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.

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Solomon’s administration

King Solomon became king of all Israel.

These were his officials: the priest Azariah, Zadok’s son; the scribes Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha; Jehoshaphat, the recorder, Ahilud’s son; the general Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son; the priests Zadok and Abiathar; Azariah, Nathan’s son, who was in charge of the officials; Zabud, Nathan’s son, a priest and royal friend; Ahishar, who was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram, Abda’s son, who was supervisor of the work gangs.

Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel. They supplied the king and his palace with food. Each would provide the supplies for one month per year. Here are their names:

Ben-hur in the highlands of Ephraim;

Ben-deker in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-bethhanan;

10 Ben-hesed in Arubboth, who had Socoh and all the land of Hepher;

11 Ben-abinadab in all of Naphath-dor (Taphath, Solomon’s daughter, was his wife);

12 Baana, Ahilud’s son, in Taanach, Megiddo, and all Beth-shean beside Zarethan and below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah and over to the region opposite Jokmeam;

13 Ben-geber in Ramoth-gilead, who controlled the villages of Jair, Manasseh’s son, which were in Gilead, and who had the Argob region that was in Bashan—sixty large walled cities with bronze bars;

14 Ahinadab, Iddo’s son, in Mahanaim;

15 Ahimaaz in Naphtali, who also took Solomon’s daughter Basemath as his wife;

16 Baana, Hushai’s son, in Asher and Bealoth;

17 Jehoshaphat, Paruah’s son, in

Issachar;

18 Shimei, Ela’s son, in Benjamin;

19 Geber, Uri’s son, in the land of Gilead, the land of the Amorite king Sihon and of King Og of Bashan;

and there was a single officer who was in the land of Judah.[a]

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Notas al pie

  1. 1 Kings 4:19 LXX; MT lacks of Judah.