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2 Chronicles 9
New English Translation

Solomon Entertains a Queen

9 When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon,[a] she came to challenge[b] him[c] with difficult questions.[d] She arrived in Jerusalem with a great display of pomp,[e] bringing with her camels carrying spices,[f] a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind. 2 Solomon answered all her questions; there was no question too complex for the king.[g] 3 When the queen of Sheba saw for herself Solomon’s wisdom, the palace[h] he had built, 4 the food in his banquet hall,[i] his servants and attendants[j] in their robes, his cupbearers in their robes, and his burnt sacrifices which he presented in the Lord’s temple,[k] she was amazed.[l] 5 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight[m] was true! 6 I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn’t hear even half the story![n] Your wisdom surpasses what was reported to me. 7 Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy![o] 8 May the Lord your God be praised because he favored[p] you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf.[q] Because of your God’s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them,[r] he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions.”[s] 9 She gave the king 120 talents[t] of gold and a very large quantity of spices and precious gems. The quantity of spices the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon has never been matched.[u] 10 (Huram’s[v] servants, aided by Solomon’s servants, brought gold from Ophir, as well as[w] fine[x] timber and precious gems. 11 With the timber the king made steps[y] for the Lord’s temple and royal palace as well as stringed instruments[z] for the musicians. No one had seen anything like them in the land of Judah before that.[aa]) 12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, more than what she had brought him.[ab] Then she left and returned[ac] to her homeland with her attendants.

Solomon’s Wealth

13 Solomon received 666 talents[ad] of gold per year,[ae] 14 besides what he collected from the merchants[af] and traders. All the Arabian kings and the governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold; 600 measures[ag] of hammered gold were used for each shield. 16 He also made 300 small shields of hammered gold; 300 measures[ah] of gold were used for each of those shields. The king placed them in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest.[ai]

17 The king made a large throne decorated with ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 There were six steps leading up to the throne, and a gold footstool was attached to the throne.[aj] The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side.[ak] 19 There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom.[al]

20 All of King Solomon’s cups were made of gold, and all the household items in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest were made of pure gold. There were no silver items, for silver was not considered very valuable in Solomon’s time.[am] 21 The king had a fleet of large merchant ships[an] manned by Huram’s men[ao] that sailed the sea. Once every three years the fleet[ap] came into port with cargoes of[aq] gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.[ar]

22 King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth.[as] 23 All the kings of the earth wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom.[at] 24 Year after year visitors brought their gifts, which included items of silver, items of gold, clothes, perfume, spices, horses, and mules.[au]

25 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses[av] and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and also with him in Jerusalem.[aw] 26 He ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River[ax] to the land of the Philistines as far as the border of Egypt. 27 The king made silver as plentiful[ay] in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was[az] as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the foothills.[ba] 28 Solomon acquired horses from Egypt and from all the lands.

Solomon’s Reign Ends

29 The rest of the events of Solomon’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded[bb] in the Annals of Nathan the Prophet, the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and the Vision of Iddo the Seer pertaining to Jeroboam son of Nebat. 30 Solomon ruled over all Israel from Jerusalem for forty years. 31 Then Solomon passed away[bc] and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam replaced him as king.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 9:1 tn Heb “the report about Solomon.”
  2. 2 Chronicles 9:1 tn Or “test.”
  3. 2 Chronicles 9:1 tn Heb “Solomon.” The recurrence of the proper name here is redundant in terms of contemporary English style, so the pronoun has been used in the translation instead.
  4. 2 Chronicles 9:1 tn Or “riddles.”
  5. 2 Chronicles 9:1 tn Heb “with very great strength.” The Hebrew word חַיִל (khayil, “strength”) may refer here to the size of her retinue or to the great wealth she brought with her.
  6. 2 Chronicles 9:1 tn Or “balsam oil.”
  7. 2 Chronicles 9:2 tn Heb “Solomon declared to her all her words; there was not a word hidden from the king which he did not declare to her.” If riddles are specifically in view (see v. 1), then one might translate, “Solomon explained to her all her riddles; there was no riddle too complex for the king.”
  8. 2 Chronicles 9:3 tn Heb “house.”
  9. 2 Chronicles 9:4 tn Heb “the food on his table.”
  10. 2 Chronicles 9:4 tn Heb “the seating of his servants and the standing of his attendants.”
  11. 2 Chronicles 9:4 tc The Hebrew text has here, “and his upper room [by] which he was going up to the house of the Lord.” But עֲלִיָּתוֹ (ʿaliyyato, “his upper room”) should be emended to עֹלָתוֹ, (ʿolato, “his burnt sacrifice[s]”). See the parallel account in 1 Kgs 10:5.
  12. 2 Chronicles 9:4 tn Or “it took her breath away”; Heb “there was no breath still in her.”
  13. 2 Chronicles 9:5 tn Heb “about your words [or perhaps, “deeds”] and your wisdom.”
  14. 2 Chronicles 9:6 tn Heb “the half was not told to me.”
  15. 2 Chronicles 9:7 tn Heb “How happy are your men! How happy are these servants of yours, who stand before you continually, who hear your wisdom!”
  16. 2 Chronicles 9:8 tn Or “delighted in.”
  17. 2 Chronicles 9:8 tn Heb “as king for the Lord your God.”
  18. 2 Chronicles 9:8 tn Heb “to make him stand permanently.”
  19. 2 Chronicles 9:8 tn Heb “to do justice and righteousness.”
  20. 2 Chronicles 9:9 tn The Hebrew word כִּכַּר (kikkar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or, by extension, to a standard unit of weight. According to the older (Babylonian) standard the “talent” weighed 130 lbs. (58.9 kg), but later this was lowered to 108.3 lbs. (49.1 kg). More recent research suggests the “light” standard talent was 67.3 lbs. (30.6 kg). Using this as the standard for calculation, the weight of the gold was 8,076 lbs. (3,672 kg).
  21. 2 Chronicles 9:9 tn Heb “there has not been like those spices which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.”
  22. 2 Chronicles 9:10 tn Heb “Huram’s” (also in v. 21). Some medieval Hebrew mss, along with the LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate spell the name “Hiram,” agreeing with 1 Chr 14:1. “Huram” is a variant spelling referring to the same individual.
  23. 2 Chronicles 9:10 tn Heb “who brought gold from Ophir, brought.”
  24. 2 Chronicles 9:10 tn Heb “algum.”
  25. 2 Chronicles 9:11 tn Heb “tracks.” The parallel text in 1 Kgs 10:12 has a different term whose meaning is uncertain: “supports,” perhaps “banisters” or “parapets.”
  26. 2 Chronicles 9:11 tn Two types of stringed instruments are specifically mentioned in the Hebrew text, the כִּנּוֹר (kinnor, “zither”) and נֶבֶל (nevel, “harp”).
  27. 2 Chronicles 9:11 tn Heb “there was not seen like these formerly in the land of Judah.”
  28. 2 Chronicles 9:12 tn Heb “besides what she brought to the king.”
  29. 2 Chronicles 9:12 tn Heb “turned and went.”
  30. 2 Chronicles 9:13 tn The Hebrew word כִּכַּר (kikkar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or, by extension, to a standard unit of weight. According to the older (Babylonian) standard the “talent” weighed 130 lbs. (58.9 kg), but later this was lowered to 108.3 lbs. (49.1 kg). More recent research suggests the “light” standard talent was 67.3 lbs. (30.6 kg). Using this as the standard for calculation, the weight of the gold Solomon received annually was 44,822 lbs. (20,380 kg).
  31. 2 Chronicles 9:13 tn Heb “the weight of the gold which came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold.”
  32. 2 Chronicles 9:14 tn Heb “traveling men.”
  33. 2 Chronicles 9:15 tn The Hebrew text has simply “600,” with no unit of measure given.
  34. 2 Chronicles 9:16 tn The Hebrew text has simply “300,” with no unit of measure given.
  35. 2 Chronicles 9:16 sn This name was appropriate because of the large amount of cedar, undoubtedly brought from Lebanon, used in its construction. The cedar pillars in the palace must have given it the appearance of a forest. See 1 Kgs 7:2.
  36. 2 Chronicles 9:18 tc The parallel text of 1 Kgs 10:19 has instead “and the back of it was rounded on top.”
  37. 2 Chronicles 9:18 tn Heb “[There were] armrests on each side of the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests.”
  38. 2 Chronicles 9:19 tn Heb “nothing like it had been made for any kingdom.”
  39. 2 Chronicles 9:20 tn Heb “there was no silver regarded as anything in the days of Solomon.”
  40. 2 Chronicles 9:21 tn Heb “for ships belonging to the king were going [to] Tarshish.” This probably refers to large ships either made in or capable of traveling to the distant western port of Tarshish.
  41. 2 Chronicles 9:21 tn Heb “servants.”
  42. 2 Chronicles 9:21 tn Heb “the fleet of Tarshish [ships].”
  43. 2 Chronicles 9:21 tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish came carrying.”
  44. 2 Chronicles 9:21 tn The meaning of this word is unclear; some suggest it refers to “baboons.” NEB has “monkeys,” NASB, NRSV “peacocks,” and NIV “baboons.”
  45. 2 Chronicles 9:22 tn Heb “King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth with respect to wealth and wisdom.”
  46. 2 Chronicles 9:23 tn Heb “and all the kings of the earth were seeking the face of Solomon to hear his wisdom which God had placed in his heart.”
  47. 2 Chronicles 9:24 tn Heb “and they were bringing each one his gift, items of silver…and mules, the matter of a year in a year.”
  48. 2 Chronicles 9:25 tc The parallel text of 1 Kgs 10:26 reads “fourteen hundred chariots.”
  49. 2 Chronicles 9:25 tn Heb “he placed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.”
  50. 2 Chronicles 9:26 tn Heb “the River.” In biblical Hebrew the Euphrates River was typically referred to simply as “the River.”
  51. 2 Chronicles 9:27 tn The words “as plentiful” are supplied for clarification.
  52. 2 Chronicles 9:27 tn Heb “he made cedar.”
  53. 2 Chronicles 9:27 sn The foothills (שְׁפֵלָה, shephelah) are the region between the Judean hill country and the Mediterranean coastal plain.
  54. 2 Chronicles 9:29 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Solomon, the former and the latter, are they not written?”
  55. 2 Chronicles 9:31 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
Close ABTAG2001

2 Cronica 9
Ang Biblia, 2001

Dumalaw ang Reyna ng Sheba(A)

9 Nang(B) mabalitaan ng reyna ng Sheba ang katanyagan ni Solomon, siya'y pumunta sa Jerusalem upang siya'y subukin ng mahihirap na tanong, kasama ang maraming alalay, at mga kamelyo na may pasang mga pabango at napakaraming ginto at mga mamahaling bato. Nang siya'y dumating kay Solomon, sinabi niya sa kanya ang lahat ng nasa kanyang isipan.

2 Sinagot ni Solomon ang lahat niyang mga tanong; walang bagay na nalingid kay Solomon na hindi niya maipaliwanag sa kanya.

3 Nang makita ng reyna ng Sheba ang karunungan ni Solomon, ang bahay na kanyang itinayo,

4 ang pagkain sa kanyang hapag, ang pagkakaupo ng kanyang mga pinuno, at ang pagsisilbi ng kanyang mga lingkod, at ang kanilang mga pananamit, ang kanyang mga tagahawak ng saro, at ang kanilang mga pananamit, at ang kanyang mga handog na sinusunog na kanyang iniaalay sa bahay ng Panginoon, ay hindi na siya halos makahinga.[a]

5 Sinabi niya sa hari, “Totoo ang ulat na narinig ko sa aking sariling lupain tungkol sa iyong pamumuhay at karunungan,

6 ngunit hindi ko pinaniwalaan ang mga ulat hanggang sa ako'y dumating at nakita ito ng aking sariling mga mata. Ang kalahati ng kalakhan ng iyong karunungan ay hindi nasabi sa akin; nahigitan mo pa ang ulat na aking narinig.

7 Maliligaya ang iyong mga tauhan! Maliligaya itong iyong mga lingkod na patuloy na nakatayo sa harapan mo at naririnig ang iyong karunungan!

8 Purihin ang Panginoon mong Diyos na nalugod sa iyo at inilagay ka sa kanyang trono, upang maging hari para sa Panginoon mong Diyos! Sapagkat minamahal ng iyong Diyos ang Israel at itatatag sila magpakailanman, ginawa ka niyang hari nila upang iyong igawad ang katarungan at katuwiran.”

9 Kanyang binigyan ang hari ng isandaan at dalawampung talentong ginto, napakaraming mga pabango at mahahalagang bato. Walang gayong mga pabango na gaya ng ibinigay ng reyna ng Sheba kay Haring Solomon.

10 Bukod doon, ang mga lingkod ni Huram at ang mga lingkod ni Solomon, na nagpadala ng ginto mula sa Ofir ay nagdala ng mga kahoy na algum at mga mamahaling bato.

11 Ang hari ay gumawa ng mga hagdanan mula sa mga kahoy na algum para sa bahay ng Panginoon at para sa bahay ng hari, at ng mga alpa, at mga salterio para sa mga mang-aawit. Wala pang nakitang gaya ng mga iyon sa lupain ng Juda.

12 Ibinigay ni Haring Solomon sa reyna ng Sheba ang lahat ng naisin niya, anumang hingin niya, na higit pang kapalit ng kanyang dinala sa hari. At siya'y bumalik at umuwi sa kanyang sariling lupain, kasama ang kanyang mga lingkod.

Ang Kayamanan ni Solomon(C)

13 Ang timbang ng ginto na dumating kay Solomon sa loob ng isang taon ay animnaraan at animnapu't anim na talentong ginto,

14 bukod pa sa dinala ng mga negosyante at mga mangangalakal; at ang lahat ng mga hari sa Arabia at ang mga tagapamahala ng lupain ay nagdala ng ginto at pilak kay Solomon.

15 Si Haring Solomon ay gumawa ng dalawandaang kalasag na yari sa pinitpit na ginto; animnaraang siklo ng pinitpit na ginto ang ginamit sa bawat kalasag.

16 Siya'y gumawa ng tatlong daang kalasag na yari sa pinitpit na ginto; tatlong daang siklong ginto ang ginamit sa bawat kalasag; at ang mga ito ay inilagay ng hari sa Bahay ng Gubat ng Lebanon.

17 Gumawa rin ang hari ng isang malaking tronong garing, at binalot ng dalisay na ginto.

18 Ang trono ay may anim na baytang at isang gintong tuntungan na nakakapit sa trono, at sa bawat tagiliran ng upuan ay ang mga patungan ng kamay at dalawang leon na nakatayo sa tabi ng mga patungan ng kamay,

19 at may labindalawang leon na nakatayo roon, isa sa bawat dulo ng isang baytang sa ibabaw ng anim na baytang. Walang ginawang gaya noon sa alinmang kaharian.

20 Ang lahat ng inuman ni Solomon ay ginto, at ang lahat ng sisidlan sa Bahay ng Gubat ng Lebanon ay dalisay na ginto; ang pilak ay hindi itinuturing na mahalaga sa mga araw ni Solomon.

21 Sapagkat ang mga sasakyang-dagat ng hari ay nagtungo sa Tarsis na kasama ng mga lingkod ni Huram; minsan sa bawat tatlong taon ay dumarating ang mga sasakyang-dagat ng Tarsis na may dalang ginto, pilak, garing, mga unggoy, at mga pabo real.[b]

22 Sa gayon nakahigit si Haring Solomon sa lahat ng hari sa lupa sa kayamanan at sa karunungan.

23 Lahat ng mga hari sa lupa ay nagnais na makaharap si Solomon upang makinig sa karunungan niya na ipinagkaloob ng Diyos sa kanya.

24 Bawat isa sa kanila ay nagdala ng kanya-kanyang kaloob, mga bagay na yari sa pilak at ginto, mga damit, mira, mga pabango, mga kabayo, at mga mola, ganoon karami taun-taon.

25 Kaya't(D) si Solomon ay may apat na libong silungan ng kabayo at mga karwahe, at labindalawang libong mangangabayo, na kanyang inilagay sa mga bayan ng mga karwahe, at kasama ng hari sa Jerusalem.

26 Siya'y(E) namuno sa lahat ng mga hari mula sa Eufrates hanggang sa lupain ng mga Filisteo at sa hangganan ng Ehipto.

27 Ginawa ng hari ang pilak sa Jerusalem na karaniwan gaya ng bato, at ang mga sedro na kasindami ng mga puno ng sikomoro ng Shefela.

28 Ang(F) mga kabayo ay inangkat para kay Solomon mula sa Ehipto at mula sa lahat ng mga lupain.

29 Ang iba nga sa mga gawa ni Solomon, mula sa una hanggang katapusan, di ba nakasulat sa kasaysayan ni Natan na propeta, at sa propesiya ni Ahias na Shilonita, at sa mga pangitain ni Iddo na propeta tungkol kay Jeroboam na anak ni Nebat?

30 Si Solomon ay naghari sa Jerusalem sa buong Israel sa loob ng apatnapung taon.

31 At si Solomon ay natulog na kasama ng kanyang mga ninuno, at siya'y inilibing sa lunsod ni David na kanyang ama; at si Rehoboam na kanyang anak ay nagharing kapalit niya.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Cronica 9:4 Sa Hebreo ay wala ng espiritu sa kanya .
  2. 2 Cronica 9:21 o baboon .
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