2 Chronicles 9:13-21

What do the gold shields and throne show about royal splendor?

Berean Standard Bible

13 The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents, 14 not including the revenue from the merchants and traders. And all the Arabian kings and governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield. 16 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 17 Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with a lion standing beside each armrest. 19 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom. 20 All King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, because it was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon. 21 For the king had the ships of Tarshish that went with Hiram’s servants, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

What is the context?

The account gives an annual gold figure, describes gold shields and drinking vessels, and details an ivory-and-gold throne with steps and lions. The equipment portrays exceptional royal display.

The fleet adds more precious materials and unusual animals at three-year intervals. Silver is described as having little value in comparison with the kingdom’s abundance.

These are descriptions of wealth and representation at court. The annual figure of six hundred sixty-six talents is not accompanied by an explanation identifying Solomon with a later apocalyptic figure.

How is this passage commonly understood?

1 Kings 10:14–22 contains a closely related account of the wealth and furnishings. The USCCB text likewise presents the gold within the royal summary. The repeated numbers and lion figures need not be converted into a hidden map of later kingdoms, and the shipping notice does not establish an independently verified route to a specific modern country.

What is our position?

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