2 Chronicles 9

2 Chronicles 9:1

9:1-9 When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she traveled with a very great caravan loaded down with gifts to find out for herself. After seeing the splendor of his kingdom and testing his wisdom with hard questions, she was overwhelmed. She confessed that the half had not been told. She realized that Solomon’s prosperity was due to the favor of his God. 9:10-12 Verses 10 and 11 interrupt the narrative to explain the source of some of Solomon’s wealth and the uniquely beautiful uses to which he put it. When the queen of Sheba left, Solomon gave her gifts much greater in number and value than those she had brought to him. 9:13-28 Solomon received over six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold each year and used some of it to make shields, to overlay his throne of ivory, and to make goblets and tableware. His greatness brought him honor and wealth from all the kings of the earth. His trade went all the way to Tarshish, which may have been in Spain. He was rich in the abundance of horses, territory, silver, and cedar. Although he reigned over the territory from the River Euphrates westward, it was not incorporated as part of Israel but consisted of vassal states that paid tribute to him.

2 Chronicles 9:29

D. Solomon’s Death (9:29-31)Solomon died after he had reigned for forty years, and was succeeded by his son . . . Rehoboam. The noncanonical books mentioned in verse 29 were probably used as resource materials by the chronicler, but they have since been lost.