The Queen of Sheba
וּמַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֗א שֹׁמַ֛עַת אֶת־שֵׁ֥מַע שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לְשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה וַתָּבֹ֥א לְנַסֹּת֖וֹ בְּחִידֽוֹת׃
Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.
וַתָּבֹ֣א יְרוּשָׁלְַ֗מָה בְּחַיִל֮ כָּבֵ֣ד מְאֹד֒ גְּ֠מַלִּים נֹשְׂאִ֨ים בְּשָׂמִ֧ים וְזָהָ֛ב רַב־מְאֹ֖ד וְאֶ֣בֶן יְקָרָ֑ה וַתָּבֹא֙ אֶל־שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה וַתְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה עִם־לְבָבָֽהּ׃
She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones. And she came to Solomon and spoke to him all that was on her mind.
וַיַּגֶּד־לָ֥הּ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה אֶת־כָּל־דְּבָרֶ֑יהָ לֹֽא־הָיָ֤ה דָּבָר֙ נֶעְלָ֣ם מִן־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹ֦א הִגִּ֖יד לָֽהּ׃
And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain.
וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ מַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֔א אֵ֖ת כָּל־חָכְמַ֣ת שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה וְהַבַּ֖יִת אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנָֽה׃
When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built,
וּמַאֲכַ֣ל שֻׁלְחָנ֡וֹ וּמוֹשַׁ֣ב עֲבָדָיו֩ וּמַעֲמַ֨ד מְשָׁרְתָ֜יו וּמַלְבֻּֽשֵׁיהֶם֙ וּמַשְׁקָ֔יו וְעֹ֣לָת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲלֶ֖ה בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה וְלֹא־הָ֥יָה בָ֛הּ ע֖וֹד רֽוּחַ׃
the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the service and attire of his attendants, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he presented at the house of the LORD, it took her breath away.
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֱמֶת֙ הָיָ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי בְּאַרְצִ֑י עַל־דְּבָרֶ֖יךָ וְעַל־חָכְמָתֶֽךָ׃
She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true.
וְלֹֽא־הֶאֱמַ֣נְתִּי לַדְּבָרִ֗ים עַ֤ד אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֙אתִי֙ וַתִּרְאֶ֣ינָה עֵינַ֔י וְהִנֵּ֥ה לֹֽא־הֻגַּד־לִ֖י הַחֵ֑צִי הוֹסַ֤פְתָּ חָכְמָה֙ וָט֔וֹב אֶל־הַשְּׁמוּעָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמָֽעְתִּי׃
But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told to me. Your wisdom and prosperity have far exceeded the report I heard.
אַשְׁרֵ֣י אֲנָשֶׁ֔יךָ אַשְׁרֵ֖י עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ אֵ֑לֶּה הָֽעֹמְדִ֤ים לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ תָּמִ֔יד הַשֹּׁמְעִ֖ים אֶת־חָכְמָתֶֽךָ׃
How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!
יְהִ֨י יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ בָּר֔וּךְ אֲשֶׁר֙ חָפֵ֣ץ בְּךָ֔ לְתִתְּךָ֖ עַל־כִּסֵּ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּאַהֲבַ֨ת יְהוָ֤ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְעֹלָ֔ם וַיְשִֽׂימְךָ֣ לְמֶ֔לֶךְ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּצְדָקָֽה׃
Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness.”
וַתִּתֵּ֨ן לַמֶּ֜לֶךְ מֵאָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֣ים׀ כִּכַּ֣ר זָהָ֗ב וּבְשָׂמִ֛ים הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹ֖ד וְאֶ֣בֶן יְקָרָ֑ה לֹא־בָא֩ כַבֹּ֨שֶׂם הַה֥וּא עוֹד֙ לָרֹ֔ב אֲשֶׁר־נָתְנָ֥ה מַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֖א לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃
Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again were spices in such abundance brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
וְגַם֙ אֳנִ֣י חִירָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־נָשָׂ֥א זָהָ֖ב מֵאוֹפִ֑יר הֵבִ֨יא מֵאֹפִ֜יר עֲצֵ֧י אַלְמֻגִּ֛ים הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹ֖ד וְאֶ֥בֶן יְקָרָֽה׃
(The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug wood and precious stones.
וַיַּ֣עַשׂ הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ אֶת־עֲצֵ֨י הָאַלְמֻגִּ֜ים מִסְעָ֤ד לְבֵית־יְהוָה֙ וּלְבֵ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכִנֹּר֥וֹת וּנְבָלִ֖ים לַשָּׁרִ֑ים לֹ֣א בָֽא־כֵ֞ן עֲצֵ֤י אַלְמֻגִּים֙ וְלֹ֣א נִרְאָ֔ה עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
The king made the almug wood into steps for the house of the LORD and for the king’s palace, and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had such almug wood been brought in, nor has such been seen again to this day.)
וְהַמֶּ֨לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה נָתַ֣ן לְמַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֗א אֶת־כָּל־חֶפְצָהּ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁאָ֔לָה מִלְּבַד֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָֽתַן־לָ֔הּ כְּיַ֖ד הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה וַתֵּ֛פֶן וַתֵּ֥לֶךְ לְאַרְצָ֖הּ הִ֥יא וַעֲבָדֶֽיהָ׃ ס
King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired—whatever she asked—besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned to her own country, along with her servants.
Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor
וַֽיְהִי֙ מִשְׁקַ֣ל הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א לִשְׁלֹמֹ֖ה בְּשָׁנָ֣ה אֶחָ֑ת שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֛וֹת שִׁשִּׁ֥ים וָשֵׁ֖שׁ כִּכַּ֥ר זָהָֽב׃
The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents,
לְבַד֙ מֵאַנְשֵׁ֣י הַתָּרִ֔ים וּמִסְחַ֖ר הָרֹכְלִ֑ים וְכָל־מַלְכֵ֥י הָעֶ֖רֶב וּפַח֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃
not including the revenue from the merchants, traders, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land.
וַיַּ֨עַשׂ הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה מָאתַ֥יִם צִנָּ֖ה זָהָ֣ב שָׁח֑וּט שֵׁשׁ־מֵא֣וֹת זָהָ֔ב יַעֲלֶ֖ה עַל־הַצִּנָּ֥ה הָאֶחָֽת׃
King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield.
וּשְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֤וֹת מָֽגִנִּים֙ זָהָ֣ב שָׁח֔וּט שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת מָנִים֙ זָהָ֔ב יַעֲלֶ֖ה עַל־הַמָּגֵ֣ן הָאֶחָ֑ת וַיִּתְּנֵ֣ם הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ בֵּ֖ית יַ֥עַר הַלְּבָנֽוֹן׃ פ
He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
וַיַּ֧עַשׂ הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ כִּסֵּא־שֵׁ֖ן גָּד֑וֹל וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ זָהָ֥ב מוּפָֽז׃
Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold.
שֵׁ֧שׁ מַעֲל֣וֹת לַכִּסֵּ֗ה וְרֹאשׁ־עָגֹ֤ל לַכִּסֵּה֙ מֵאַֽחֲרָ֔יו וְיָדֹ֛ת מִזֶּ֥ה וּמִזֶּ֖ה אֶל־מְק֣וֹם הַשָּׁ֑בֶת וּשְׁנַ֣יִם אֲרָי֔וֹת עֹמְדִ֖ים אֵ֥צֶל הַיָּדֽוֹת׃
The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with a lion standing beside each armrest.
וּשְׁנֵ֧ים עָשָׂ֣ר אֲרָיִ֗ים עֹמְדִ֥ים שָׁ֛ם עַל־שֵׁ֥שׁ הַֽמַּעֲל֖וֹת מִזֶּ֣ה וּמִזֶּ֑ה לֹֽא־נַעֲשָׂ֥ה כֵ֖ן לְכָל־מַמְלָכֽוֹת׃
Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.
וְ֠כֹל כְּלֵ֞י מַשְׁקֵ֨ה הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה֙ זָהָ֔ב וְכֹ֗ל כְּלֵ֛י בֵּֽית־יַ֥עַר הַלְּבָנ֖וֹן זָהָ֣ב סָג֑וּר אֵ֣ין כֶּ֗סֶף לֹ֥א נֶחְשָׁ֛ב בִּימֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לִמְאֽוּמָה׃
All King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, because it was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.
כִּי֩ אֳנִ֨י תַרְשִׁ֤ישׁ לַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ בַּיָּ֔ם עִ֖ם אֳנִ֣י חִירָ֑ם אַחַת֩ לְשָׁלֹ֨שׁ שָׁנִ֜ים תָּב֣וֹא׀ אֳנִ֣י תַרְשִׁ֗ישׁ נֹֽשְׂאֵת֙ זָהָ֣ב וָכֶ֔סֶף שֶׁנְהַבִּ֥ים וְקֹפִ֖ים וְתֻכִּיִּֽים׃
For the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
וַיִּגְדַּל֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מִכֹּ֖ל מַלְכֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ לְעֹ֖שֶׁר וּלְחָכְמָֽה׃
So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
וְכָ֨ל־הָאָ֔רֶץ מְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה לִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ אֶת־חָכְמָת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן אֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃
The whole world sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart.
וְהֵ֣מָּה מְבִאִ֣ים אִ֣ישׁ מִנְחָת֡וֹ כְּלֵ֣י כֶסֶף֩ וּכְלֵ֨י זָהָ֤ב וּשְׂלָמוֹת֙ וְנֵ֣שֶׁק וּבְשָׂמִ֔ים סוּסִ֖ים וּפְרָדִ֑ים דְּבַר־שָׁנָ֖ה בְּשָׁנָֽה׃ ס
Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
וַיֶּאֱסֹ֣ף שְׁלֹמֹה֮ רֶ֣כֶב וּפָרָשִׁים֒ וַיְהִי־ל֗וֹ אֶ֤לֶף וְאַרְבַּע־מֵאוֹת֙ רֶ֔כֶב וּשְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף פָּֽרָשִׁ֑ים וַיַּנְחֵם֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הָרֶ֔כֶב וְעִם־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃
Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.
וַיִּתֵּ֨ן הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ אֶת־הַכֶּ֛סֶף בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם כָּאֲבָנִ֑ים וְאֵ֣ת הָאֲרָזִ֗ים נָתַ֛ן כַּשִּׁקְמִ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־בַּשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה לָרֹֽב׃
The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills.
וּמוֹצָ֧א הַסּוּסִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִשְׁלֹמֹ֖ה מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וּמִקְוֵ֕ה סֹחֲרֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ יִקְח֥וּ מִקְוֵ֖ה בִּמְחִֽיר׃
Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the royal merchants purchased them from Kue.
וַֽ֠תַּעֲלֶה וַתֵּצֵ֨א מֶרְכָּבָ֤ה מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙ בְּשֵׁ֣שׁ מֵא֣וֹת כֶּ֔סֶף וְס֖וּס בַּחֲמִשִּׁ֣ים וּמֵאָ֑ה וְ֠כֵן לְכָל־מַלְכֵ֧י הַחִתִּ֛ים וּלְמַלְכֵ֥י אֲרָ֖ם בְּיָדָ֥ם יֹצִֽאוּ׃ פ
A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. Likewise, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram.