1 Kings 4:1-19
New English Translation
Solomon’s Royal Court and Administrators
4 King Solomon ruled over all Israel. 2 These were his officials:
Azariah son of Zadok was the priest.
3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, wrote down what happened.[a]
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was in charge of the records.
4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was commander of[b] the army.
Zadok and Abiathar were priests.
5 Azariah son of Nathan was supervisor of[c] the district governors.
Zabud son of Nathan was a priest and adviser to[d] the king.
6 Ahishar was supervisor of the palace.[e]
Adoniram son of Abda was supervisor of[f] the work crews.[g]
7 Solomon had twelve district governors appointed throughout Israel who acquired supplies for the king and his palace. Each was responsible for one month in the year. 8 These were their names:
Ben Hur was in charge of the hill country of Ephraim.
9 Ben Deker was in charge of Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Beth Hanan.
10 Ben Hesed was in charge of Arubboth; he controlled Socoh and all the territory of Hepher.
11 Ben Abinadab was in charge of Naphath Dor. (He was married to Solomon’s daughter Taphath.)
12 Baana son of Ahilud was in charge of Taanach and Megiddo, as well as all of Beth Shean next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah and on past Jokmeam.
13 Ben Geber was in charge of Ramoth Gilead; he controlled the villages of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead, as well as the region of Argob in Bashan, including sixty large walled cities with bronze bars locking their gates.
14 Ahinadab son of Iddo was in charge of Mahanaim.
15 Ahimaaz was in charge of Naphtali. (He married Solomon’s daughter Basemath.)
16 Baana son of Hushai was in charge of Asher and Aloth.
17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah was in charge of Issachar.
18 Shimei son of Ela was in charge of Benjamin.
19 Geber son of Uri was in charge of the land of Gilead (the territory which had once belonged to King Sihon of the Amorites and to King Og of Bashan). He was sole governor of the area.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Kings 4:3 tn Heb “were scribes”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “secretaries”; TEV, NLT “court secretaries.”
- 1 Kings 4:4 tn Heb “was over.”
- 1 Kings 4:5 tn Heb “was over.”
- 1 Kings 4:5 tn Heb “close associate of”; KJV, ASV, NASB “the king’s friend” (a title for an adviser, not just an acquaintance).
- 1 Kings 4:6 tn Heb “over the house.”
- 1 Kings 4:6 tn Heb “was over.”
- 1 Kings 4:6 sn The work crews. This Hebrew word (מַס, mas) refers to a group of laborers conscripted for royal or public service.
1 Kings 4:1-19
Common English Bible
Solomon’s administration
4 King Solomon became king of all Israel.
2 These were his officials: the priest Azariah, Zadok’s son; 3 the scribes Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha; Jehoshaphat, the recorder, Ahilud’s son; 4 the general Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son; the priests Zadok and Abiathar; 5 Azariah, Nathan’s son, who was in charge of the officials; Zabud, Nathan’s son, a priest and royal friend; 6 Ahishar, who was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram, Abda’s son, who was supervisor of the work gangs.
7 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. 8 Here are their names:
Ben-hur in the highlands of Ephraim;
9 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]
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 4:19 LXX; MT lacks of Judah.
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