1 Kings 4
4
Solomon’s Riches: Domestic Affairs.#4:1–5:8] The sub-unit on Solomon’s riches is organized around domestic affairs (4:1–20) and international affairs (5:1–5), with a short appendix on Solomon’s horses and chariots (5:6–8). Compare 9:26–10:29, where comparable elements reappear. 1Solomon was king over all Israel, 2and these were the officials he had in his service:
Azariah, son of Zadok, the priest;
3Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha, scribes;
Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, the chancellor;
4Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, in charge of the army;
Zadok and Abiathar, priests;
5Azariah, son of Nathan, in charge of the governors;
Zabud, son of Nathan, priest and companion to the king;
6Ahishar, master of the palace; and
Adoniram, son of Abda, in charge of the forced labor.
7#The administration of the kingdom thus initiated by Solomon continued in its main features for the duration of the monarchy in Israel and Judah. Note the use of “all Israel” to mean only the northern tribes (see also 5:27). Solomon’s exactions did not fall evenly on the whole people, but favored his own southern tribe of Judah. Eventually this inequity would lead to the dissolution of the union of Israel and Judah (12:1–19). Solomon had twelve governors over all Israel who supplied food for the king and his household, each having to provide for one month in the year. 8Their names were:#Several of the governors are identified only by their fathers’ names.
the son of Hur in the hill country of Ephraim;
9the son of Deker in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon Beth-hanan;
10the son of Hesed in Arubboth, as well as in Socoh and the whole region of Hepher;
11the son of Abinadab, in all Naphath-dor; he was married to Taphath, Solomon’s daughter;
12Baana, son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo and all Beth-shean near Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah to beyond Jokmeam;
13the son of Geber in Ramoth-gilead, having charge of the villages of Jair, son of Manasseh, in Gilead; and of the district of Argob in Bashan—sixty large walled cities with gates barred with bronze;
14Ahinadab, son of Iddo, in Mahanaim;
15Ahimaaz, in Naphtali; he was married to Basemath, another daughter of Solomon;
16Baana, son of Hushai, in Asher and Aloth;
17Jehoshaphat, son of Paruah, in Issachar;
18Shimei, son of Ela, in Benjamin;
19Geber, son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the land of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and of Og, king of Bashan.
There was one governor besides, in the land of Judah.#One governor…land of Judah: the royal territory of Judah had its own peculiar administration different from that of the twelve northern districts, each of which had to supply the king and his household with a month’s provisions of food each year (v. 7). 20#Gn 22:17; 32:13; Dn 3:36; Hos 1:10; Heb 11:12. Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sands by the sea; they ate and drank and rejoiced.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
1 Kings 4
4
Solomon’s Administration
(2 Chronicles 9:26)
1When King Solomon was the king of all Israel, 2these were his officials:
Azariah, son of Zadok, was the ⌞chief⌟ priest.
3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were scribes.
Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, was the royal historian.
4 Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was commander of the army.
Zadok and Abiathar were priests.
5 Azariah, son of Nathan, was in charge of the district governors.
Zabud, son of Nathan, was the king’s adviser.
6 Ahishar was in charge of the palace.
Adoniram, son of Abda, was in charge of forced labor.
7Solomon appointed 12 district governors in Israel. They were to provide food for the king and his palace. Each one had to supply food for one month every year. 8Their names were
Benhur, who was in charge of the hills of Ephraim,
9 Bendeker, who was in charge of Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Beth Hanan, and
10 Benhesed, who was in charge of Arubboth, Socoh, and the entire region of Hepher.
11 Benabinadab had the entire region of Dor.
(Solomon’s daughter Taphath was his wife.)
12 Baana, son of Ahilud, had Taanach, Megiddo, and all of Beth Shean.
(This was near Zarethan, below Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah and over to Jokmeam.)
13 Bengeber was in charge of Ramoth Gilead; he had the settlements of Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, in Gilead.
He ⌞also⌟ had the territory of Argob in Bashan, 60 large cities with walls and bronze bars across their gates.
14 Ahinadab, son of Iddo, was in charge of Mahanaim.
15 Ahimaaz was in charge of Naphtali.
(He also 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 Gilead, the territory of King Sihon the Amorite and King Og of Bashan. (There was only one governor in that territory.) #4:19 “There was … territory” Masoretic Text; Greek “There was also one governor in the territory of Judah.”
20The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They ate and drank and lived happily.#4:20 1 Kings 4:21–34 in English Bibles is 1 Kings 5:1–14 in the Hebrew Bible.
21Solomon ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the country of the Philistines and as far as the Egyptian border. These kingdoms paid taxes and were subject to Solomon as long as he lived.
22Solomon’s food supply for one day was 180 bushels of flour, 360 bushels of coarse flour, 2310 fattened cows, 20 cows from the pasture, and 100 sheep in addition to deer, gazelles, fallow deer, and fattened birds. 24He controlled all the territory west of the Euphrates River from Tiphsah to Gaza and all of its kings. So he lived in peace with all the neighboring countries. 25As long as Solomon lived, Judah and Israel (from Dan to Beersheba) lived securely, everyone under his own vine and fig tree.
26Solomon had stalls for 40,000 chariot horses. He also had 12,000 chariot soldiers.#4:26 Or “12,000 cavalry horses.” 27Each of the governors provided food for one month every year for King Solomon and all who ate at his table. The governors saw to it that nothing was in short supply. 28They brought their quota of barley and straw for the chariot horses to the proper places.
Solomon’s Wisdom
29God gave Solomon wisdom—keen insight and a mind as limitless as the sand on the seashore. 30Solomon’s wisdom was greater than that of all the eastern people and all the wisdom of the Egyptians. 31He was wiser than anyone, than Ethan the Ezrahite, or Heman, Calcol, or Darda, Mahol’s sons. His fame spread to all the nations around him.
32Solomon spoke 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. 33He described and classified trees—from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop growing out of the wall. He described and classified animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. 34People came from every nation to hear his wisdom; they came from all the kings of the earth who had heard about his wisdom.
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