20 Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps—six on each side—nothing like it had ever been made in any other kingdom.
21 All of King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the Forest House of Lebanon were of pure gold. (None was of silver—that did not count for anything in the days of Solomon.)
22 For the king had a Tarshish fleet at sea with Hiram’s fleet; once every three years the Tarshish fleet came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks.
23 So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in wealth as well as in wisdom.
24 All the earth sought an audience with Solomon, to listen to his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
25 They brought, each man his gift—vessels of silver and gold, robes, weapons, spices, horses and mules—so much year by year.
26 Solomon accumulated chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.