2 Chronicles 9

2 Chronicles 9

The big picture

2 Chronicles 9 opens in verse 1 with “And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 16 with “And three hundred shields made he of beaten gold: three hundred shekels of gold went to…”, and closes in verse 31 with “And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father…” Repeated or prominent terms include Solomon, gold, king, servants, wisdom. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.

Scripture beside the summary

2 Chronicles · King James Version · 31

2 Chronicles 9:1-8

1–8: When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove…

2 Chronicles 9:1–8 opens with “And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard…” and reaches “Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 9 develops its own movement around Solomon, gold, king, servants, wisdom, with particular weight carried by Solomon, wisdom, king.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem…” Naming Solomon and Jerusalem keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,” Naming Sheba and Solomon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom:” The line’s distinctive content terms include acts, king, land. Its relationship to verses 4 and 6 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.” Naming Happy keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

2 Chronicles 9:1-8

King James Version

1And 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.

2And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not.

3And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,

4And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the LORD ; there was no more spirit in her.

5And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom:

6Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.

7Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.

8Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.

2 Chronicles 9:9-16

9–16: She gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices…

2 Chronicles 9:9–16 opens with “And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and…” and reaches “And three hundred shields made he of beaten gold: three hundred shekels of gold went to one…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 9 develops its own movement around Solomon, gold, king, servants, wisdom, with particular weight carried by gold, king, Solomon.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones…” The number hundred makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the LORD , and to the king’s palace, and harps and…” Naming Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold;” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

2 Chronicles 9:9-16

King James Version

9And 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.

10And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones.

11And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the LORD , and to the king’s palace, and harps and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.

12And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants.

13Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold;

14Beside that which chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.

15And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target.

16And three hundred shields made he of beaten gold: three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

2 Chronicles 9:17-24

17–24: Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with…

2 Chronicles 9:17–24 opens with “Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.” and reaches “And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 9 develops its own movement around Solomon, gold, king, servants, wisdom, with particular weight carried by gold, Solomon, vessels.

Context that brings the passage to life

“Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.” Naming Moreover keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any…” The number twelve makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: every three years once came the ships of Tarshish…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

2 Chronicles 9:17-24

King James Version

17Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.

18And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on each side of the sitting place, and two lions standing by the stays:

19And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom.

20And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: none were of silver; it was not any thing accounted of in the days of Solomon.

21For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

22And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

23And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart.

24And 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.

2 Chronicles 9:25-31

25–31: Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve…

2 Chronicles 9:25–31 opens with “And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom…” and reaches “And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 9 develops its own movement around Solomon, gold, king, servants, wisdom, with particular weight carried by Solomon, Jerusalem, reigned.

Context that brings the passage to life

This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.

“And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the…” The number four makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

2 Chronicles 9:25-31

King James Version

25And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

26And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.

27And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the low plains in abundance.

28And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all lands.

29Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?

30And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

31And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

Details worth noticing

31verses in this reading
4major movements
1verses with speech
1questions in the KJV text

The opening image

2 Chronicles 9:1 begins with “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…”

Where the chapter turns

2 Chronicles 9:13 forms a natural hinge: “Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold;”

The final note

2 Chronicles 9:31 leaves the reader with “And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.”

A word trail through the chapter

The words Solomon, gold, king, servants, wisdom, house help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.

Who is included in the covenant?

Noah, his descendants and every living creature. Trace the repeated wording in verses 8-17.

Why does verse 6 matter after the flood?

It grounds the protection of every human life in the continuing divine image.

KJV words made clear

behold
look, or pay close attention
unto
to
thee
you
thou
you
thy
your

Text first

Where readers differ

The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.

The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.

Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.