The First Book of the Kings

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- Chapter 4 -

And King Salomon was King ouer all Israel.

And these were his princes, Azariah the sonne of Zadok the Priest,

Elihoreph and Ahiah the sonnes of Shisha scribes, Iehoshaphat the sonne of Ahilud, the recorder,

And Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada was ouer the hoste, and Zadok and Abiathar Priests,

And Azariah the sonne of Nathan was ouer the officers, and Zabud the sonne of Nathan Priest was the Kings friend,

And Ahishar was ouer the houshold: and Adoniram the sonne of Abda was ouer the tribute.

Solomon’s Twelve Officers

And 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.

And these are their names: the sonne of Hur in mount Ephraim:

The sonne of Dekar in Makaz, and in Shaalbim and Beth-shemesh, and Elon and Beth-hanan:

The sonne of Hesed in Aruboth, to whom perteined Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher:

The sonne of Abinadab in all the region of Dor, which had Taphath the daughter of Salomon to wife.

Baana 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:

The 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.

Ahinadab the sonne of Iddo had to Mahanaim:

Ahimaaz in Naphtali, and he tooke Basmath the daughter of Salomon to wife:

Baanah the sonne of Hushai in Asher and in Aloth:

Iehoshaphat the sonne of Paruah in Issachar.

Shimei the sonne of Elah in Beniamin:

Geber 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.

Solomon’s Prosperity

Iudah and Israel were many, as the sand of the sea in number, eating, drinking, and making merry.

And 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.

And Salomons vitailes for one day were thirtie measures of fine floure, and threescore measures of meale:

Ten fat oxen, and twentie oxen of the pastures, and an hundreth sheepe, beside hartes, and buckes, and bugles, and fat foule.

For 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.

And 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.

And Salomon had fourtie thousande stalles of horses for his charets, and twelue thousand horsemen.

And 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.

Barley also and strawe for the horses and mules brought they vnto the place where the officers were, euery man according to his charge.

Solomon’s Wisdom

And God gaue Salomon wisdome and vnderstanding exceeding much, and a large heart, euen as the sand that is on the sea shore,

And Salomons wisdome excelled the wisedome of all the children of the East and all the wisedome of Egypt.

For 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.

And Salomon spake three thousand prouerbs: and his songs were a thousand and fiue.

And 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.

And there came of all people to heare the wisedome of Salomon, from all Kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisedome.

King Solomon was king over all Israel.

These were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest;

Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder;

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan was chief minister, the king’s friend;

Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to forced labor.

Solomon’s Twelve Officers

Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household. Each man had to make provision for a month in the year.

These are their names: Ben Hur, in the hill country of Ephraim;

Ben Deker, in Makaz, in Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Beth Hanan;

Ben Hesed, in Arubboth (Socoh and all the land of Hepher belonged to him);

Ben Abinadab, in all the height of Dor (he had Taphath, Solomon’s daughter, as wife);

Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam;

Ben Geber, in Ramoth Gilead (the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, belonged to him; and the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars, belonged to him);

Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim;

Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he also took Basemath the daughter of Solomon as wife);

Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth;

Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar;

Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin;

Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer who was in the land.

Solomon’s Prosperity

Judah and Israel were numerous as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry.

Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.

Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty cors(a) of fine flour, sixty measures of meal,

ten head of fat cattle, twenty head of cattle out of the pastures, and one hundred sheep, in addition to deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl.

For he had dominion over all on this side the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River; and he had peace on all sides around him.

Judah and Israel lived safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.

Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

Those officers provided food for King Solomon, and for all who came to King Solomon’s table, every man in his month. They let nothing be lacking.

They also brought barley and straw for the horses and swift steeds to the place where the officers were, each man according to his duty.

Solomon’s Wisdom

God gave Solomon abundant wisdom, understanding, and breadth of mind like the sand that is on the seashore.

Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.

For he was wiser than all men—wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the nations all around.

He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered one thousand five.

He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that grows out of the wall; he also spoke of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish.

People of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, sent by all kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.

Footnotes

(a)4:22 1 cor is the same as a homer, or about 55.9 U. S. gallons (liquid) or 211 liters or 6 bushels