1 Kings 4
4
Solomon’s Royal Court and Administrators
1 King Solomon ruled over all Israel. 2 These were his officials:
Azariah son of Zadok was the priest.
3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, wrote down what happened.#tn Heb “were scribes”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “secretaries”; TEV, NLT “court secretaries.”
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was in charge of the records.
4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was commander of#tn Heb “was over.” the army.
Zadok and Abiathar were priests.
5 Azariah son of Nathan was supervisor of#tn Heb “was over.” the district governors.
Zabud son of Nathan was a priest and adviser to#tn Heb “close associate of”; KJV, ASV, NASB “the king’s friend” (a title for an adviser, not just an acquaintance). the king.
6 Ahishar was supervisor of the palace.#tn Heb “over the house.”
Adoniram son of Abda was supervisor of#tn Heb “was over.” the work crews.#sn The work crews. This Hebrew word (מַס, mas) refers to a group of laborers conscripted for royal or public service.
7 Solomon had twelve district governors appointed throughout Israel who acquired supplies for the king and his palace. Each was responsible for one month in the year. 8 These were their names:
Ben-Hur was in charge of the hill country of Ephraim.
9 Ben-Deker was in charge of Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Beth Hanan.
10 Ben-Hesed was in charge of Arubboth; he controlled Socoh and all the territory of Hepher.
11 Ben-Abinadab was in charge of Naphath Dor. (He was married to Solomon’s daughter Taphath.)
12 Baana son of Ahilud was in charge of Taanach and Megiddo,#map For location see Map1-D4; Map2-C1; Map4-C2; Map5-F2; Map7-B1. as well as all of Beth Shan next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth Shan to Abel Meholah and on past Jokmeam.
13 Ben-Geber was in charge of Ramoth Gilead; he controlled the tent villages of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead, as well as the region of Argob in Bashan, including sixty large walled cities with bronze bars locking their gates.
14 Ahinadab son of Iddo was in charge of Mahanaim.
15 Ahimaaz was in charge of Naphtali. (He married Solomon’s daughter Basemath.)
16 Baana son of Hushai was in charge of Asher and Aloth.
17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah was in charge of Issachar.
18 Shimei son of Ela was in charge of Benjamin.
19 Geber son of Uri was in charge of the land of Gilead (the territory which had once belonged to King Sihon of the Amorites and to King Og of Bashan). He was sole governor of the area.
Solomon’s Wealth and Fame
20 The people of Judah and Israel were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore; they had plenty to eat and drink and were happy. 21 (5:1)#sn Beginning with 4:21, the verse numbers through 5:18 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 4:21 ET = 5:1 HT, 4:22 ET = 5:2 HT, etc., through 5:18 ET = 5:32 HT. Beginning with 6:1 the numbering of verses in the English Bible and the Hebrew text is again the same. Solomon ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River#tn Heb “the River” (also in v. 24). This is the standard designation for the Euphrates River in biblical Hebrew. to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These kingdoms paid tribute as Solomon’s subjects throughout his lifetime.#tn Heb “[They] were bringing tribute and were serving Solomon all the days of his life.” 22 Each day Solomon’s royal court consumed#tn Heb “the food of Solomon for each day was.” thirty cors#tn As a unit of dry measure a cor was roughly equivalent to six bushels. of finely milled flour, sixty cors of cereal, 23 ten calves fattened in the stall,#tn The words “in the stall” are added for clarification; note the immediately following reference to cattle from the pasture. twenty calves from the pasture, and a hundred sheep, not to mention rams, gazelles, deer, and well-fed birds. 24 His royal court was so large because#tn Heb “because.” The words “his royal court was so large” are added to facilitate the logical connection with the preceding verse. he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River from Tiphsah#sn Tiphsah. This was located on the Euphrates River. to Gaza; he was at peace with all his neighbors.#tn Heb “for he was ruling over all [the region] beyond the River, from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kingdoms beyond the River, and he had peace on every side all around.” 25 All the people of Judah and Israel had security; everyone from Dan to Beer Sheba enjoyed the produce of their vines and fig trees throughout Solomon’s lifetime.#tn Heb “Judah and Israel lived securely, each one under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan to Beer Sheba, all the days of Solomon.” 26 Solomon had 4,000#tn The Hebrew text has “40,000,” but this is probably an inflated number (nevertheless it is followed by KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV, TEV, CEV). Some Greek mss of the OT and the parallel in 2 Chr 9:25 read “4,000” (cf. NAB, NIV, NCV, NLT). stalls for his chariot horses and 12,000 horses. 27 The district governors acquired supplies for King Solomon and all who ate in his royal palace.#tn Heb “everyone who drew near to the table of King Solomon.” Each was responsible for one month in the year; they made sure nothing was lacking. 28 Each one also brought to the assigned location his quota of barley and straw for the various horses.#tn Heb “barley and straw for the horses and the steeds they brought to the place which was there, each according to his measure.”
29 God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment; the breadth of his understanding#tn Heb “heart,” i.e., mind. (The Hebrew term translated “heart” often refers to the mental faculties.) was as infinite as the sand on the seashore. 30 Solomon was wiser than all the men of the east and all the sages of Egypt.#tn Heb “the wisdom of Solomon was greater than the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.” 31 He was wiser than any man, including Ethan the Ezrahite or Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. He was famous in all the neighboring nations.#tn Heb “his name was in all the surrounding nations.” 32 He composed#tn Heb “spoke.” 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. 33 He produced manuals on botany, describing every kind of plant,#tn Heb “he spoke about plants.” from the cedars of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows on walls. He also produced manuals on biology, describing#tn Heb “he spoke about.” animals, birds, insects, and fish. 34 People from all nations came to hear Solomon’s display of wisdom;#tn Heb “the wisdom of Solomon.” they came from all the kings of the earth who heard about his wisdom.
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1 Kings 4
4
1And King Salomon was King ouer all Israel. 2And these were his princes, Azariah the sonne of Zadok the Priest, 3Elihoreph and Ahiah the sonnes of Shisha scribes, Iehoshaphat the sonne of Ahilud, the recorder, 4And Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada was ouer the hoste, and Zadok and Abiathar Priests, 5And Azariah the sonne of Nathan was ouer the officers, and Zabud the sonne of Nathan Priest was the Kings friend, 6And Ahishar was ouer the houshold: and Adoniram the sonne of Abda was ouer the tribute. 7And Salomon had twelue officers ouer all Israel, which prouided vitailes for the King and his housholde: eche man had a moneth in the yeere to prouide vitailes. 8And these are their names: the sonne of Hur in mount Ephraim: 9The sonne of Dekar in Makaz, and in Shaalbim and Beth-shemesh, and Elon and Beth-hanan: 10The sonne of Hesed in Aruboth, to whom perteined Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher: 11The sonne of Abinadab in all the region of Dor, which had Taphath the daughter of Salomon to wife. 12Baana the sonne of Ahilud in Taanach, and Megiddo, and in all Beth-shean, which is by Zartanah beneath Izreel, from Beth-shean to Abelmeholah, eue til beyond ouer against Iokmeam: 13The sonne of Geber in Ramoth Gilead, and his were the townes of Iair, the sonne of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, and vnder him was the region of Argob, which is in Bashan: threescore great cities with walles and barres of brasse. 14Ahinadab the sonne of Iddo had to Mahanaim: 15Ahimaaz in Naphtali, and he tooke Basmath the daughter of Salomon to wife: 16Baanah the sonne of Hushai in Asher and in Aloth: 17Iehoshaphat the sonne of Paruah in Issachar. 18Shimei the sonne of Elah in Beniamin: 19Geber the sonne of Vri in the countrey of Gilead, the land of Sihon King of the Amorites, and of Og King of Bashan, and was officer alone in the land. 20Iudah and Israel were many, as the sand of the sea in number, eating, drinking, and making merry. 21And Salomon reigned ouer all kingdomes, from the Riuer vnto the lande of the Philistims, and vnto the border of Egypt, and they brought presents, and serued Salomon all the dayes of his life. 22And Salomons vitailes for one day were thirtie measures of fine floure, and threescore measures of meale: 23Ten fat oxen, and twentie oxen of the pastures, and an hundreth sheepe, beside hartes, and buckes, and bugles, and fat foule. 24For he ruled in all the region on the other side of the Riuer, from Tiphsah euen vnto Azzah, ouer all the Kings on the other side the Riuer: and he had peace round about him on euery side. 25And Iudah and Israel dwelt without feare, euery man vnder his vine, and vnder his fig tree, from Dan, euen to Beer-sheba, all the dayes of Salomon. 26And Salomon had fourtie thousande stalles of horses for his charets, and twelue thousand horsemen. 27And these officers prouided vitaile for king Salomon, and for all that came to King Salomons table, euery man his moneth, and they suffred to lacke nothing. 28Barley also and strawe for the horses and mules brought they vnto the place where the officers were, euery man according to his charge. 29And God gaue Salomon wisdome and vnderstanding exceeding much, and a large heart, euen as the sand that is on the sea shore, 30And Salomons wisdome excelled the wisedome of all the children of the East and all the wisedome of Egypt. 31For he was wiser then any man: yea, then were Ethan the Ezrahite, the Heman, then Chalcol, then Darda the sonnes of Mahol: and he was famous throughout all nations round about. 32And Salomon spake three thousand prouerbs: and his songs were a thousand and fiue. 33And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon, euen vnto the hyssope that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of foules, and of creeping thinges, and of fishes. 34And there came of all people to heare the wisedome of Salomon, from all Kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisedome.
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