The queen of Sheba admires the wisdom of Solomon, 1-12. Solomon's revenue in gold, 13, 14. His bucklers and shields, 15, 16. The throne of ivory, 17-19. His vessels, 20-22. His presents, 23, 24. His chariots and horse, 25. His tributes, 26-28. His reign and death, 29-31.
1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company and camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. And when she had come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. 2 And Solomon answered all her questions, and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he did not tell her. 3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 4 The provisions of his table, the sitting of his servants, the attendance of his ministers and their apparel, his cup-bearers and their apparel, and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her. 5 And she said to the king, "It was a true report which I heard in my own land of your acts and of your wisdom. 6 Yet, I did not believe their words until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told to me, for you exceed the fame that I heard. 7 Happy are your men and happy are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom. 8 Blessed be the LORD your God who delighted in you to set you on his throne to be king for the LORD your God. Because your God loved Israel to establish them forever, therefore he made you king over them to do judgment and justice." 9 And she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices of great abundance, and precious stones. Never was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.
10 And also the servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones. 11 And the king made terraces from the algum trees for the house of the LORD and for the king's palace, and harps and psalteries for singers. And there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.
12 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides that which she had brought to the king. So she turned and went away to her own land—she and her servants.
13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, 14 Besides that which traders and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 And king Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold. Six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to each buckler. 16 And three hundred shields he made of beaten gold. Three hundred shekels of gold went to each shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
17 Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on each side of the sitting-place, and two lions standing by the stays. 19 And twelve lions stood there on one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was nothing like it made in any kingdom. 20 And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were of silver, for it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. 21 For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
22 And king Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom that God had put in his heart. 24 And they each brought his present: vessels of silver, vessels of gold, clothing, armor, spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
25 And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. 26 And he reigned over all the kings from the river even to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. 27 And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees he made as the sycamore trees that are in the low plains in abundance. 28 And they brought to Solomon horses from Egypt and from all lands.
29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30 And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.
31 And Solomon slept with his fathers and he was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
Matthew Henry Commentary - 2nd Chronicles, Chapter 9[➚]