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Solomon’s Royal Court and Administrators

King Solomon ruled over all Israel. These were his officials:

Azariah son of Zadok was the priest.

Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, wrote down what happened.[a]

Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was in charge of the records.

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was commander of[b] the army.

Zadok and Abiathar were priests.

Azariah son of Nathan was supervisor of[c] the district governors.

Zabud son of Nathan was a priest and adviser to[d] the king.

Ahishar was supervisor of the palace.[e]

Adoniram son of Abda was supervisor of[f] the work crews.[g]

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. These were their names:

Ben Hur was in charge of the hill country of Ephraim.

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.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 4:3 tn Heb “were scribes”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “secretaries”; TEV, NLT “court secretaries.”
  2. 1 Kings 4:4 tn Heb “was over.”
  3. 1 Kings 4:5 tn Heb “was over.”
  4. 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).
  5. 1 Kings 4:6 tn Heb “over the house.”
  6. 1 Kings 4:6 tn Heb “was over.”
  7. 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.

Solomon’s Officials and Governors

King Solomon now ruled over all Israel, and these were his high officials:

Azariah son of Zadok was the priest.
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were court secretaries.
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.
Benaiah son of Jehoiada was commander of the army.
Zadok and Abiathar were priests.
Azariah son of Nathan was in charge of the district governors.
Zabud son of Nathan, a priest, was a trusted adviser to the king.
Ahishar was manager of the palace property.
Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of forced labor.

Solomon also had twelve district governors who were over all Israel. They were responsible for providing food for the king’s household. Each of them arranged provisions for one month of the year. These are the names of the twelve governors:

Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim.
Ben-deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-bethhanan.
10 Ben-hesed, in Arubboth, including Socoh and all the land of Hepher.
11 Ben-abinadab, in all of Naphoth-dor.[a] (He was married to Taphath, one of Solomon’s daughters.)
12 Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, all of Beth-shan[b] near Zarethan below Jezreel, and all the territory from Beth-shan to Abel-meholah and over to Jokmeam.
13 Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead, including the Towns of Jair (named for Jair of the tribe of Manasseh[c]) in Gilead, and in the Argob region of Bashan, including sixty large fortified towns with bronze bars on their gates.
14 Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim.
15 Ahimaaz, in Naphtali. (He was married to Basemath, another of Solomon’s daughters.)
16 Baana son of Hushai, in Asher and in Aloth.
17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar.
18 Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin.
19 Geber son of Uri, in the land of Gilead,[d] including the territories of King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan.
There was also one governor over the land of Judah.[e]

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Footnotes

  1. 4:11 Hebrew Naphath-dor, a variant spelling of Naphoth-dor.
  2. 4:12 Hebrew Beth-shean, a variant spelling of Beth-shan; also in 4:12b.
  3. 4:13 Hebrew Jair son of Manasseh; compare 1 Chr 2:22.
  4. 4:19a Greek version reads of Gad; compare 4:13.
  5. 4:19b As in some Greek manuscripts; Hebrew lacks of Judah. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.