The weight of gold that came to Solomon in the first year was six hundred sixty-six talents, in addition to what was received from traders, from the profit of the merchants and from all the kings of Arabia and from the governors of the country.
He had two hundred shields made of the best gold, each shield was made of six hundred shekels. Three pounds for the five hundred smaller shields. And he brought it into the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
He made a throne of ivory, covered with pure gold.
The throne had six steps, behind the throne were heads of bulls. And there were arm rests on either side with two standing lions, twelve lions stood on either side of the six steps. Nothing like it was ever made in any of the kingdoms. All of Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold and also those in the House of the Forest of Lebanon, because silver was of little value in Solomon’s time. The king had ships of Tarshish with Hiram’s fleet. They came once every three years, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. So Solomon was greater in riches than all the kings of the earth. And everyone wanted to see Solomon and brought gifts of silver and gold, clothing and weapons, spices, horses and mules.
Solomon had a thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen. In Jerusalem silver was as common as stones. Horses were brought from Egypt and from Kue and the merchants also traded with the kings of the Hittites and with the kings of Aram.