2 Chronicles 9:14-22 Meaning: Why Did Kings Bring Gifts to Solomon?
14in addition to that which the traders and merchants brought. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.
15King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold. Six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one large shield.
16He made three hundred shields of beaten gold. Three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
17Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.
18There were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and armrests on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests.
19Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps. There was nothing like it made in any other kingdom.
20All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. Silver was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon.
21For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with Huram’s servants. Once every three years, the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
22So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
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.
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.
14besides that which the traders and merchants brought: and all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.
15And king Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one buckler.
16And he made three hundred shields 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.
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 either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside 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 king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: silver was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
21For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram; once every three years came the ships of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
22So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
14apart from what the tourists, and the merchants, are bringing in; and all the kings of Arabia, and the governors of the land, are bringing in gold and silver to Solomon.
15And king Solomon maketh two hundred targets of alloyed gold, six hundred shekels of alloyed gold he causeth to go up on the one target;
16and three hundred shields of alloyed gold, three hundred shekels of gold he causeth to go up on the one shield, and the king putteth them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
17And the king maketh a great throne of ivory, and overlayeth it with pure gold;
18and six steps are to the throne, and a footstool of gold, to the throne they are fastened, and hands are on this side and on that on the place of the sitting, and two lions are standing near the hands,
19and twelve lions are standing there on the six steps on this side , and on that: it hath not been made so for any kingdom.
20And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon are of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon are of refined gold--silver is not reckoned in the days of Solomon for anything;
21for ships of the king are going to Tarshish, with servants of Huram: once in three years come do the ships of Tarshish bearing gold, and silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
22And king Solomon becometh greater than any of the kings of the earth for riches and wisdom;
14besides [what] dealers and merchants brought, and [what] all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought of gold and silver to Solomon.
15And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold, — he applied six hundred [shekels] of beaten gold to one target;
16and three hundred shields of beaten gold, — he applied three hundred [shekels] of gold to one shield; and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
17And the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold;
18and the throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold fastened to the throne; and there were arms on each side at the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the arms;
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 king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of precious gold: silver was not of the least account in the days of Solomon.
21For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: once in three years came the ships of Tarshish, bringing gold and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
22And king Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
Meaning in one sentence
Solomon's wealth and international tribute show God's faithfulness to His promises and the power of wisdom to attract the nations.
Context
The passage comes near the end of Solomon's reign in 2 Chronicles, right after the visit of the Queen of Sheba. The Chronicler is describing the vast wealth that flowed into Jerusalem from every direction, not just from merchants, but from Arab kings and foreign governors who brought gold and silver as tribute. Verses 15 through 22 show what Solomon did with all that wealth: he made ceremonial shields, a magnificent ivory throne overlaid with gold, and golden drinking vessels so abundant that silver became common. The chapter concludes by saying Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. The Chronicler is not bragging. He is showing how God kept His covenant with David, giving Solomon the peace, prosperity and international respect He had promised.
Key Words
The Hebrew word for beaten gold (shachut, H7820) means hammered or pounded, not cast in a mold. This gold was shaped by hard, careful work, which fits the shields and throne Solomon built: valuable not only for their material, but for the skill they required. Pure gold (sagur, H5462) comes from a verb meaning “to shut” or “enclose”, gold that has been refined and sealed, with no impurities. The Chronicler wants us to see that even the beautiful objects of the palace pointed to something more: the wisdom God had given Solomon. Finally, the word for wisdom (chokmah, H2451) means skill in governing, not just book knowledge. It was this wisdom, not the gold, that drew the kings of Arabia and the distant ships from Tarshish. The gold was a sign, not the source.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read this passage as a picture of God's blessing. Matthew Henry saw Solomon's magnificence as a type of Christ's kingdom, where all the nations bring their riches to honor the King. Others, like the commentators in the Cambridge Bible, note that the Chronicler carefully expands the account from 1 Kings to emphasize the international reach of Solomon's fame, even Arab kings and foreign governors brought tribute. Some traditions warn, however, that abundance can become a spiritual danger: the same wealth later led Solomon astray. But these verses themselves point simply to the faithfulness of God, who gave His servant both the wisdom to rule and the resources to reflect His glory.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume the description of silver being “not considered valuable” means it had little worth. In fact, silver was still precious; the point is that gold was so abundant that silver was treated as ordinary. The Chronicler wants us to see the staggering scale of what God gave Solomon, not to minimize the value of silver itself.
Living This Out
Maybe this week you see someone else's success, a promotion, a healthy family, a comfortable home, and feel the pull to compare or envy. This passage invites you to look differently at prosperity. Solomon's wealth was not an accident or a reward for being clever. It was God's visible answer to a prayer he made years before (2 Chronicles 1:7-12). The same God who gave to Solomon also gives to you: not necessarily gold and silver, but wisdom for your work, peace for your home, and enough of what you need to be generous. When good things come your way, ask yourself: Is this a sign of God's faithfulness, meant to point others to Him? That question changes how you hold what you have.
Main takeaway: Solomon's wealth and international tribute show God's faithfulness to His promises and the power of godly wisdom to attract the nations.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Solomon had a throne with twelve lions on the steps! God gave him so much gold that silver wasn't even special anymore. God was showing everyone that He keeps His promises.
For ages 9, 12
Solomon didn't just get rich on his own. Kings from far away brought him gold and gifts because they had heard about his wisdom, and that wisdom came from God. This passage shows us that when God gives us a good mind and good things, it's not just for us. It's a way to tell the world around us that God is real and faithful.
Questions People Ask
Why did the Chronicler include so many details about shields and the throne?
The Chronicler wanted to show how God's blessing on Solomon was visible and undeniable. The shields, the ivory throne with lions, and the golden vessels all proved that God had kept His promise to give David a son who would rule in peace and receive tribute from the nations.
What does 'ships of Tarshish' mean?
In the Bible, 'ships of Tarshish' describes large, ocean-going merchant vessels capable of long voyages. Solomon's partnership with King Huram of Tyre gave him access to this fleet, which brought exotic goods like ivory, apes, and peacocks from distant lands every three years.
Was silver really worthless in Solomon's day?
No, silver was still a precious metal. The text uses exaggeration to highlight the incredible abundance of gold, there was so much gold that silver seemed common by comparison. Later, when Solomon's son Rehoboam lost the gold shields, he replaced them with bronze, showing that silver and gold were still valuable in normal times.
Where was the House of the Forest of Lebanon?
It was a large building in Jerusalem, part of Solomon's palace complex. It got its name because it was built with rows of cedar pillars from Lebanon, making it feel like a forest. Solomon stored his ceremonial gold shields there, and it also served as an armory and hall for public events.
Does this passage encourage Christians to pursue wealth?
Not on its own. The Chronicler presents Solomon's wealth as a sign of God's faithfulness to a specific promise, not as a template for every believer. Throughout Scripture, wealth can be a blessing or a danger. These verses remind us that all good things come from God and should point others to Him, but they do not command us to seek riches.
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