1 Kings 10:16-25

New International Version

¹⁶ King Solomon made two hundred large shields^(A) of hammered gold; six hundred shekels^[a] of gold went into each shield. ¹⁷ He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three minas^[b] of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.^(B)

¹⁸ Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. ¹⁹ The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. ²⁰ Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. ²¹ All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold.^(C) Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days. ²² The king had a fleet of trading ships^[c](D) at sea along with the ships^(E) of Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.

²³ King Solomon was greater in riches^(F) and wisdom^(G) than all the other kings of the earth. ²⁴ The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom^(H) God had put in his heart. ²⁵ Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift^(I)—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.