1Kings 4 - Prayer Tents

Solomon’s Officials and Governors

4King Solomon now ruled over all Israel,H4428H8010H4428H34782and these were his high officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest.H8269H5838H1121H6659H35483Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were court secretaries. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.H456H281H1121H7894H5608H3092H1121H286H21424Benaiah son of Jehoiada was commander of the army. Zadok and Abiathar were priests.H1141H1121H3077H6635H6659H54H35485Azariah son of Nathan was in charge of the district governors. Zabud son of Nathan, a priest, was a trusted adviser to the king.H5838H1121H5416H5324H2071H1121H5416H3548H4428H74636Ahishar was manager of the palace property. Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of the labor force.H301H1004H141H1121H5653H45227Solomon also had twelve district governors who were over all Israel. They were responsible for providing food for the king's household. Each of them arranged provisions for one month of the year.H8010H8147H6240H5324H3478H3557H4428H1004H259H2320H8141H35578These are the names of the twelve governors: Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim.H8034H1133H2022H6699Ben-deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-bethhanan.H1128H1857H4739H8169H1053H35810Ben-hesed, in Arubboth, including Socoh and all the land of Hepher.H1136H2618H700H7755H776H266011Ben-abinadab, in all of Naphoth-dor

. (He was married to Taphath, one of Solomon's daughters.)H1125H5299H1756H2955H1323H8010H80212Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, all of Beth-shan

near Zarethan below Jezreel, and all the territory from Beth-shan to Abel-meholah and over to Jokmeam.H1195H1121H286H8590H4023H1052H681H6891H3157H1052H65H5676H336113Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead, including the Towns of Jair (named for Jair of the tribe of Manasseh

) in Gilead, and in the Argob region of Bashan, including sixty large fortified towns with bronze bars on their gates.H1127H1568H7433H2333H2971H1121H4519H1568H2256H709H1316H8346H1419H5892H2346H5178H128014Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim.H292H1121H5714H426615Ahimaaz, in Naphtali. (He was married to Basemath, another of Solomon's daughters.)H290H5321H3947H1315H1323H8010H80216Baana son of Hushai, in Asher and in Aloth.H1195H1121H2365H836H117517Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar.H3092H1121H6515H348518Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin.H8096H1121H414H114419Geber son of Uri, in the land of Gilead

, including the territories of King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan. There was also one governor over the land of Judah.H1398H1121H221H776H1568H776H5511H4428H567H5747H4428H1316H259H5333H776

Solomon’s Prosperity and Wisdom

20The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They were very contented, with plenty to eat and drink.H3063H3478H7227H2344H3220H7230H398H8354H805621

Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River in the north to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt in the south. The conquered peoples of those lands sent tribute money to Solomon and continued to serve him throughout his lifetime.H8010H4910H4467H5104H776H6430H1366H4714H5066H4503H5647H8010H3117H241622The daily food requirements for Solomon's palace were 150 bushels of choice flour and 300 bushels of meal

;H8010H3899H259H3117H7970H3734H5560H8346H3734H705823also 10 oxen from the fattening pens, 20 pasture-fed cattle, 100 sheep or goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roe deer, and choice poultry

.H6235H1277H1241H6242H1241H7471H3967H6629H354H6643H3180H75H125724Solomon's dominion extended over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah to Gaza. And there was peace on all his borders.H7287H5676H5104H8607H5804H4428H5676H5104H7965H5650H5676H543925During the lifetime of Solomon, all of Judah and Israel lived in peace and safety. And from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, each family had its own home and garden

.H3063H3478H3427H983H376H1612H8384H1835H884H3117H801026Solomon had 4,000

stalls for his chariot horses, and he had 12,000 horses.H8010H705H505H723H5483H4817H8147H6240H505H657127The district governors faithfully provided food for King Solomon and his court; each made sure nothing was lacking during the month assigned to him.H5324H3557H4428H8010H7131H4428H8010H7979H376H2320H5737H169728They also brought the necessary barley and straw for the royal horses in the stables.H8184H8401H5483H7409H935H4725H376H494129God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore.H430H5414H8010H2451H8394H3966H7235H7341H3820H2344H3220H819330In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt.H8010H2451H7235H2451H1121H6924H2451H471431He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite and the sons of Mahol—Heman, Calcol, and Darda. His fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations.H2449H120H387H250H1968H3633H1862H1121H4235H8034H1471H543932He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs.H1696H7969H505H4912H7892H505H256833He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, small creatures, and fish.H1696H6086H730H3844H231H3318H7023H1696H929H5775H7431H170934And kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon.H935H5971H8085H2451H8010H4428H776H8085H2451