SS OF SOLOMON'S EMPIRE.

_Gold and Ivory Brought by Ship and Caravan_.

(For forty years Solomon reigned in Jerusalem, and during nearly all
this time the land was peaceful and prosperous. The empire of Solomon
was greater in extent than the territory {482} ruled over by any king
which came after him. At last the great king died and was buried in
Jerusalem, the city which his father had made the capital.)

And King Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which is beside
Elath, at the head of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent
in the navy his servants, sailors that had knowledge of the sea, with
the servants of Solomon. And they came to Ophir, and fetched from
thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to King
Solomon.

And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in
from Ophir great plenty of almug trees and precious stones. And the
king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the Lord, and
for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for the singers: there
came no such almug trees, nor were seen, unto this day.

Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six
hundred threescore and six talents of gold, beside that which the
traders brought, and the traffic of the merchants, and of all the
kings of the mingled people, and of the governors of the country. And
King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold: six hundred
shekels of gold went to one buckler. And he made three hundred shields
of beaten gold; three pounds of gold went to one shield: and the king
put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with
the finest gold. There were six steps to the throne, and the top of
the throne was round behind: {483} and there were arms on either side
of the seat, and two lions standing beside the arms. And 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. And 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: none were of silver; it was nothing
accounted of in the days of Solomon.

For the king had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram:
once every three years came the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and
silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and