1 Kings 9:15–10:13

15 Here is the account of the forced labor King Solomon conscriptedp to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the terraces,f q the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor,r Megiddo and Gezer.s 16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He had set it on fire. He killed its Canaanite inhabitants and then gave it as a wedding gift to his daughter,t Solomon’s wife. 17 And Solomon rebuilt Gezer.) He built up Lower Beth Horon,u 18 Baalath,v and Tadmorg in the desert, within his land, 19 as well as all his store citiesw and the towns for his chariotsx and for his horsesh—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled.

20 There were still people left from the Amorites, Hittites,y Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusitesz (these peoples were not Israelites). 21 Solomon conscripted the descendantsa of all these peoples remaining in the land—whom the Israelites could not exterminatei b—to serve as slave labor,c as it is to this day. 22 But Solomon did not make slavesd of any of the Israelites; they were his fighting men, his government officials, his officers, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and charioteers. 23 They were also the chief officialse in charge of Solomon’s projects—550 officials supervising those who did the work.

24 After Pharaoh’s daughterf had come up from the City of David to the palace Solomon had built for her, he constructed the terraces.g

25 Threeh times a year Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, burning incense before the Lord along with them, and so fulfilled the temple obligations.

26 King Solomon also built shipsi at Ezion Geber,j which is near Elathk in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea.j 27 And Hiram sent his men—sailorsl who knew the sea—to serve in the fleet with Solomon’s men. 28 They sailed to Ophirm and brought back 420 talentsk of gold,n which they delivered to King Solomon.

The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon

10:1–13pp—2Ch 9:1–12

10 When the queen of Shebao heard about the famep of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions.q 2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravanr—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. 3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, 5 the food on his table,s the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made ata the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.

6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believet these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealthu you have far exceeded the report I heard. 8 How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hearv your wisdom! 9 Praisew be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal lovex for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justicey and righteousness.”

10 And she gave the king 120 talentsb of gold,z large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

11 (Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir;a and from there they brought great cargoes of almugwoodc and precious stones. 12 The king used the almugwood to make supportsd for the temple of the Lord and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. So much almugwood has never been imported or seen since that day.)

13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.