2 Chronicles 9

Wisdom and shrewdness are the same stem for me.  I use one or the other almost at a whim. Solomon here exhibits the kind of planning and engineering that creates a wealthy show. We already know he used enforced labour of guests in the land for his building projects. This is, if wisdom, not a very nice wisdom. I do not think Solomon is a good example. I was sold a bill of goods in Sunday School. He is clever, astute, shrewd, and perhaps occasionally wise. I recall that his reign began with fratricide and after it ended, the kingdom was divided. Altogether these are not an indication of effective governance.

The queen in this story does not turn in the normal sense of return (שׁוב) but she turns in the sense of הפר, also glossed as change. I wonder if she had had enough of Solomon's glory. The descriptions are excessive, to say the least. Some English words are so flexible that isolating them to one stem is impossible. And for this gloss there are other variations generally with prepositions to distinguish them, turn round (סבב), turn aside (סור), turn away or back (שׁוב), all reflecting different stems.

Solomon is seen as the source of the number of the Beast of revelation in this passage. So much for the worship of human wisdom. Is Solomon the beginning of an extended parable of the failure of human monarchy?

The hassock (כבשׁ) of verse 18 (KJV footstool) is read as lamb (כבש young lamb) behind the throne by JB. The only difference is the dot on the left of the shin. I suspect that armrests (NIV or arms JB) are as good guesses as stay. The word is יד, hand. The Latin concordance is very flexible with this stem. manus, potestas, vis, praesidium, latus, ripa, regio, locus, pars, monumentum, cardines asserum, axes rotae, adminicula sellae, euph pro pene. I have chosen protections. A little security is not a bad idea.

מזה ומזה literally from this and/or from that. Probably should be glossed as 'on either side' but it is not so specific. Pondering - this way and that sounds too helter skelter.

Colloquial possibilities in verse 2 (and nothing got past him) and 4 (it took her breath away).

2 Chronicles 9		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וּמַֽלְכַּת־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	1		And the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, and she went to prove Solomon with riddles in Jerusalem, with excessively glorious wealth, and camels bearing spices, and gold abundant, and precious stone. And she went to Solomon and spoke with him all that was with her heart.	3c	4B	56 22
וַיַּגֶּד־לָ֥הּ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה אֶת־כָּל־דְּבָרֶ֑יהָ וְלֹֽא־נֶעְלַ֤ם דָּבָר֙ מִשְּׁלֹמֹ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹ֦א הִגִּ֖יד לָֽהּ	2		And Solomon made clear for her all her words, and no word was obscured from Solomon that he did not make clear for her.	3c	4C	13 15
וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ מַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֔א אֵ֖ת חָכְמַ֣ת שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה וְהַבַּ֖יִת אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנָֽה	3		And the queen of Sheba saw the shrewdness of Solomon, and the house that he had built.	3e	4B	13 8
וּמַאֲכַ֣ל שֻׁלְחָנ֡וֹ וּמוֹשַׁ֣ב עֲבָדָיו֩ וּמַעֲמַ֨ד מְשָׁרְתָ֜יו וּמַלְבּֽוּשֵׁיהֶ֗ם וּמַשְׁקָיו֙ וּמַלְבּ֣וּשֵׁיהֶ֔ם וַעֲלִיָּת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲלֶ֖ה בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה וְלֹא־הָ֥יָה ע֛וֹד בָּ֖הּ רֽוּחַ	4		And the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the standing of his ministers and their raiment, and his cupbearers and their raiment, and his ascent which he went up to by the House of Yahweh, and there was in her no more wind.	3d	4B	46 7
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֱמֶת֙ הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי בְּאַרְצִ֑י עַל־דְּבָרֶ֖יךָ וְעַל־חָכְמָתֶֽךָ	5		And she said to the king, It was the truth of the matter that I had heard in my land, about your words and your shrewdness.	3e	4A	20 11
וְלֹֽא־הֶאֱמַ֣נְתִּי לְדִבְרֵיהֶ֗ם עַ֤ד אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֙אתִי֙ וַתִּרְאֶ֣ינָה עֵינַ֔י וְהִנֵּה֙ לֹ֣א הֻגַּד־לִ֔י חֲצִ֖י מַרְבִּ֣ית חָכְמָתֶ֑ךָ יָסַ֕פְתָּ עַל־הַשְּׁמוּעָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמָֽעְתִּי	6		And I had not believed their words until I came and my eyes had seen, and behold the half of the excess of your shrewdness was not told me. You have added again over the report that I had heard.	3e	4C	35 12
אַשְׁרֵ֣י אֲנָשֶׁ֔יךָ וְאַשְׁרֵ֖י עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ אֵ֑לֶּה הָעֹמְדִ֤ים לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ תָּמִ֔יד וְשֹׁמְעִ֖ים אֶת־חָכְמָתֶֽךָ	7		Happy your soldiers, and happy these your servants, those standing in your presence continually, and those hearing your wisdom.	3e	4C	15 17
יְהִ֨י יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ בָּר֔וּךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ חָפֵ֣ץ בְּךָ֗ לְתִתְּךָ֤ עַל־כִּסְאוֹ֙ לְמֶ֔לֶךְ לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּאַהֲבַ֨ת אֱלֹהֶ֤יךָ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְהַעֲמִיד֣וֹ לְעוֹלָ֔ם וַיִּתֶּנְךָ֤ עֲלֵיהֶם֙ לְמֶ֔לֶךְ לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת מִשְׁפָּ֥ט וּצְדָקָֽה	8		Let Yahweh your God be blessed that he delighted in you to give you his throne as king for Yahweh your God, in the love of your God to make Israel stand forever, and to give you over them as king to do judgment and righteousness.	3e	4C	31 38
וַתִּתֵּ֨ן לַמֶּ֜לֶךְ מֵאָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֣ים ׀ כִּכַּ֣ר זָהָ֗ב וּבְשָׂמִ֛ים לָרֹ֥ב מְאֹ֖ד וְאֶ֣בֶן יְקָרָ֑ה וְלֹ֤א הָיָה֙ כַּבֹּ֣שֶׂם הַה֔וּא אֲשֶׁר־נָתְנָ֥ה מַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֖א לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹֽה	9		And she gave to the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in excessive abundance, and precious stone, and there is not a spice such as this that the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.	3d	4C	28 23
וְגַם־עַבְדֵ֤י חוּרָם֙ וְעַבְדֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־הֵבִ֥יאוּ זָהָ֖ב מֵאוֹפִ֑יר הֵבִ֛יאוּ עֲצֵ֥י אַלְגּוּמִּ֖ים וְאֶ֥בֶן יְקָרָֽה	10		And even the servants of Xuram and the servants of Solomon that brought gold from Ophir, brought wood of algum trees and precious stone.	3d	4C	22 14
וַיַּ֣עַשׂ הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ אֶת־עֲצֵ֨י הָֽאַלְגּוּמִּ֜ים מְסִלּ֤וֹת לְבֵית־יְהוָה֙ וּלְבֵ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכִנֹּר֥וֹת וּנְבָלִ֖ים לַשָּׁרִ֑ים וְלֹא־נִרְא֥וּ כָהֵ֛ם לְפָנִ֖ים בְּאֶ֥רֶץ יְהוּדָֽה	11		And the king made the wood of the algum trees floorboards for the house of Yahweh, and the house of the king, and harps and lutes for the singers, and none had been seen like them before in the land of Judah.	3d	4C	35 15
וְהַמֶּ֨לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה נָתַ֣ן לְמַֽלְכַּת־שְׁבָ֗א אֶת־כָּל־חֶפְצָהּ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁאָ֔לָה מִלְּבַ֖ד אֲשֶׁר־הֵבִ֣יאָה אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַֽתַּהֲפֹ֛ךְ וַתֵּ֥לֶךְ לְאַרְצָ֖הּ הִ֥יא וַעֲבָדֶֽיהָ	12		Then the king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her delight that she asked, besides what she had brought to the king, and she changed and went to her land, she and her servants.	3d	4B	34 16
וַיְהִי֙ מִשְׁקַ֣ל הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א לִשְׁלֹמֹ֖ה בְּשָׁנָ֣ה אֶחָ֑ת שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֛וֹת וְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים וָשֵׁ֖שׁ כִּכְּרֵ֥י זָהָֽב	13		And the weight of the gold that came to Solomon in the first year was, six hundred and sixty six talents of gold,	3d	4B	18 12
לְבַ֞ד מֵאַנְשֵׁ֧י הַתָּרִ֛ים וְהַסֹּחֲרִ֖ים מְבִיאִ֑ים וְכָל־מַלְכֵ֤י עֲרַב֙ וּפַח֣וֹת הָאָ֔רֶץ מְבִיאִ֛ים זָהָ֥ב וָכֶ֖סֶף לִשְׁלֹמֹֽה	14		Besides what salespersons and vendors brought. And all the kings of Arabia and the viceroys of the earth brought gold and silver to Solomon.	3c	4C	16 23
וַיַּ֨עַשׂ הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה מָאתַ֥יִם צִנָּ֖ה זָהָ֣ב שָׁח֑וּט שֵׁ֤שׁ מֵאוֹת֙ זָהָ֣ב שָׁח֔וּט יַעֲלֶ֖ה עַל־הַצִּנָּ֥ה הָאֶחָֽת	15		And the king Solomon made two hundred receptacles of malleable gold. Six hundred of malleable gold went up over the one receptacle.	3c	4C	17 17
וּשְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֤וֹת מָֽגִנִּים֙ זָהָ֣ב שָׁח֔וּט שְׁלֹ֤שׁ מֵאוֹת֙ זָהָ֔ב יַעֲלֶ֖ה עַל־הַמָּגֵ֣ן הָאֶחָ֑ת וַיִּתְּנֵ֣ם הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ בְּבֵ֖ית יַ֥עַר הַלְּבָנֽוֹן	16		And three hundred shields of malleable gold, (three hundred of gold went up on the one shield), and the king assigned them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.	3e	4C	27 13
וַיַּ֧עַשׂ הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ כִּסֵּא־שֵׁ֖ן גָּד֑וֹל וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ זָהָ֥ב טָהֽוֹר	17		And the king made a great throne of ivory, and he overlaid it with lustrous gold.	3c	4A	11 8
וְשֵׁ֣שׁ מַעֲל֣וֹת לַ֠כִּסֵּא וְכֶ֨בֶשׁ בַּזָּהָ֤ב לַכִּסֵּא֙ מָאֳחָזִ֔ים וְיָד֛וֹת מִזֶּ֥ה וּמִזֶּ֖ה עַל־מְק֣וֹם הַשָּׁ֑בֶת וּשְׁנַ֣יִם אֲרָי֔וֹת עֹמְדִ֖ים אֵ֥צֶל הַיָּדֽוֹת	18		And six stairs to the throne, and a hassock in gold for the throne, held fast, and protections from this and from that by the place of the seat, and two lions standing next to the protections.	3d	4C	35 12
וּשְׁנֵ֧ים עָשָׂ֣ר אֲרָי֗וֹת עֹמְדִ֥ים שָׁ֛ם עַל־שֵׁ֥שׁ הַֽמַּעֲל֖וֹת מִזֶּ֣ה וּמִזֶּ֑ה לֹא־נַעֲשָׂ֥ה כֵ֖ן לְכָל־מַמְלָכָֽה	19		And twelve lions standing there on the six stairs from this and from that. Such had not been made for any kingdom.	3c	4B	21 9
וְ֠כֹל כְּלֵ֞י מַשְׁקֵ֨ה הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה֙ זָהָ֔ב וְכֹ֗ל כְּלֵ֛י בֵּֽית־יַ֥עַר הַלְּבָנ֖וֹן זָהָ֣ב סָג֑וּר אֵ֣ין כֶּ֗סֶף נֶחְשָׁ֛ב בִּימֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לִמְאֽוּמָה	20	~	And all the drinking vessels for the king Solomon, gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon, gold, of a gold bar. Silver was not to be reckoned in the days of Solomon for anything much.	3d	4C	28 13
כִּֽי־אֳנִיּ֤וֹת לַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ הֹלְכ֣וֹת תַּרְשִׁ֔ישׁ עִ֖ם עַבְדֵ֣י חוּרָ֑ם אַחַת֩ לְשָׁל֨וֹשׁ שָׁנִ֜ים תָּב֣וֹאנָה ׀ אֳנִיּ֣וֹת תַּרְשִׁ֗ישׁ נֹֽשְׂאוֹת֙ זָהָ֣ב וָכֶ֔סֶף שֶׁנְהַבִּ֥ים וְקוֹפִ֖ים וְתוּכִּיִּֽים	21		For the ships of the king went to Tarshish with the servants of Xuram. Once every three years, the ships of Tarshish came bearing gold and silver, ivory tusks, apes and baboons.	3e	4C	15 32
וַיִּגְדַּל֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מִכֹּ֖ל מַלְכֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ לְעֹ֖שֶׁר וְחָכְמָֽה	22		And king Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth, in riches and shrewdness.	3e	4B	16 6
וְכֹל֙ מַלְכֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ מְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה לִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ אֶת־חָכְמָת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּלִבּֽוֹ	23		And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his shrewdness that God gave in his heart.	3e	4B	16 18
וְהֵ֣ם מְבִיאִ֣ים אִ֣ישׁ מִנְחָת֡וֹ כְּלֵ֣י כֶסֶף֩ וּכְלֵ֨י זָהָ֤ב וּשְׂלָמוֹת֙ נֵ֣שֶׁק וּבְשָׂמִ֔ים סוּסִ֖ים וּפְרָדִ֑ים דְּבַר־שָׁנָ֖ה בְּשָׁנָֽה	24		And they brought each their gifts, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and apparel, equipment, and spices, horses, and mules, a routine year in year out.	3e	4C	30 7
וַיְהִ֨י לִשְׁלֹמֹ֜ה אַרְבַּעַת֩ אֲלָפִ֨ים אֻֽרְי֤וֹת סוּסִים֙ וּמַרְכָּב֔וֹת וּשְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף פָּרָשִׁ֑ים וַיַּנִּיחֵם֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הָרֶ֔כֶב וְעִם־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם	25		And Solomon had four thousand corrals for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand cavalry, and he left them in the cities of the chariot, and with the king in Jerusalem.	3e	4C	28 19
וַיְהִ֥י מוֹשֵׁ֖ל בְּכָל־הַמְּלָכִ֑ים מִן־הַנָּהָר֙ וְעַד־אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְעַ֖ד גְּב֥וּל מִצְרָֽיִם	26		And he had governance with all the kings, from the river and to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.	3e	4B	9 18
וַיִּתֵּ֨ן הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ אֶת־הַכֶּ֛סֶף בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם כָּאֲבָנִ֑ים וְאֵ֣ת הָאֲרָזִ֗ים נָתַ֛ן כַּשִּׁקְמִ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־בַּשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה לָרֹֽב	27		And the king gave the silver in Jerusalem like stones, and cedar he gave like sycamores, that in the lowly place are abundant.	3c	4B	18 18
וּמוֹצִיאִ֨ים סוּסִ֧ים מִמִּצְרַ֛יִם לִשְׁלֹמֹ֖ה וּמִכָּל־הָאֲרָצֽוֹת	28		And they brought out horses from Egypt to Solomon, and from all the lands.	3c	3g	19
וּשְׁאָר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים וְהָאֲחֲרוֹנִ֑ים הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־דִּבְרֵי֙ נָתָ֣ן הַנָּבִ֔יא וְעַל־נְבוּאַ֞ת אֲחִיָּ֣ה הַשִּֽׁילוֹנִ֗י וּבַחֲזוֹת֙ יֶעְדּ֣וֹ הַחֹזֶ֔ה עַל־יָרָבְעָ֖ם בֶּן־נְבָֽט	29		And the residue of the words of Solomon, the former and the latter, are they not written over the words of Nathan the prophet, and over the prophesy of Achiyah the Shilonite, and the visions of Iddo the visionary, over Jeroboam child of Nebat.	3e	4B	17 42
וַיִּמְלֹ֨ךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֧ה בִֽירוּשָׁלִַ֛ם עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה	30		And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel, a forty year span.	3c	3g	20
וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב שְׁלֹמֹה֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֔הוּ בְּעִ֖יר דָּוִ֣יד אָבִ֑יו וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ רְחַבְעָ֥ם בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו	31		And Solomon was laid out with his ancestors, and they entombed him in the city David his father, and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.	3d	4C	21 10