1 Chronicles 29 →
Isaiah 22 verses
- Isaiah 2:7Their land is full of silver and gold, with no limit to their treasures; their land is full of horses, with no limit to their chariots.
- Isaiah 2:22Put no more trust in man, who has only the breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?
- Read Isaiah 2 →
2 Chronicles 92 verses
- 2 Chronicles 9:20All King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, because it was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.
- 2 Chronicles 9:25Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.
- Read 2 Chronicles 9 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.