Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold;

2 CHRONICLES 9:13KJV
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2 Chronicles 9:13 (KJV)

What does 2 Chronicles 9:13 mean?

2 Chronicles 9:13 reports that King Solomon received a total of 666 talents of gold in a single year. This verse highlights the extraordinary wealth that flowed into Solomon’s kingdom during his reign.

The verse is part of a larger passage describing Solomon’s prosperity and the splendor of his court. The chronicler is recounting the scale of Solomon’s income, likely to emphasize both his fame and the economic strength of Israel at that time. The number “six hundred and threescore and six” (666) talents would have represented an immense amount of gold by ancient standards.

The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 9:13

  • כִּכָּר (kikkar, H3603): Translated as “talent,” this was a large unit of weight, often used for precious metals. One talent was roughly 75 pounds or 34 kilograms, so 666 talents would be a massive quantity.
  • זָהָב (zahav, H2091): This word means “gold.” The verse repeats it for emphasis, underlining that the wealth Solomon received was specifically in gold, not other goods or currencies.
  • שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת וְשִׁשִּׁים וָשֵׁשׁ (shesh me’ot v’shishim va’shesh): This phrase is the Hebrew way of expressing “six hundred and sixty-six.” The detailed wording shows the chronicler’s precision in recording the amount.

Why 2 Chronicles 9:13 matters

  • The verse clears up any exaggeration or myth by giving a specific, measurable amount of gold, showing that the chronicler wanted to be precise about Solomon’s wealth.
  • The mention of 666 talents is notable, as this exact number appears only here and in the parallel account in 1 Kings 10:14, suggesting it was a well-remembered figure in Israel’s history.
  • This detail sets the stage for the following verses, which describe how Solomon used this gold to create lavish items and further enhance his kingdom’s reputation and influence.

Where else these words appear

“weight” Hebrew H4948 · used in 42 verses

  • Genesis 24:22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;
  • Numbers 7:67 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
  • 1 Chronicles 22:14 Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.

“talents” Hebrew H3603 · used in 55 verses

  • Genesis 13:10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
  • 2 Samuel 12:30 And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.
  • 1 Chronicles 22:14 Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.

“threescore” Hebrew H8346 · used in 56 verses

  • Genesis 5:15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:
  • Numbers 31:34 And threescore and one thousand asses,
  • 2 Chronicles 12:3 With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.