1 Kings 10:18-29

18 Moreover, the king made a great throne of ¹ivory and overlaid it with refined gold.

19 There were six steps to the throne and a round top to the throne at its rear, and arms on each side of the seat *, and two lions standing beside the arms.

20 Twelve * lions were standing there on the six steps on the one side and on the other; nothing like it was made for any other kingdom.

21 All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None was of silver; it was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon.

22 For ²the king had at sea the ships of Tarshish with the ships of Hiram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks.

23 ³So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.

24 All the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon, ⁴to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart.

25 ⁵They brought every man his gift, articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

26 ⁶Now Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; and he had 1,400 * * chariots and 12,000 * * horsemen, and he stationed them in the ⁷chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

27 ⁸The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the lowland.

28 ⁹Also Solomon's import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king's merchants procured them from Kue for a price.

29 A chariot was imported * from Egypt for 600 * shekels of silver, and a horse for 150 *; and by the same means * they exported them ¹⁰to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of the Arameans.

1 Kings 10:18-29 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 10

This chapter contains an account of the queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon to her great satisfaction, 1Ki 10:1-13, of Solomon's merchandise and riches, and the magnificence of his court, 1Ki 10:14-23, of the rich presents sent to him, and of the purchase of chariots and horses, and other things, he made, 1Ki 10:24-29.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Kings 10:22; 2 Chronicles 9:17; Psalms 45:8
• 2. 1 Kings 9:26-28; 1 Kings 22:48; 2 Chronicles 20:36
• 3. 1 Kings 3:12, 13; 1 Kings 4:30
• 4. 1 Kin 3:9, 12, 28
• 5. Psalms 68:29
• 6. 1 Kings 4:26; 2 Chronicles 1:14-17; 2 Chronicles 9:25
• 7. 1 Kings 9:19
• 8. Deuteronomy 17:17; 2 Chronicles 1:15
• 9. Deuteronomy 17:16; 2 Chronicles 1:16; 2 Chronicles 9:28
• 10. 2 Kings 7:6, 7

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "hands"
• [b]. Lit "on this side and on this at the place of the seat"
• [c]. Lit "hands"
• [d]. Lit "anything"
• [e]. So with ancient versions; Heb "led"
• [f]. Heb "Shephelah"
• [g]. Lit "came up and went out from"
• [h]. Lit "in like manner by their hand"