2 Chronicles 9 (Divrei HaYamim Bet) in Hebrew and English
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Text (469) 608-99442 Chronicles, Chapter 9
The queen of Sheva comes to Yerushalayim to prove Shlomo with hard questions, praises his wisdom and Hashem who made him king, and gives him gold and spices; Shlomo’s gold, shields, ivory throne, ships, horses and riches are told, and after reigning forty years he dies and Rechav’am reigns.
9:1And when the queen of Sheva (Sheba) heard of the fame of Shlomo (Solomon), she came to prove Shlomo with hard questions at Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), with a very great company, and camels that bore spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Shlomo, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
אוּמַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֗א שָֽׁמְעָה֮ אֶת־שֵׁ֣מַע שְׁלֹמֹה֒ וַתָּב֣וֹא לְנַסּוֹת֩ אֶת־שְׁלֹמֹ֨ה בְחִיד֜וֹת בִּירֽוּשָׁלִַ֗ם בְּחַ֣יִל כָּבֵ֣ד מְאֹ֡ד וּ֠גְמַלִּים נֹשְׂאִ֨ים בְּשָׂמִ֧ים וְזָהָ֛ב לָרֹ֖ב וְאֶ֣בֶן יְקָרָ֑ה וַתָּבוֹא֙ אֶל־שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה וַתְּדַבֵּ֣ר עִמּ֔וֹ אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה עִם־לְבָבָֽהּ׃
9:2And Shlomo told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid from Shlomo which he told her not.
בוַיַּגֶּד־לָ֥הּ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה אֶת־כָּל־דְּבָרֶ֑יהָ וְלֹֽא־נֶעְלַ֤ם דָּבָר֙ מִשְּׁלֹמֹ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹ֦א הִגִּ֖יד לָֽהּ׃
9:3And when the queen of Sheva had seen the wisdom of Shlomo, and the house that he had built,
גוַתֵּ֨רֶא֙ מַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֔א אֵ֖ת חָכְמַ֣ת שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה וְהַבַּ֖יִת אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנָֽה׃
9:4And the food 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 Hashem; there was no more spirit in her.
דוּמַאֲכַ֣ל שֻׁלְחָנ֡וֹ וּמוֹשַׁ֣ב עֲבָדָיו֩ וּמַעֲמַ֨ד מְשָׁרְתָ֜יו וּמַלְבּֽוּשֵׁיהֶ֗ם וּמַשְׁקָיו֙ וּמַלְבּ֣וּשֵׁיהֶ֔ם וַעֲלִיָּת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲלֶ֖ה בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה וְלֹא־הָ֥יָה ע֛וֹד בָּ֖הּ רֽוּחַ׃
9:5And she said to the king, “It was a true report which I heard in my own land of your acts, and of your wisdom:
הוַתֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֱמֶת֙ הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי בְּאַרְצִ֑י עַל־דְּבָרֶ֖יךָ וְעַל־חָכְמָתֶֽךָ׃
9:6Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and my eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me: for you exceed the fame that I heard.
ווְלֹֽא־הֶאֱמַ֣נְתִּי לְדִבְרֵיהֶ֗ם עַ֤ד אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֨אתִי֙ וַתִּרְאֶ֣ינָה עֵינַ֔י וְהִנֵּה֙ לֹ֣א הֻגַּד־לִ֔י חֲצִ֖י מַרְבִּ֣ית חָכְמָתֶ֑ךָ יָסַ֕פְתָּ עַל־הַשְּׁמוּעָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמָֽעְתִּי׃
9:7Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants, which stand continually before you, and hear your wisdom.
זאַשְׁרֵ֣י אֲנָשֶׁ֔יךָ וְאַשְׁרֵ֖י עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ אֵ֑לֶּה הָעֹמְדִ֤ים לְפָנֶ֨יךָ֙ תָּמִ֔יד וְשֹׁמְעִ֖ים אֶת־חָכְמָתֶֽךָ׃
9:8Blessed be Hashem your God, which delighted in you to set you on His throne, to be king for Hashem your God: because your God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made He you king over them, to do judgment and justice.”
חיְהִ֨י יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ בָּר֔וּךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ חָפֵ֣ץ בְּךָ֗ לְתִתְּךָ֤ עַל־כִּסְאוֹ֙ לְמֶ֔לֶךְ לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּאַהֲבַ֨ת אֱלֹהֶ֤יךָ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְהַעֲמִיד֣וֹ לְעוֹלָ֔ם וַיִּתֶּנְךָ֤ עֲלֵיהֶם֙ לְמֶ֔לֶךְ לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת מִשְׁפָּ֥ט וּצְדָקָֽה׃
9:9And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheva gave king Shlomo.
טוַתִּתֵּ֨ן לַמֶּ֜לֶךְ מֵאָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֣ים ׀ כִּכַּ֣ר זָהָ֗ב וּבְשָׂמִ֛ים לָרֹ֥ב מְאֹ֖ד וְאֶ֣בֶן יְקָרָ֑ה וְלֹ֤א הָיָה֙ כַּבֹּ֣שֶׂם הַה֔וּא אֲשֶׁר־נָתְנָ֥ה מַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֖א לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃
9:10And the servants also of Churam (Huram), and the servants of Shlomo, which brought gold from Ofir (Ophir), brought algum trees and precious stones.
יוְגַם־עַבְדֵ֤י חוּרָם֙ (כתיב חירם) וְעַבְדֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־הֵבִ֥יאוּ זָהָ֖ב מֵאוֹפִ֑יר הֵבִ֛יאוּ עֲצֵ֥י אַלְגּוּמִּ֖ים וְאֶ֥בֶן יְקָרָֽה׃
9:11And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of Hashem, and to the king’s palace, and harps and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Yehudah (Judah).
יאוַיַּ֣עַשׂ הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ אֶת־עֲצֵ֨י הָֽאַלְגּוּמִּ֜ים מְסִלּ֤וֹת לְבֵית־יְהוָה֙ וּלְבֵ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכִנֹּר֥וֹת וּנְבָלִ֖ים לַשָּׁרִ֑ים וְלֹא־נִרְא֥וּ כָהֵ֛ם לְפָנִ֖ים בְּאֶ֥רֶץ יְהוּדָֽה׃
9:12And king Shlomo gave to the queen of Sheva 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.
יבוְהַמֶּ֨לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה נָתַ֣ן לְמַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֗א אֶת־כָּל־חֶפְצָהּ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁאָ֔לָה מִלְּבַ֖ד אֲשֶׁר־הֵבִ֣יאָה אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַֽתַּהֲפֹ֛ךְ וַתֵּ֥לֶךְ לְאַרְצָ֖הּ הִ֥יא וַעֲבָדֶֽיהָ׃
9:13Now the weight of gold that came to Shlomo in one year was six hundred and sixty and six talents of gold;
יגוַיְהִי֙ מִשְׁקַ֣ל הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א לִשְׁלֹמֹ֖ה בְּשָׁנָ֣ה אֶחָ֑ת שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֛וֹת וְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים וָשֵׁ֖שׁ כִּכְּרֵ֥י זָהָֽב׃
9:14Beside that which chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arav (Arabia) and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Shlomo.
ידלְבַ֞ד מֵאַנְשֵׁ֧י הַתָּרִ֛ים וְהַסֹּחֲרִ֖ים מְבִיאִ֑ים וְכָל־מַלְכֵ֤י עֲרַב֙ וּפַח֣וֹת הָאָ֔רֶץ מְבִיאִ֛ים זָהָ֥ב וָכֶ֖סֶף לִשְׁלֹמֹֽה׃
9:15And king Shlomo made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target.
טווַיַּ֨עַשׂ הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה מָאתַ֥יִם צִנָּ֖ה זָהָ֣ב שָׁח֑וּט שֵׁ֤שׁ מֵאוֹת֙ זָהָ֣ב שָׁח֔וּט יַעֲלֶ֖ה עַל־הַצִּנָּ֥ה הָאֶחָֽת׃
9:16And 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 Levanon (Lebanon).
טזוּשְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֤וֹת מָֽגִנִּים֙ זָהָ֣ב שָׁח֔וּט שְׁלֹ֤שׁ מֵאוֹת֙ זָהָ֔ב יַעֲלֶ֖ה עַל־הַמָּגֵ֣ן הָאֶחָ֑ת וַיִּתְּנֵ֣ם הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ בְּבֵ֖ית יַ֥עַר הַלְּבָנֽוֹן׃
9:17Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.
יזוַיַּ֧עַשׂ הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ כִּסֵּא־שֵׁ֖ן גָּד֑וֹל וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ זָהָ֥ב טָהֽוֹר׃
9:18And 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:
יחוְשֵׁ֣שׁ מַעֲל֣וֹת לַ֠כִּסֵּא וְכֶ֨בֶשׁ בַּזָּהָ֤ב לַכִּסֵּא֙ מָאֳחָזִ֔ים וְיָד֛וֹת מִזֶּ֥ה וּמִזֶּ֖ה עַל־מְק֣וֹם הַשָּׁ֑בֶת וּשְׁנַ֣יִם אֲרָי֔וֹת עֹמְדִ֖ים אֵ֥צֶל הַיָּדֽוֹת׃
9:19And 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.
יטוּשְׁנֵ֧ים עָשָׂ֣ר אֲרָי֗וֹת עֹמְדִ֥ים שָׁ֛ם עַל־שֵׁ֥שׁ הַֽמַּעֲל֖וֹת מִזֶּ֣ה וּמִזֶּ֑ה לֹא־נַעֲשָׂ֥ה כֵ֖ן לְכָל־מַמְלָכָֽה׃
9:20And all the drinking vessels of king Shlomo were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Levanon were of pure gold: none were of silver; it was not any thing accounted of in the days of Shlomo.
כוְ֠כֹל כְּלֵ֞י מַשְׁקֵ֨ה הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה֙ זָהָ֔ב וְכֹ֗ל כְּלֵ֛י בֵּֽית־יַ֥עַר הַלְּבָנ֖וֹן זָהָ֣ב סָג֑וּר אֵ֣ין כֶּ֗סֶף נֶחְשָׁ֛ב בִּימֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לִמְאֽוּמָה׃
9:21For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Churam: every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
כאכִּֽי־אֳנִיּ֤וֹת לַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ הֹלְכ֣וֹת תַּרְשִׁ֔ישׁ עִ֖ם עַבְדֵ֣י חוּרָ֑ם אַחַת֩ לְשָׁל֨וֹשׁ שָׁנִ֜ים תָּב֣וֹאנָה ׀ אֳנִיּ֣וֹת תַּרְשִׁ֗ישׁ נֹֽשְׂאוֹת֙ זָהָ֣ב וָכֶ֔סֶף שֶׁנְהַבִּ֥ים וְקוֹפִ֖ים וְתוּכִּיִּֽים׃
9:22And king Shlomo passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
כבוַיִּגְדַּל֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מִכֹּ֖ל מַלְכֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ לְעֹ֖שֶׁר וְחָכְמָֽה׃
9:23And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Shlomo, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart.
כגוְכֹל֙ מַלְכֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ מְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה לִשְׁמֹ֨עַ֙ אֶת־חָכְמָת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃
9:24And 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.
כדוְהֵ֣ם מְבִיאִ֣ים אִ֣ישׁ מִנְחָת֡וֹ כְּלֵ֣י כֶסֶף֩ וּכְלֵ֨י זָהָ֤ב וּשְׂלָמוֹת֙ נֵ֣שֶׁק וּבְשָׂמִ֔ים סוּסִ֖ים וּפְרָדִ֑ים דְּבַר־שָׁנָ֖ה בְּשָׁנָֽה׃
9:25And Shlomo had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Yerushalayim.
כהוַיְהִ֨י לִשְׁלֹמֹ֜ה אַרְבַּעַת֩ אֲלָפִ֨ים אֻֽרְי֤וֹת סוּסִים֙ וּמַרְכָּב֔וֹת וּשְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף פָּרָשִׁ֑ים וַיַּנִּיחֵם֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הָרֶ֔כֶב וְעִם־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃
9:26And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Pelishtim (Philistines), and to the border of Mitzrayim (Egypt).
כווַיְהִ֥י מוֹשֵׁ֖ל בְּכָל־הַמְּלָכִ֑ים מִן־הַנָּהָר֙ וְעַד־אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְעַ֖ד גְּב֥וּל מִצְרָֽיִם׃
9:27And the king made silver in Yerushalayim as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the low plains in abundance.
כזוַיִּתֵּ֨ן הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ אֶת־הַכֶּ֛סֶף בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם כָּאֲבָנִ֑ים וְאֵ֣ת הָאֲרָזִ֗ים נָתַ֛ן כַּשִּׁקְמִ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־בַּשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה לָרֹֽב׃
9:28And they brought unto Shlomo horses out of Mitzrayim, and out of all lands.
כחוּמוֹצִיאִ֨ים סוּסִ֧ים מִמִּצְרַ֛יִם לִשְׁלֹמֹ֖ה וּמִכָּל־הָאֲרָצֽוֹת׃
9:29Now the rest of the acts of Shlomo, first and last, are they not written in the book of Natan (Nathan) the prophet, and in the prophecy of Achiyah (Ahijah) the Shiloni (Shilonite), and in the visions of Ye’do (Iddo) the seer against Yarov’am (Jeroboam) the son of Nevat (Nebat)?
כטוּשְׁאָר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים וְהָאֲחֲרוֹנִ֑ים הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־דִּבְרֵי֙ נָתָ֣ן הַנָּבִ֔יא וְעַל־נְבוּאַ֞ת אֲחִיָּ֣ה הַשִּֽׁילוֹנִ֗י וּבַחֲזוֹת֙ יֶעְדּ֣וֹ (כתיב יעדי) הַחֹזֶ֔ה עַל־יָרָבְעָ֖ם בֶּן־נְבָֽט׃
9:30And Shlomo reigned in Yerushalayim over all Israel forty years.
לוַיִּמְלֹ֨ךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֧ה בִֽירוּשָׁלִַ֛ם עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה׃
9:31And Shlomo slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rechav’am (Rehoboam) his son reigned in his stead.
לאוַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב שְׁלֹמֹה֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֔הוּ בְּעִ֖יר דָּוִ֣יד אָבִ֑יו וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ רְחַבְעָ֥ם בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃
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Sources & method
- Hebrew text
- The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
- English translation
- The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
- Verse numbers
- Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In 2 Chronicles they differ from most English Bibles in chapters 1, 2, 13 and 14; a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
- Commentary
- Our full 2 Chronicles commentary, written for our Wednesday Tenakh study from a Messianic Jewish perspective in line with the Benei Avraham Statement of Faith, is on its own page.
- Quiz
- Written by Benei Avraham for young readers (about 11 and up). Every answer is in the chapter on this page. Answers and scores are kept only in this browser (local storage) and can be cleared with Start over.
- Hebrew font
- SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.