1 Kings 10:18-28

New International Version

¹⁸ Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. ¹⁹ The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. ²⁰ 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. ²¹ All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold.^(A) Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days. ²² The king had a fleet of trading ships^[a](B) at sea along with the ships^(C) of Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.

²³ King Solomon was greater in riches^(D) and wisdom^(E) than all the other kings of the earth. ²⁴ The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom^(F) God had put in his heart. ²⁵ Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift^(G)—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.

²⁶ Solomon accumulated chariots and horses;^(H) he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses,^[b] which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. ²⁷ The king made silver as common^(I) in Jerusalem as stones,^(J) and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig^(K) trees in the foothills. ²⁸ Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue^[c]—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price.