King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Then she gave the king four tons of gold, spices in great abundance, and precious stones; there had never been spices like those the queen of Sh'va gave to King Shlomo.
Berean Standard Bible:
Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
American Standard Version:
And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And she gave{H5414} the king{H4428} an hundred{H3967} and twenty{H6242} talents{H3603} of gold{H2091}, and of spices{H1314} great{H3966} abundance{H7230}, and precious{H3368} stones{H68}: neither was there any such spice{H1314} as the queen{H4436} of Sheba{H7614} gave{H5414} king{H4428} Solomon{H8010}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Genesis 43:11
- ¶ And their father Israel said unto them, If [it must be] so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
Psalms 72:15
- And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; [and] daily shall he be praised.
2 Chronicles 9:1
- ¶ And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
Psalms 72:10
- The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
2 Chronicles 9:24
- And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
1 Kings 10:10
- And she gave the king an 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.
1 Kings 9:14
- And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for 2 Chronicles 9:9
2 Chronicles 9:9 is a verse that recounts the lavish gifts presented to King Solomon by the Queen of Sheba during her famous visit to his court. This event is significant in the historical and narrative context of the Bible, as it highlights the peak of Solomon's wealth and wisdom, which were renowned throughout the ancient world.
The verse specifically mentions the Queen of Sheba's gifts to Solomon: 120 talents of gold, a great abundance of spices, and precious stones. The value of these gifts would have been immense, reflecting not only the Queen's own wealth but also the high regard in which she held Solomon. Gold was a symbol of wealth and power, spices were valuable commodities for their use in medicine, cooking, and religious ceremonies, and precious stones were rare and sought after for their beauty and durability.
The mention of the spices being unparalleled underscores the uniqueness and quality of the gifts, emphasizing that the Queen of Sheba spared no expense in her offerings to Solomon. This act of generosity also serves to confirm Solomon's proverbial wisdom and his kingdom's prosperity, as the Queen herself was a ruler of considerable stature.
Historically, this passage reflects the trade relations and diplomatic exchanges that were likely between ancient Israel and the Kingdom of Sheba, which is thought to have been located in present-day Yemen or Ethiopia. The visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon's court is emblematic of the international recognition of Israel's power and Solomon's sagacity during the United Monarchy period.
In summary, 2 Chronicles 9:9 encapsulates the themes of Solomon's divine favor, the international renown of his wisdom, the prosperity of his reign, and the diplomatic and trade relations between Israel and other ancient kingdoms. The verse is a testament to the opulence of Solomon's court and the esteem in which he was held by contemporary rulers.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H5414
There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָתַן
Transliteration: nâthan
Pronunciation: naw-than'
Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield. - Strong's Number: H4428
There are 1922 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מֶלֶךְ
Transliteration: melek
Pronunciation: meh'-lek
Description: from מָלַךְ; a king; king, royal. - Strong's Number: H3967
There are 512 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מֵאָה
Transliteration: mêʼâh
Pronunciation: may-aw'
Description: or מֵאיָה; properly, a primitive numeral; a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction; hundred((-fold), -th), [phrase] sixscore. - Strong's Number: H6242
There are 281 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֶשְׂרִים
Transliteration: ʻesrîym
Pronunciation: es-reem'
Description: from עֶשֶׂר; twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth; (six-) score, twenty(-ieth). - Strong's Number: H3603
There are 55 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כִּכָּר
Transliteration: kikkâr
Pronunciation: kik-kawr'
Description: from כָּרַר; a circle, i.e. (by implication) a circumjacent tract or region, especially the Ghor or valley of the Jordan; also a (round) loaf; also a talent (or large [round] coin); loaf, morsel, piece, plain, talent. - Strong's Number: H2091
There are 336 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: זָהָב
Transliteration: zâhâb
Pronunciation: zaw-hawb'
Description: from an unused root meaning to shimmer; gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky; gold(-en), fair weather. - Strong's Number: H1314
There are 25 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֶּשֶׂם
Transliteration: besem
Pronunciation: beh'-sem
Description: or בֹּשֶׂם; from the same as בָּשָׂם; fragrance; by implication, spicery; also the balsam plant; smell, spice, sweet (odour). - Strong's Number: H3966
There are 278 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מְאֹד
Transliteration: mᵉʼôd
Pronunciation: meh-ode'
Description: from the same as אוּד; properly, vehemence, i.e. (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication, wholly, speedily, etc. (often with other words as an intensive or superlative; especially when repeated); diligently, especially, exceeding(-ly), far, fast, good, great(-ly), [idiom] louder and louder, might(-ily, -y), (so) much, quickly, (so) sore, utterly, very ([phrase] much, sore), well. - Strong's Number: H7230
There are 149 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רֹב
Transliteration: rôb
Pronunciation: robe
Description: from רָבַב; abundance (in any respect); abundance(-antly), all, [idiom] common (sort), excellent, great(-ly, -ness, number), huge, be increased, long, many, more in number, most, much, multitude, plenty(-ifully), [idiom] very (age). - Strong's Number: H3368
There are 36 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָקָר
Transliteration: yâqâr
Pronunciation: yaw-kawr'
Description: from יָקַר; valuable (objectively or subjectively); brightness, clear, costly, excellent, fat, honourable women, precious, reputation. - Strong's Number: H68
There are 1276 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֶבֶן
Transliteration: ʼeben
Pronunciation: eh'-ben
Description: from the root of בָּנָה through the meaning to build; a stone; [phrase] carbuncle, [phrase] mason, [phrase] plummet, (chalk-, hail-, head-, sling-) stone(-ny), (divers) weight(-s). - Strong's Number: H4436
There are 34 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מַלְכָּה
Transliteration: malkâh
Pronunciation: mal-kaw'
Description: feminine of מֶלֶךְ; a queen; queen. - Strong's Number: H7614
There are 23 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁבָא
Transliteration: Shᵉbâʼ
Pronunciation: sheb-aw'
Description: of foreign origin; Sheba, the name of three early progenitors of tribes and of an Ethiopian district; Sheba, Sabeans. - Strong's Number: H8010
There are 263 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁלֹמֹה
Transliteration: Shᵉlômôh
Pronunciation: shel-o-mo'
Description: from שָׁלוֹם; peaceful; Shelomah, David's successor; Solomon.