3-4. The Queen was amazed at Solomon's wisdom. She was breathless when she saw his palace, the food on his table, his officials, all his servants in their uniforms, and the sacrifices he offered at the Lord's temple.
5. She said:Solomon, in my own country I had heard about your wisdom and all you've done.
6. But I didn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes! And there's so much I didn't hear about. You are greater than I was told.
7. Your people and officials are lucky to be here where they can listen to the wise things you say.
8. I praise the Lord your God. He is pleased with you and has made you king of Israel. God loves the people of this country and will never desert them, so he has given them a king who will rule fairly and honestly.
9. The Queen of Sheba gave Solomon more than four thousand kilogrammes of gold, a large amount of jewels, and the best spices anyone had ever seen.
23-24. Year after year, other kings came to hear the wisdom God had given him. And they brought gifts of silver and gold, as well as clothes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
25. Solomon had four thousand stalls for his horses and chariots, and he owned twelve thousand horses that he kept in Jerusalem and other towns.
26. He ruled all the nations from the River Euphrates in the north to the land of Philistia in the south, as far as the border of Egypt.
27. While Solomon was king, there was silver everywhere in Jerusalem, and cedar was as common as the sycamore trees in the western foothills.
28. Solomon's horses were brought in from other countries, including Musri.
29. Everything else Solomon did while he was king is written in the records of Nathan the prophet, Ahijah the prophet from Shiloh, and Iddo the prophet who wrote about Jeroboam son of Nebat.
30. After Solomon had ruled forty years from Jerusalem,
31. he died and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam then became king.