1 Kings 4 - Common English Bible (CEB)

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]

20 Judah and Israel grew numerous like the sand alongside the sea. They ate, drank, and celebrated.

21 [b] Solomon ruled over all the states from the Euphrates River through the Philistines’ land and as far as the border of Egypt. These areas brought tribute to Solomon and served him all the days of his life. 22 Solomon’s food requirements for a single day included thirty kors[c] of refined flour; sixty kors of flour; 23 ten head of grain-fattened cattle; twenty head of pastured cattle; one hundred sheep; as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks, and the best of fowl. 24 He ruled over all the lands west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah to Gaza, and over all the kings west of the Euphrates. He had peace on all sides. 25 The people of Judah and Israel from Dan all the way to Beer-sheba lived securely under their vines and fig trees throughout the days of Solomon.

26 Solomon had forty thousand horse stalls for his chariots and twelve thousand additional horses. 27 The officials provided King Solomon and all who joined him at the royal table with monthly food rations. They left out nothing. 28 Each brought their share of barley and straw for the horses and for the chariot horses, bringing it to its proper place. 29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and very great understanding—insight as long as the seashore itself. 30 Solomon’s wisdom was greater than all the famous Easterners, greater even than all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 He was wiser than anyone, more wise than Ethan the Ezrahite or Mahol’s sons: Heman, Calcol, and Darda. His reputation was known throughout the region. 32 Solomon spoke three thousand proverbs and one thousand five songs. 33 He described the botany of trees, whether the cedar in Lebanon or the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He also described cattle, birds, anything that crawls on the ground, and fish. 34 People came from everywhere to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; even the earth’s kings who had heard about his wisdom came!

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 4:19 LXX; MT lacks of Judah.
  2. 1 Kings 4:21 5:1 in Heb
  3. 1 Kings 4:22 One kor is possibly equal to fifty gallons.

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4 And king Solomon is king over all Israel, 2 and these [are] the heads whom he hath: Azariah son of Zadok [is] the priest; 3 Elihoreph and Ahiah sons of Shisha [are] scribes; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud [is] remembrancer; 4 and Benaiah son of Jehoiada [is] over the host; and Zadok and Abiathar [are] ...
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1 Kings 4 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

4 Forsooth king Solomon was reigning on all Israel. 2 And these were the princes which he had; Azariah, the son of Zadok, the priest; (And these were the leaders that he had; Azariah, the son of Zadok, was the priest who was over-the-year, that is, the calendar of events;) 3 Elihoreph, and Ahiah, (t...
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1 Kings 4 - World English Bible (WEB)

4 King Solomon was king over all Israel. 2 These were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest; 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder; 4 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; ...
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4 King Solomon reigned over Israel, and these are the men who helped him do so. 2 The following were his officers and administrators: The priest was Azariah (Zadok’s son); 3 the secretaries were Elihoreph and Ahijah (Shisha’s sons); the recorder was Jehoshaphat (Ahilud’s son); 4 the commander of ...
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Solomon’s Official Staff4 Now King Solomon reigned over all Israel, 2 and these were his officials: Azariah son of Zadok, the kohen; 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud, the recorder; 4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, in charge of the army; Zadok and Abiathar, koha...
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1 Kings 4 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Solomon’s Administrative Officers4 King Solomon was king over all Israel, 2 and these were his high officials: Azari′ah the son of Zadok was the priest; 3 Elihor′eph and Ahi′jah the sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehosh′aphat the son of Ahi′lud was recorder; 4 Benai′ah the son of Jehoi′ada was ...
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1 Kings 4 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Solomon’s Administrative Officers4 King Solomon was king over all Israel, 2 and these were his high officials: Azari′ah the son of Zadok was the priest; 3 Elihor′eph and Ahi′jah the sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehosh′aphat the son of Ahi′lud was recorder; 4 Benai′ah the son of Jehoi′ada was ...
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1 Kings 4 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Solomon’s Administrative Officers4 King Solomon was king over all Israel, 2 and these were his high officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest; 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; 4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in command of the army;...
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1 Kings 4 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Solomon’s Administrative Officers4 King Solomon was king over all Israel, 2 and these were his high officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest; 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; 4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in command of the army; Za...
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1 Kings 4 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Solomon’s Officials and Governors4 King Solomon now ruled over all Israel, 2 and these were his high officials:Azariah son of Zadok was the priest.3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were court secretaries.Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was comman...
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Solomon’s Administration4 So King Solomon was king over all Israel. 2 And these were his officials: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest; 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, [a]scribes; (A)Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder; 4 (B)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, over the army; Zadok ...
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Solomon’s officials and governors4 So King Solomon ruled over all Israel. 2 And these were his chief officials:Azariah son of Zadok – the priest; 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha – secretaries;Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud – recorder; 4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada – commander-in-chief;Zadok and Abiat...
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