1 Kings 4:20-28

International Children’s Bible

Solomon’s Kingdom

²⁰ There were many people in Judah and Israel. There were as many people as there were grains of sand on the seashore. The people ate, drank and were happy. ²¹ Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistine people. His kingdom went as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought Solomon the payments he demanded. And they obeyed him all his life.

²² Solomon needed much food each day to feed himself and all the people who ate at his table. It took 185 bushels of fine flour and 375 bushels of meal. ²³ It also took 10 cows that were fed good grain, 20 cows that were raised in the fields and 100 sheep. And it took 3 different kinds of deer and fat birds.

²⁴ Solomon ruled over all the countries west of the Euphrates River. This was the land from Tiphsah to Gaza. And Solomon had peace on all sides of his kingdom. ²⁵ During Solomon’s life Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba,^[a] lived in peace. Each man was able to sit under his own fig trees and grapevines.

²⁶ Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses. And he had 12,000 chariot soldiers. ²⁷ Each month one of the district governors gave King Solomon all the food he needed. This was enough for every person who ate at the king’s table. The governors made sure he had everything he needed. ²⁸ They also gave the king enough barley and straw for the chariot and work horses. Each person brought this grain to the required places.