Page:JPS-1917-Universal.djvu/440

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9.23
FIRST KINGS

23These were the chief officers that were over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, who bore rule over the people that wrought in the work.

24But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house which [Solomon] had built for her; then did he build Millo.

25And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings upon the altar which he built unto the Lord, offering thereby, upon the altar that was before the Lord. So he finished the house.

26And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. 27And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon. 28And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.

10And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon because of the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions. 2And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bore spices and gold very much, and precious stones; and when she was come to Solomon, she spoke with him of all that was in her heart. 3And Solomon told her all her questions; there was not any thing hid from the king which he told her not. 4And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, 5and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his burnt-offering which he offered in the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her. 6And she said to the king: 'It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom. 7Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it; and, behold, the half was not told me; thou hast wisdom and prosperity exceeding the fame which I heard. 8Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, that stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. 9Blessed be the Lord thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel; because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made He thee king, to do justice and righteousness.' 10And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones; there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. 11And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of sandal-wood and precious stones. 12And the king made of the sandal-wood pillars for the house of the Lord, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for the singers; there came no such sandal-wood, nor was seen, unto this day. 13And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.

14Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold, 15beside that which came of the merchants, and of the traffic of the traders, and of all the kings of the mingled people and of the governors of

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