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And king Solomon was king over all Israel.

And these are the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok was priest;

Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, chronicler;

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

and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the superintendents; and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, the king's friend;

and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the levy-service.

And Solomon had twelve superintendents over all Israel; and they provided food for the king and his household: each man his month in the year had to make provision.

And these are their names: Ben-Hur, in mount Ephraim.

Ben-Deker in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-Beth-hanan.

10 Ben-Hesed, in Arubboth; he had Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher.

11 Ben-Abinadab had all the upland of Dor; Taphath the daughter of Solomon was his wife.

12 Baana the son of Ahilud had Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean, which is by Zaretan beneath Jizreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-Meholah, as far as beyond Jokneam.

13 Ben-Geber, in Ramoth-Gilead; he had the villages of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; he had the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bars of bronze.

14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo, at Mahanaim.

15 Ahimaaz, in Nephtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon as wife.

16 Baanah the son of Hushai, in Asher and in Aloth.

17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar.

18 Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin.

19 Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the land of Sihon the king of the Amorites, and of Og the king of Bashan; and [he was] the only superintendent that was in the land.

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

21 And Solomon ruled over all kingdoms from the river to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.

22 And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and sixty measures of meal,

23 ten fatted oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and gazelles, and fallow-deer, and fatted fowl.

24 For he had dominion over all on this side the river, from Tiphsah as far as Gazah, over all the kings on this side the river; and he had peace on all sides round about.

25 And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon.

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

27 And 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 wanting.

28 And the barley, and the straw for the horses and coursers, they brought to the place where [the superintendents] were, every man according to his charge.

29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and very great understanding and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore.

30 And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the sons of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

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

32 And he spoke three thousand proverbs; and his songs were a thousand and five.

33 And he spoke of the trees, from the cedar-tree that is on Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of cattle, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of fishes.

34 And there came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.

And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father; for Hiram always loved David.

And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,

Thou knowest that David my father could not build a house unto the name of Jehovah his God, because of the wars which were about him on every side, until Jehovah put them under the soles of his feet.

But now Jehovah my God has given me rest on every side: there is neither adversary nor evil event.

And behold, I purpose to build a house unto the name of Jehovah my God, as Jehovah spoke to David my father saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy stead, he shall build a house unto my name.

And now command that they hew me cedar-trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants; and I will give thee hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt say; for thou knowest that there is not among us any that are experienced in cutting timber like to the Zidonians.

And it came to pass when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be Jehovah this day, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.

And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have heard the things which thou sentest to me for: I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of cypress.

My servants shall bring [them] down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will convey them by sea [in] rafts to the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and thou shalt receive them. And thou shalt accomplish my desire in giving food for my household.

10 So Hiram gave Solomon cedar-trees and cypress-trees [according to] all his desire.

11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat as food for his household, and twenty measures of beaten oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.

12 And Jehovah gave Solomon wisdom as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league.

13 And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.

14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses; a month they were in Lebanon, two months at home; and Adoniram was over the levy.

15 And Solomon had seventy thousand that bore burdens, and eighty thousand stone-masons in the mountains;

16 besides the overseers whom Solomon had set over the work, three thousand three hundred, who ruled over the people that wrought in the work.

17 And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, hewn stones, to lay the foundation of the house.

18 And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the Giblites hewed them, and prepared timber and stones to build the house.

Solomon’s Officials and Governors

So King Solomon ruled over all Israel. And these were his chief officials:(A)

Azariah(B) son of Zadok—the priest;

Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha—secretaries;(C)

Jehoshaphat(D) son of Ahilud—recorder;

Benaiah(E) son of Jehoiada—commander in chief;

Zadok(F) and Abiathar—priests;

Azariah son of Nathan—in charge of the district governors;

Zabud son of Nathan—a priest and adviser to the king;

Ahishar—palace administrator;(G)

Adoniram(H) son of Abda—in charge of forced labor.(I)

Solomon had twelve district governors(J) over all Israel, who supplied provisions for the king and the royal household. Each one had to provide supplies for one month in the year. These are their names:

Ben-Hur—in the hill country(K) of Ephraim;

Ben-Deker—in Makaz, Shaalbim,(L) Beth Shemesh(M) and Elon Bethhanan;

10 Ben-Hesed—in Arubboth (Sokoh(N) and all the land of Hepher(O) were his);

11 Ben-Abinadab—in Naphoth Dor(P) (he was married to Taphath daughter of Solomon);

12 Baana son of Ahilud—in Taanach and Megiddo, and in all of Beth Shan(Q) next to Zarethan(R) below Jezreel, from Beth Shan to Abel Meholah(S) across to Jokmeam;(T)

13 Ben-Geber—in Ramoth Gilead (the settlements of Jair(U) son of Manasseh in Gilead(V) were his, as well as the region of Argob in Bashan and its sixty large walled cities(W) with bronze gate bars);

14 Ahinadab son of Iddo—in Mahanaim;(X)

15 Ahimaaz(Y)—in Naphtali (he had married Basemath daughter of Solomon);

16 Baana son of Hushai(Z)—in Asher and in Aloth;

17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah—in Issachar;

18 Shimei(AA) son of Ela—in Benjamin;

19 Geber son of Uri—in Gilead (the country of Sihon(AB) king of the Amorites and the country of Og(AC) king of Bashan). He was the only governor over the district.

Solomon’s Daily Provisions

20 The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand(AD) on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy.(AE) 21 And Solomon ruled(AF) over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River(AG) to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt.(AH) These countries brought tribute(AI) and were Solomon’s subjects all his life.

22 Solomon’s daily provisions(AJ) were thirty cors[a] of the finest flour and sixty cors[b] of meal, 23 ten head of stall-fed cattle, twenty of pasture-fed cattle and a hundred sheep and goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks and choice fowl.(AK) 24 For he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah(AL) to Gaza, and had peace(AM) on all sides. 25 During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba,(AN) lived in safety,(AO) everyone under their own vine and under their own fig tree.(AP)

26 Solomon had four[c] thousand stalls for chariot horses,(AQ) and twelve thousand horses.[d]

27 The district governors,(AR) each in his month, supplied provisions for King Solomon and all who came to the king’s table. They saw to it that nothing was lacking. 28 They also brought to the proper place their quotas of barley and straw for the chariot horses and the other horses.

Solomon’s Wisdom

29 God gave Solomon wisdom(AS) and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand(AT) on the seashore. 30 Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East,(AU) and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.(AV) 31 He was wiser(AW) than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. 32 He spoke three thousand proverbs(AX) and his songs(AY) numbered a thousand and five. 33 He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop(AZ) that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. 34 From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings(BA) of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.[e]

Preparations for Building the Temple(BB)

[f]When Hiram(BC) king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king to succeed his father David, he sent his envoys to Solomon, because he had always been on friendly terms with David. Solomon sent back this message to Hiram:

“You know that because of the wars(BD) waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build(BE) a temple for the Name of the Lord his God until the Lord put his enemies under his feet.(BF) But now the Lord my God has given me rest(BG) on every side, and there is no adversary(BH) or disaster. I intend, therefore, to build a temple(BI) for the Name of the Lord my God, as the Lord told my father David, when he said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.’(BJ)

“So give orders that cedars(BK) of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians.”

When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was greatly pleased and said, “Praise be to the Lord(BL) today, for he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.”

So Hiram sent word to Solomon:

“I have received the message you sent me and will do all you want in providing the cedar and juniper logs. My men will haul them down from Lebanon to the Mediterranean Sea(BM), and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate them and you can take them away. And you are to grant my wish by providing food(BN) for my royal household.”

10 In this way Hiram kept Solomon supplied with all the cedar and juniper logs he wanted, 11 and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors[g] of wheat as food(BO) for his household, in addition to twenty thousand baths[h][i] of pressed olive oil. Solomon continued to do this for Hiram year after year. 12 The Lord gave Solomon wisdom,(BP) just as he had promised him. There were peaceful relations between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.(BQ)

13 King Solomon conscripted laborers(BR) from all Israel—thirty thousand men. 14 He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram(BS) was in charge of the forced labor. 15 Solomon had seventy thousand carriers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hills, 16 as well as thirty-three hundred[j] foremen(BT) who supervised the project and directed the workers. 17 At the king’s command they removed from the quarry(BU) large blocks of high-grade stone(BV) to provide a foundation of dressed stone for the temple. 18 The craftsmen of Solomon and Hiram(BW) and workers from Byblos(BX) cut and prepared the timber and stone for the building of the temple.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 4:22 That is, probably about 5 1/2 tons or about 5 metric tons
  2. 1 Kings 4:22 That is, probably about 11 tons or about 10 metric tons
  3. 1 Kings 4:26 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 2 Chron. 9:25); Hebrew forty
  4. 1 Kings 4:26 Or charioteers
  5. 1 Kings 4:34 In Hebrew texts 4:21-34 is numbered 5:1-14.
  6. 1 Kings 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1-18 is numbered 5:15-32.
  7. 1 Kings 5:11 That is, probably about 3,600 tons or about 3,250 metric tons
  8. 1 Kings 5:11 Septuagint (see also 2 Chron. 2:10); Hebrew twenty cors
  9. 1 Kings 5:11 That is, about 120,000 gallons or about 440,000 liters
  10. 1 Kings 5:16 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 2 Chron. 2:2,18) thirty-six hundred