1 Kings 4

1

Solomon’s Princes

So KingH4428 SolomonH8010 ruledH4428 overH5921H3605 IsraelH3478, 2and theseH428 were his chief officialsH8269:

AzariahH5838 sonH1121 of ZadokH6659 was the priestH3548; 3ElihorephH456 and AhijahH281, the sonsH1121 of ShishaH7894,1 were secretariesH5608; JehoshaphatH3092 sonH1121 of AhiludH286 was the recorderH2142; 4BenaiahH1141 sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077 was in charge ofH5921 the armyH6635; ZadokH6659 and AbiatharH54 were priestsH3548; 5AzariahH5838 sonH1121 of NathanH5416 was in charge ofH5921 the governorsH5324; ZabudH2071 sonH1121 of NathanH5416 was a priestH3548 and adviserH7463 to the kingH4428; 6AhisharH301 was in charge ofH5921 the palaceH1004; and AdoniramH1412 sonH1121 of AbdaH5653 was in charge ofH5921 the forced laborH4522.

Solomon’s Twelve Officers

7SolomonH8010 had twelveH8147H6240 governorsH5324 overH5921 allH3605 IsraelH3478 to provide foodH3557 for the kingH4428 and his householdH1004. Each oneH259 would arrange provisionsH3557 for one monthH2320 of the yearH8141H1961H5921, 8and theseH428 were their namesH8034:

Ben-hurH1133 in the hill countryH2022 of EphraimH669; 9Ben-dekerH1128 in MakazH4739, in ShaalbimH8169, in Beth-shemeshH1053, and in Elon-beth-hananH358; 10Ben-hesedH1121H2618 in ArubbothH700 (SocohH7755 and allH3605 the landH776 of HepherH2660 belonged to him); 11Ben-abinadabH1125 in Naphath-dorH3605H5316H17563 (TaphathH2955, a daughterH1323 of SolomonH8010, wasH1961 his wifeH802); 12BaanaH1195 sonH1121 of AhiludH286 in TaanachH8590, in MegiddoH4023, and in allH3605 of Beth-sheanH1052 next toH681 ZarethanH6891 belowH8478 JezreelH3157, fromH1052 Beth-sheanH1052 toH5704 Abel-meholahH65 and on pastH5676 JokmeamH3361; 13Ben-geberH1127 in Ramoth-gileadH7418 (the villagesH2333 of JairH2971 son ofH1121 ManassehH4519 in GileadH1568 belonged to him, as well as the regionH2256 of ArgobH709 in BashanH1316 with its sixtyH8346 greatH1419 citiesH5892 with wallsH2346 and bronzeH5178 barsH1280); 14AhinadabH292 sonH1121 of IddoH5714 in MahanaimH4266; 15AhimaazH290 in NaphtaliH5321 (heH1931 had marriedH3947 BasemathH1315, a daughterH1323 of SolomonH8010); 16BaanaH1195 sonH1121 of HushaiH2365 in AsherH836 and in AlothH1175; 17JehoshaphatH3092 sonH1121 of ParuahH6515 in IssacharH3485; 18ShimeiH8096 sonH1121 of ElaH414 in BenjaminH1144; 19GeberH1398 sonH1121 of UriH221 in the landH776 of GileadH1568, including the territoriesH776 of SihonH5511 kingH4428 of the AmoritesH567 and of OgH5747 kingH4428 of BashanH1316.

There was also oneH259 governorH5333 in the landH776 of Judah.4

Solomon’s Prosperity

20The people of JudahH3063 and IsraelH3478H7227 were as numerousH7230 as the sandH2344 onH5921 the seashoreH3220, and they were eatingH398 and drinkingH8354 and rejoicingH8056. 21And SolomonH8010H1961 reignedH4910 over allH3605 the kingdomsH4467 fromH4480 theH5104 Euphrates5 to the landH776 of the PhilistinesH6430, as far asH5704 the borderH1366 of EgyptH4714. These kingdoms offeredH5066 tributeH4503 and servedH5647 SolomonH8010 allH3605 the daysH3117 of his lifeH2416.

22Solomon’sH8010 provisionsH3899 for a singleH259 dayH3117 wereH1961 thirtyH7970 corsH3734 of fine flourH5560,6 sixtyH8346 corsH3734 of mealH7058,7 23tenH6235 fatH1277 oxenH1241, twentyH6242 rangeH7471 oxenH1241, and a hundredH3967 sheepH6629, as well asH905 deerH354, gazellesH6643, roebucksH3180, and fattenedH75 poultryH1257. 24ForH3588 Solomon had dominionH7287 over everythingH3605 westH5676 of the EuphratesH51048—over allH3605 the kingdomsH4428 from TiphsahH8607 toH5704 GazaH5804—and he hadH1961 peaceH7965 on allH3605H5439 sidesH5676. 25ThroughoutH3605 the daysH3117 of SolomonH8010, JudahH3063 and IsraelH3478 dweltH3427 securelyH983 from DanH1835 toH5704 BeershebaH884, each manH376 underH8478 his own vineH1612 andH8478 his own fig treeH8384.

26SolomonH8010 hadH1961 4,000H705H5059 stallsH723 for his chariotH4817 horsesH5483 and 12,000H8147H6240H505 horsesH6571.10 27EachH376 monthH2320 the governorsH5324 in turn provided foodH3557 for KingH4428 SolomonH8010 and allH3605 who cameH7131 toH413 his tableH7979. They saw to it thatH5737 nothing was lackingH3808H1697. 28Each oneH376 also broughtH935 toH413 the required placeH4725 their quotasH4941 of barleyH8184 and strawH8401 for the chariot horsesH7409 and other horsesH5483.

Solomon’s Wisdom

29And GodH430 gaveH5414 SolomonH8010 wisdomH2451, exceedinglyH3966 deepH7235 insightH8394, and understandingH3820 beyond measureH7341, like the sandH2344 onH5921 the seashoreH8193H3220. 30Solomon’sH8010 wisdomH2451 was greater thanH7235 that of allH3605 the menH1121 of the EastH6924, greater than allH3605 the wisdomH2451 of EgyptH4714. 31He was wiserH2449 than allH3605 menH120—wiser than EthanH387 the EzrahiteH250, and wiser than HemanH1968, CalcolH3633, and DardaH1862, the sonsH1121 of MaholH4235. And his fameH8034 spreadH1961 throughoutH3605 the surroundingH5439 nationsH1471.

32Solomon composedH1696 threeH7969 thousandH505 proverbsH4912, and his songsH7892 numberedH1961 a thousandH505 and fiveH2568. 33He spokeH1696 ofH5921 treesH6086, fromH4480 the cedarH730 in LebanonH3844 toH5704 the hyssopH231 growingH3318 in the wallH7023, and he taughtH1696 aboutH5921 animalsH929H5921, birdsH5775H5921, reptilesH7431H5921, and fishH1709.

34So men of allH3605 nationsH5971 cameH935 to listenH8085 to Solomon’sH8010H854 wisdomH2451, sent by allH3605 the kingsH4428 of the earthH776, whoH834 had heardH8085 of his wisdomH2451.