13
King Solomon for his part gave the queen of Sheba all her heart's desire - everything she asked for, on top of what he had already so generously given her. Satisfied, she returned home with her train of servants.
14
Solomon received twenty-five tons of gold in tribute annually.
15
This was above and beyond the taxes and profit on trade with merchants and assorted kings and governors.
16
King Solomon crafted two hundred body-length shields of hammered gold - seven and a half pounds of gold to each shield
17
- and three hundred smaller shields about half that size. He stored the shields in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
18
The king built a massive throne of ivory accented with a veneer of gold.
19
The throne had six steps leading up to it, its back shaped like an arch. The armrests on each side were flanked by lions.
20
Lions, twelve of them, were placed at either end of the six steps. There was no throne like it in any of the surrounding kingdoms.
21
King Solomon's chalices and tankards were made of gold and all the dinnerware and serving utensils in the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold - nothing was made of silver; silver was considered common and cheap.
22
The king had a fleet of ocean-going ships at sea with Hiram's ships. Every three years the fleet would bring in a cargo of gold, silver, and ivory, and apes and peacocks.
23
King Solomon was wiser and richer than all the kings of the earth - he surpassed them all.