1 Kings 4 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
~965 BC and after, the settled middle stretch of Solomon's forty year reign
Location
Jerusalem as the administrative center, with twelve supply districts covering the whole territory from the Euphrates river down to the border of Egypt
Audience
Exiled Judeans remembering a national high point they had lost
Situation
The chapter lists Solomon's chief officials and the twelve district governors, each responsible for provisioning the royal court for one month a year, then describes the daily food supply, the peace of the kingdom, and the international reach of Solomon's reputation for wisdom.
Key Background
Redrawing the country into twelve supply districts that did not exactly match the old tribal boundaries concentrated power in the palace and weakened tribal loyalties, an efficient move that also bred the resentment that would split the kingdom a generation later. The picture of every man sitting under his own vine and fig tree was a standing image in the ancient world for a population secure enough to invest in slow growing crops, since vines and fig trees take years to bear. Cataloguing a king's officials, his provisions, and his fame was a standard form in royal records across Egypt and Mesopotamia, so the chapter reads as Israel's entry in an international genre of royal self presentation.
King Solomon over all of Israel.
These were his top Azariah son of Zadok was the
Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha, were the Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the
Benaiah son of Jehoiada was the Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
Azariah son of Nathan was over the Zabud son of Nathan was a priest and the king's
Ahishar the and Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of the
Solomon had twelve over all Israel who supplied provisions for the king and the royal household. Each one was responsible for providing supplies for one month of the year.
These were their names: Ben-Hur, in the of
Ben-Deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-Shemesh, and Elon-Beth-Hanan;
Ben-Hesed, in Arubboth (Socoh and the entire land of Hepher were under him);
Ben-Abinadab, in all of (he was married to Taphath, Solomon's daughter);
Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach, and all of Beth-Shean — which is next to Zarethan below Jezreel — from Beth-Shean to Abel-Meholah and on past Jokmeam;
Ben-Geber, in Ramoth-Gilead (the villages of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead were under him, as well as the region of Argob in — sixty large towns with walls and bronze gate-bars);
Ahinadab son of Iddo, in
Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he too had married a daughter of Solomon — Basemath);
Baana son of Hushai, in Asher and in Aloth;
Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar;
Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin;
Geber son of Uri, in the land of — the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan. He was the only governor over that entire region.
The people of Judah and Israel were as as on the They ate, they drank, and they
Solomon all the from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, all the way down to the border of Egypt. They brought and served Solomon for his entire life.
Solomon's daily provisions were: thirty of fine flour, sixty of meal,
ten twenty pasture-fed and a hundred sheep — not counting deer, gazelles, roebucks, and poultry.
He controlled everything west of the Euphrates — from Tiphsah all the way to Gaza, over all the kings west of the Euphrates — and he had on every around him.
Judah and Israel lived in safety, everyone their own and their own from all the to for the whole time Solomon was alive.
Solomon had for his chariot horses, and twelve horsemen.
The district governors each supplied provisions for King Solomon and everyone who came to his table, each during their assigned month. They made sure nothing was lacking.
They also brought barley and straw for the chariot horses and workhorses to the designated places — each governor providing their share.
God gave Solomon and beyond measure, and a breadth of mind as as the on the
Solomon's surpassed all the of the of the and all the of
He was wiser than anyone — wiser than the and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. His fame spread to all the surrounding nations.
He composed three thousand and his songs numbered one thousand and five.
He spoke about plant life — from the of down to the that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish.
People came from every to hear Solomon's wisdom — sent by all the of the who had heard of it.