st Kings _Chapter 4
Solomon reigned over all Israel.
His officials are recorded below, and Azariah son of Zadok became a priest,
Elihored and Ahiah, the two sons of Shesha, were the secretaries, and Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahirod, was a historian,
Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was the commander of the army, and Zadok and Abiathar were the chief priests,
Azariah, the son of Nathan, was the chief of the officials, and Sabud, the son of Nathan, the king’s friend, was the leader,
Ahishach, the writer, was in charge, and Adoniram, the son of Abida, was in charge of the people who were in need.
Solomon appointed twelve officials throughout all Israel to provide food for the king and his household, each for one month each year.
Their names are recorded below: in the hill country of Ephraim, there is Benhur.
In Margaz, Shabin, Bethshemesh, and Elon and Bethhanan, there was Bendecar.
In Arubo, there was Benhezer, who was in charge of all the land of Sogo and Hepher.
In the entire region of Mount Dor, there was Benabinadab, who married Tarphath, the daughter of Solomon.
In Tanah and Megiddo, and all the land of Bethshan below Jezreel, from Bethshan to Abelmihola and beyond Jonam, there was Barnah the son of Ahirod.
In Ramoth Gilead, there was Benkebed, who was in charge of the cities of Jair, the son of Manasseh in Gilead, and sixty large cities in the land of Argob in Bashan, all with walls and bronze bars.
In Mahanaim, there was Ahinadab son of Iddo.
In Naphtali, Ahimaaz also married Bashmath, one of Solomon’s daughters.
Banah, the son of Hushai, lived in Asher and Aroth.
In Issachar, there was Jehoshaphat, the son of Palua.
In Benjamin, Shimei the son of Elah.
In the land of Gilead, which used to belong to King Sihon of Amorite and King Og of Bashan, Gilbert, the son of Uri, was in charge.
The Jews and the Israelites were as abundant as the sand by the sea, eating, drinking, and joyful.
Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms, from the Great River to the land of the Philistines, and even to the border of Egypt. During Solomon’s lifetime, these nations offered tribute and served him.
The daily food that Solomon used was thirty koels of fine flour and sixty koels of coarse flour,
Ten fat cows, twenty cows on the grassland, one hundred sheep, as well as deer, antelopes, roe deer, and fat poultry.
Solomon ruled over the kings on the west side of the Great River, as well as all the land from Tiphthah to Gaza, and all the borders were safe.
During Solomon’s lifetime, Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety under their own vineyards and fig trees.
Solomon had forty thousand chariot horses and twelve thousand cavalry.
The twelve officials each provided King Solomon and all those who sat with him with food according to their respective months, without any shortage.
Everyone divided the barley and hay for raising horses and fast horses and sent them to the officials.
God bestowed upon Solomon great wisdom, wisdom, and a broad heart, as the sand of the sea cannot be measured.
Solomon’s wisdom surpassed all the wisdom of the people of the East and Egypt.
His wisdom surpasses ten thousand, surpassing the wisdom of Ethan the Ezrite, and the sons of Maho, Heman, Kago, and Dada. His reputation spread among the surrounding countries.
He wrote three thousand proverbs and 105 poems.
He talked about plants and trees, from the cedar trees in Lebanon to the hyssop growing on the walls, and also about birds, animals, insects, and aquatic creatures.
When all the kings of the world heard Solomon’s wisdom, they sent people to listen to his wise words.
