The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon^(A)

9 When the queen of Sheba^(B) heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind. ² Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. ³ When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon,^(C) as well as the palace he had built, ⁴ the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at^[a] the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.

⁵ She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. ⁶ But I did not believe what they said until I came^(D) and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. ⁷ How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! ⁸ Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne^(E) as king to rule for the Lord your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king^(F) over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.”

⁹ Then she gave the king 120 talents^[b] of gold,^(G) large quantities of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

¹⁰ (The servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon brought gold from Ophir;^(H) they also brought algumwood^[c] and precious stones. ¹¹ The king used the algumwood to make steps for the temple of the Lord and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen in Judah.)

¹² King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

Solomon’s Splendor^(I)

¹³ The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents,^{[d] 14} not including the revenues brought in by merchants and traders. Also all the kings of Arabia^(J) and the governors of the territories brought gold and silver to Solomon.

¹⁵ King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels^[e] of hammered gold went into each shield. ¹⁶ He also made three hundred small shields^(K) of hammered gold, with three hundred shekels^[f] of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.^(L)

¹⁷ Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory^(M) and overlaid with pure gold. ¹⁸ The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. ¹⁹ Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. ²⁰ All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s day. ²¹ The king had a fleet of trading ships^[g] manned by Hiram’s^[h] servants. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.

²² King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth.^{(N) 23} All the kings^(O) of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. ²⁴ Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift^(P)—articles of silver and gold, and robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.

²⁵ Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots,^(Q) and twelve thousand horses,^[i] which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. ²⁶ He ruled^(R) over all the kings from the Euphrates River^(S) to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt.^{(T) 27} The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. ²⁸ Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from all other countries.

Solomon’s Death^(U)

²⁹ As for the other events of Solomon’s reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Nathan^(V) the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah^(W) the Shilonite and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam^(X) son of Nebat? ³⁰ Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. ³¹ Then he rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David^(Y) his father. And Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king.

Babylon as God’s Sword of Judgment

21 ^[a]The word of the Lord came to me:^{(A) 2} “Son of man, set your face against^(B) Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary.^(C) Prophesy against^(D) the land of Israel ³ and say to her: ‘This is what the Lord says: I am against you.^(E) I will draw my sword^(F) from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked.^{(G) 4} Because I am going to cut off the righteous and the wicked, my sword^(H) will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north.^{(I) 5} Then all people will know that I the Lord have drawn my sword^(J) from its sheath; it will not return^(K) again.’^(L)

⁶ “Therefore groan, son of man! Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief.^{(M) 7} And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?^(N)’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt with fear^(O) and every hand go limp;^(P) every spirit will become faint^(Q) and every leg will be wet with urine.’^(R) It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

⁸ The word of the Lord came to me: ⁹ “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord says:

“‘Shall we rejoice in the scepter of my royal son? The sword despises every such stick.^(T)

¹³ “‘Testing will surely come. And what if even the scepter, which the sword despises, does not continue? declares the Sovereign Lord.’

¹⁸ The word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁹ “Son of man, mark out two roads for the sword^(AD) of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same country. Make a signpost^(AE) where the road branches off to the city. ²⁰ Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites^(AF) and another against Judah and fortified Jerusalem. ²¹ For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He will cast lots^(AG) with arrows, he will consult his idols,^(AH) he will examine the liver.^{(AI) 22} Into his right hand will come the lot for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to give the command to slaughter, to sound the battle cry,^(AJ) to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp^(AK) and to erect siege works.^{(AL) 23} It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind^(AM) them of their guilt^(AN) and take them captive.

²⁴ “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you people have brought to mind your guilt by your open rebellion, revealing your sins in all that you do—because you have done this, you will be taken captive.

²⁵ “‘You profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come,^(AO) whose time of punishment has reached its climax,^{(AP) 26} this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take off the turban, remove the crown.^(AQ) It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low.^{(AR) 27} A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! The crown will not be restored until he to whom it rightfully belongs shall come;^(AS) to him I will give it.’^(AT)

²⁸ “And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says about the Ammonites^(AU) and their insults:

Judgment on Jerusalem’s Sins

22 The word of the Lord came to me:

² “Son of man, will you judge her? Will you judge this city of bloodshed?^(BF) Then confront her with all her detestable practices^{(BG) 3} and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You city that brings on herself doom by shedding blood^(BH) in her midst and defiles herself by making idols, ⁴ you have become guilty because of the blood you have shed^(BI) and have become defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close, and the end of your years has come.^(BJ) Therefore I will make you an object of scorn^(BK) to the nations and a laughingstock to all the countries.^{(BL) 5} Those who are near and those who are far away will mock you, you infamous city, full of turmoil.^(BM)

⁶ “‘See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood.^{(BN) 7} In you they have treated father and mother with contempt;^(BO) in you they have oppressed the foreigner^(BP) and mistreated the fatherless and the widow.^{(BQ) 8} You have despised my holy things and desecrated my Sabbaths.^{(BR) 9} In you are slanderers^(BS) who are bent on shedding blood;^(BT) in you are those who eat at the mountain shrines^(BU) and commit lewd acts.^{(BV) 10} In you are those who dishonor their father’s bed;^(BW) in you are those who violate women during their period,^(BX) when they are ceremonially unclean.^{(BY) 11} In you one man commits a detestable offense with his neighbor’s wife,^(BZ) another shamefully defiles his daughter-in-law,^(CA) and another violates his sister,^(CB) his own father’s daughter.^{(CC) 12} In you are people who accept bribes^(CD) to shed blood; you take interest^(CE) and make a profit from the poor. You extort unjust gain from your neighbors.^(CF) And you have forgotten^(CG) me, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(CH)

¹³ “‘I will surely strike my hands^(CI) together at the unjust gain^(CJ) you have made and at the blood^(CK) you have shed in your midst.^{(CL) 14} Will your courage endure^(CM) or your hands^(CN) be strong in the day I deal with you? I the Lord have spoken,^(CO) and I will do it.^{(CP) 15} I will disperse you among the nations and scatter^(CQ) you through the countries; and I will put an end to^(CR) your uncleanness.^{(CS) 16} When you have been defiled^[c] in the eyes of the nations, you will know that I am the Lord.’”

¹⁷ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁸ “Son of man, the people of Israel have become dross^(CT) to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace.^(CU) They are but the dross of silver.^{(CV) 19} Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you have all become dross,^(CW) I will gather you into Jerusalem. ²⁰ As silver, copper, iron, lead and tin are gathered into a furnace to be melted with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you.^{(CX) 21} I will gather you and I will blow^(CY) on you with my fiery wrath, and you will be melted inside her.^{(CZ) 22} As silver is melted^(DA) in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the Lord have poured out my wrath^(DB) on you.’”^(DC)

²³ Again the word of the Lord came to me: ²⁴ “Son of man, say to the land, ‘You are a land that has not been cleansed or rained on in the day of wrath.’^{(DD) 25} There is a conspiracy^(DE) of her princes^[d] within her like a roaring lion^(DF) tearing its prey; they devour people,^(DG) take treasures and precious things and make many widows^(DH) within her. ²⁶ Her priests do violence to my law^(DI) and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common;^(DJ) they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean;^(DK) and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned^(DL) among them.^{(DM) 27} Her officials^(DN) within her are like wolves^(DO) tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people^(DP) to make unjust gain.^{(DQ) 28} Her prophets whitewash^(DR) these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations.^(DS) They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says’—when the Lord has not spoken.^{(DT) 29} The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery;^(DU) they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the foreigner,^(DV) denying them justice.^(DW)

³⁰ “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall^(DX) and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.^{(DY) 31} So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger,^(DZ) bringing down^(EA) on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(EB)”

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

19 Jesus entered Jericho^(A) and was passing through. ² A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³ He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig^(B) tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.^(C)

⁵ When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” ⁶ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

⁷ All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”^(D)

⁸ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord,^(E) “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything,^(F) I will pay back four times the amount.”^(G)

⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.^{(H) 10} For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”^(I)

The Parable of the Ten Minas^(J)

¹¹ While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God^(K) was going to appear at once.^{(L) 12} He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. ¹³ So he called ten of his servants^(M) and gave them ten minas.^[a] ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

¹⁴ “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’

¹⁵ “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.

¹⁶ “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’

¹⁷ “‘Well done, my good servant!’^(N) his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’^(O)

¹⁸ “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’

¹⁹ “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’

²⁰ “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. ²¹ I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’^(P)

²² “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words,^(Q) you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow?^{(R) 23} Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’

²⁴ “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’

²⁵ “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’

²⁶ “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away.^{(S) 27} But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King^(T)(U)

²⁸ After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.^{(V) 29} As he approached Bethphage and Bethany^(W) at the hill called the Mount of Olives,^(X) he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ³⁰ “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

³² Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them.^{(Y) 33} As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

³⁴ They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

³⁵ They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. ³⁶ As he went along, people spread their cloaks^(Z) on the road.

³⁷ When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives,^(AA) the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”^(AD)

⁴⁰ “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”^(AE)

⁴¹ As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it^{(AF) 42} and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.^{(AG) 44} They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls.^(AH) They will not leave one stone on another,^(AI) because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming^(AJ) to you.”

Jesus at the Temple^(AK)

⁴⁵ When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. ⁴⁶ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’^[c];^(AL) but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’^[d]”^(AM)

⁴⁷ Every day he was teaching at the temple.^(AN) But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him.^{(AO) 48} Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.