1 Kings 4

The Court of Solomon

1So King Solomon was king over all Israel. 2These were the officials in his court:

Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest.

3Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were secretaries.

Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; # 2Sa 8:16

4Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army.

Zadok and Abiathar were priests. # 1Ki 2:35

5Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers,

and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer and the king’s friend. # 2Sa 15:37; 16:16

6Ahishar was over the household,

and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the forced labor. # 2Sa 20:24; 1Ki 9:15

7Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel who made provision for the king and his household. Each man was assigned a month to make provision. 8These are their names:

the son of Hur in Mount Ephraim; # Jos 24:33

9the son of Deker in Makaz and in Shaalbim and Beth-shemesh and Elon-beth-hanan;

10the son of Hesed in Arubboth (to him belonged Sokoh and all the land of Hepher); # Jos 12:17; 15:35

11the son of Abinadab in all the region of Dor # Jos 11:2 (he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as his wife);

12Baana the son of Ahilud in Taanach, Megiddo, and all Beth-shan that is by Zarethan # Jos 3:16; 17:11 beneath Jezreel, and from Beth-shan to Abel Meholah as far as the other side of Jokmeam;

13the son of Geber in Ramoth Gilead (to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh # Nu 32:41 which are in Gilead, and also the region of Argob which is in Bashan, # Dt 3:4 sixty great cities with walls and iron bars);

14Ahinadab the son of Iddo in Mahanaim;

15Ahimaaz in Naphtali (he had taken Basemath the daughter of Solomon as his wife);

16Baana the son of Hushai in Asher and in Aloth;

17Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah in Issachar;

18Shimei # 1Ki 1:8 the son of Ela in Benjamin;

19Geber the son of Uri in the country of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan. He was the only officer who was in that region.

The Wealth of Solomon

20Judah and Israel had a large populace, as numerous as the sand by the sea. # Ge 22:17; 1Ki 3:8 They ate and drank and were happy. 21Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. # Ge 15:18; Jos 1:4 The people brought presents and served Solomon all the days of his life.

22Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty kors # 4:22 Likely about 51/2 tons, or 5 metric tons. of fine flour and sixty kors # 4:22 Likely about 11 tons, or 10 metric tons. of meal, 23ten fat oxen and twenty pasture-fed cattle, a hundred sheep in addition to deer, roebucks, gazelle, and fatted poultry. 24For he had dominion over all the region on this side of the River # 4:24 Euphrates River. from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kings on this side of the River, # Ps 72:11 # 4:24 Euphrates River. and he had peace on all borders of his land. # 1Ch 22:9 25Judah and Israel lived safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, # Mic 4:4; Zec 3:10 from Dan to Beer-sheba # Jdg 20:1; 2Sa 17:11 all the days of Solomon.

26Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots and twelve thousand horsemen. # Dt 17:16; 2Ch 1:14; 9:25

27Those officers made provision for King Solomon and for all who came to King Solomon’s table, every man in his month, and they lacked nothing. 28Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries # Est 8:10, 14 were brought to the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.

29God gave Solomon wisdom and great depth of understanding # 1Ki 3:12 as well as compassion, as vast as the sand on the seashore. # 1Ki 4:20 30Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the people of the East country # Ge 25:6 and all the wisdom of Egypt. # Ac 7:22 31For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, # Ps 89:1 Heman, # Ps 88:1 Kalkol, and Darda, # 1Ch 2:6 the sons of Mahol; his fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. 32He spoke three thousand proverbs, # Ecc 12:9 and his songs numbered one thousand and five. 33He spoke of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that springs out of the wall. He also spoke of beasts and of fowl and of insects and fish. 34People from all over came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, # 1Ki 10:1; 2Ch 9:23 who had heard of his wisdom.

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1 Kings 4: MEV

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1 Kings 4

Solomon’s Officials and Governors

1So King Solomon ruled over all Israel. 2And these were his chief officials:

Azariah son of Zadok—the priest;

3Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha—secretaries;

Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud—recorder;

4Benaiah son of Jehoiada—commander in chief;

Zadok and Abiathar—priests;

5Azariah son of Nathan—in charge of the district governors;

Zabud son of Nathan—a priest and adviser to the king;

6Ahishar—palace administrator;

Adoniram son of Abda—in charge of forced labor.

7Solomon had twelve district governors over all Israel, who supplied provisions for the king and the royal household. Each one had to provide supplies for one month in the year. 8These are their names:

Ben-Hur—in the hill country of Ephraim;

9Ben-Deker—in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh and Elon Bethhanan;

10Ben-Hesed—in Arubboth (Sokoh and all the land of Hepher were his);

11Ben-Abinadab—in Naphoth Dor (he was married to Taphath daughter of Solomon);

12Baana son of Ahilud—in Taanach and Megiddo, and in all of Beth Shan next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth Shan to Abel Meholah across to Jokmeam;

13Ben-Geber—in Ramoth Gilead (the settlements of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead were his, as well as the region of Argob in Bashan and its sixty large walled cities with bronze gate bars);

14Ahinadab son of Iddo—in Mahanaim;

15Ahimaaz—in Naphtali (he had married Basemath daughter of Solomon);

16Baana son of Hushai—in Asher and in Aloth;

17Jehoshaphat son of Paruah—in Issachar;

18Shimei son of Ela—in Benjamin;

19Geber son of Uri—in Gilead (the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and the country of Og king of Bashan). He was the only governor over the district.

Solomon’s Daily Provisions

20The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy. 21And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought tribute and were Solomon’s subjects all his life.

22Solomon’s daily provisions were thirty cors#4:22 That is, probably about 5 1/2 tons or about 5 metric tons of the finest flour and sixty cors#4:22 That is, probably about 11 tons or about 10 metric tons of meal, 23ten head of stall-fed cattle, twenty of pasture-fed cattle and a hundred sheep and goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks and choice fowl. 24For he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah to Gaza, and had peace on all sides. 25During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, everyone under their own vine and under their own fig tree.

26Solomon had four#4:26 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 2 Chron. 9:25); Hebrew forty thousand stalls for chariot horses, and twelve thousand horses.#4:26 Or charioteers

27The district governors, each in his month, supplied provisions for King Solomon and all who came to the king’s table. They saw to it that nothing was lacking. 28They also brought to the proper place their quotas of barley and straw for the chariot horses and the other horses.

Solomon’s Wisdom

29God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. 30Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. 31He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. 32He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. 33He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. 34From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.#4:34 In Hebrew texts 4:21-34 is numbered 5:1-14.

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