FRAMEWORKS:
2 Chronicles 9: The
Queen of Sheba visits & Solomon's affluence
[Introductory
Notes: This chapter reveals the peak of Solomon's reign.
When the Queen of Sheba comes, she provides a testimony of the
incredible blessing of God that Solomon has received. The second
part of the chapter simply acts as a summary of his affluence,
and then the chapter quietly closes with his death and the follow
on by Rehoboam his son. There is nothing of the divine encounters
recorded in 1 Kings 11 and the reasons for what follows. It is
almost as if the recorder wishes to avoid anything that might
tarnish the reputation of Solomon.]
PART
ONE: v.1-12: The Queen of Sheba visits
v.1
The Queen of Sheba makes a state visit
v.1
When
the queen of Sheba [far
south of the Arabian Peninsular] heard
of Solomon's fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard
questions. Arriving with a very great caravan with camels
carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones
she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her
mind.
v.2-4
Solomon's wisdom and affluence overwhelms her
v.2
Solomon
answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain
to her.
v.3
When
the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace
he had built,
v.4
the
food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending
servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the
burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord
, she was overwhelmed.
v.5-7
She extols him and all she has seen
v.5
She
said to the king, The report I heard in my own country about
your achievements and your wisdom is true.
v.6
But
I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my
own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was
told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard.
v.7
How
happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually
stand before you and hear your wisdom!
v.8
She praises the Lord for His love and His work
v.8
Praise
be to the Lord
your God,
who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king
to rule for the Lord
your God.
Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire
to uphold them for ever, he has made you king over them, to maintain
justice and righteousness.'
v.9-11
Gifts received
v.9
Then
she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices,
and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those
the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
v.10
(The
servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon brought gold from
Ophir; they also brought algum-wood and precious stones.
v.11
The
king used the algum-wood to make steps for the temple of the Lord
and for the
royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing
like them had ever been seen in Judah.)
v.12
Gifts given in return
v.12
King
Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for;
he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and
returned with her retinue to her own country.
PART
TWO: v.13-28: Solomon's splendour
v.13-16
Extensive use of gold
v.13
The
weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents,
v.14
not
including the revenues brought in by merchants and traders. Also
all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the territories brought
gold and silver to Solomon.
v.15 King
Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred
shekels of hammered gold went into each shield.
v.16
He
also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three
hundred shekels of gold in each shield. The king put them in the
Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.
v.17-19
Solomon's throne
v.17
Then
the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with
pure gold.
v.18
The
throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to
it. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing
beside each of them.
v.19
Twelve
lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step.
Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom.
v.20-22
Other aspects of Solomon's affluence
v.20
All
King Solomon's goblets were gold, and all the household articles
in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing
was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value
in Solomon's day.
v.21
The
king had a fleet of trading ships manned by Hiram's servants.
Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and
ivory, and apes and baboons.
v.22
King
Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings
of the earth.
v.23-28
Solomon's fame and subsequent affluence
v.23
All
the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the
wisdom God had put in his heart.
v.24
Year
after year, everyone who came brought a gift articles of
silver and gold, and robes, weapons and spices, and horses and
mules.
v.25
Solomon
had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand
horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him
in Jerusalem.
v.26
He
ruled over all the kings from the River Euphrates to the land
of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt.
v.27
The
king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as
plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills.
v.28
Solomon's
horses were imported from Egypt and from all other countries.
PART
THREE: v.29-31: Solomon's death
v.29
As
for the other events of Solomon's reign, from
beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Nathan
the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the
visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat?
v.30
Solomon
reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.
v.31
Then
he rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David
his father. And Rehoboam his son succeeded him
as king.
Continue
to Ch.10