1 Kings 10:14-29

The Voice

¹⁴ Solomon received 25 tons of gold each year. ¹⁵ This amount does not include the amount of gold received through taxation of explorers, traders, and merchants and revenue from the Arab kings and provincial governors. ¹⁶ King Solomon crafted 200 large shields, each made from 7½ pounds of hammered gold. ¹⁷ Then he crafted 300 shields made from 60 ounces of hammered gold. He kept them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. ¹⁸ He also crafted an ivory throne and covered it with the purest gold. ¹⁹ There were 6 steps leading up to the throne. The back of the throne was rounded, and a lion stood next to each armrest. ²⁰ There were 12 lions on the 6 steps: 6 lions on one side and 6 on the other. Nothing anywhere in the world compared to it. ²¹ All of King Solomon’s cups were made out of gold, and all the cups in the house of the forest of Lebanon were made out of the purest gold as well. Nothing was crafted out of silver because silver was worthless during that time. ²² Tarshish’s ships and Hiram’s ships were out at sea under the rule of Solomon. Tarshish’s ships brought gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks^[a] to Solomon once every 3 years.

²³ King Solomon became mightier than any other king in the entire world. He was wealthy in material and in wisdom. ²⁴ People from around the world wanted to meet the famous Solomon. They desired to learn the wisdom God had planted in his heart. ²⁵ They brought gifts—silver, gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. The gifts accumulated as the years passed.

²⁶ Solomon summoned his chariots and cavalrymen. He commanded 1,400 chariots and 12,000 cavalrymen, and he sent them to the appointed cities (known as chariot cities) or to guard Jerusalem’s king. ²⁷ The king had made silver as common as stones are in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as common as sycamore trees are in the foothills. ²⁸ Solomon brought his horses from Egypt^[b] and Kue, and the king’s businessmen paid the people of Kue for the horses. ²⁹ One chariot was bought from Egypt for 15 pounds of silver, and one horse was bought for 60 ounces of silver. Some chariots and horses were then exported to the Hittite and Aramean kings along the route from Kue back to Israel.