Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor
The account begins with Solomon’s yearly gold revenue and the many streams that increase it, then names the gold shields he makes and stores in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Royal wealth appears here as measured, accumulated, and displayed.
T14he weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents, 15not including the revenue from the merchants, traders, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land. 16King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. 17He 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.
Solomon’s ivory throne overlaid with gold, his golden vessels, and his far-ranging fleet extend the picture of magnificence. The kingdom’s luxury is so great that silver loses value beside it.
18Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 19The 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. 20Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom. 21All 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. 22For 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.
Solomon surpasses the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom, and people from across the world come to hear the wisdom God has placed in his heart. Their visits become a steady stream of tribute.
23So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 24The whole world sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart. 25Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
The chapter closes with Solomon’s chariots, horses, and trade routes, showing wealth joined to military capacity and international commerce. Jerusalem becomes a place where precious materials are common and royal trade reaches surrounding kings.
26Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills. 28Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the royal merchants purchased them from Kue. 29A 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.