1 Kings 4 - Introduction

1 Solomons Princes.

7 His twelue Officers for prouision. 20,

24 The peace and largenesse of his kingdome.

22 His daily prouision.

26 His stables.

29 His wisedome.

1 So King Solomon was king ouer all Israel.

2 And these were the Princes which he had, Azariah the sonne of Zadok, [Note: Or, the chiefe Officer.] the Priest,

3 Elihoreph, and Ahiah the sonnes of Shisha, [Note: Or, Secretaries.] Scribes: Iehoshaphat the sonne of Ahilud the [Note: Or, remembrancer.] Recorder;

4 And Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada was ouer the host: And Zadok

[Solomons officers, and prouision.]

and Abiathar were the Priests:

5 And Azariah the sonne of Nathan was ouer the officers: and Zabud the sonne of Nathan was principall officer, and the kings friend.

6 And Ahishar was ouer the houshold: and [Note: 1 Kings 5:14.] Adoniram the sonne of Abda was ouer the [Note: Or, leuie.] tribute.

7 And Solomon had twelue officers ouer all Israel, which prouided victuals for the king and his houshold: each man his moneth in a yeere made prouision.

8 And these are their names: [Note: Or, Ben-hur.] the sonne of Hur in mount Ephraim,

9 The [Note: Or, Ben-Dekar.] sonne of Dekar in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elon-Bethhanan.

10 The [Note: Or, Ben-Heseb.] sonne of Heseb in Aruboth, to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher;

11 The [Note: Or, Ben-Abinadab.] sonne of Abinadab in all the region of Dor, which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife:

12 Baana the sonne of Ahilud, to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean, which is by Zartanah beneath Iezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-Meholah, euen vnto the place that is beyond Iokneam:

13 The [Note: Or, Ben-Geber.] sonne of Geber in Ramoth Gilead, to him pertained the townes of Iair the sonne of Manasseh, which are in Gilead: to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities, with walles, and brasen barres.

14 Ahinadab the sonne of Iddo had [Note: Or, to Mahanaim.] Mahanaim.

15 Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also tooke Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife.

16 Baanah the sonne of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth:

17 Iehoshaphat the sonne of Paruah in Issachar:

18 Shimei the sonne of Elah in Beniamin:

19 Geber the sonne of Uri was in the countrey of Gilead, in the countrey of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Bashan; and hee was the onely officer which was in the land.

20 Iudah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merrie.

21 And [Note: Sir 47:15.] Solomon reigned ouer all kingdoms from the riuer vnto the land

[Solomons officers, and prouision.]

of the Philistines, and vnto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and serued Solomon all the dayes of his life.

22 And Solomons [Note: Hebrew: bread.] prouision for one day, was thirtie measures of fine floure, and threescore [Note: Hebrew: Cors.] measures of meale,

23 Ten fat oxen, and twentie oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheepe, beside Harts, and Roe-buckes, and fallow Deere, and fatted foule.

24 For he had dominion ouer all the region on this side the Riuer, from Tiphsah euen to Azzah ouer all the kings on this side the Riuer: and he had peace on all sides round about him.

25 And Iudah and Israel dwelt [Note: Hebrew: confidently.] safely, euery man vnder his Uine, and vnder his Figtree, from Dan euen to Beer-sheba, all the dayes of Solomon.

26 And [Note: 2 Chronicles 9:25.] Solomon had fourtie thousand stalles of horses for his charets, and twelue thousand horsemen.

27 And those officers prouided victuall for king Solomon, and for all that came vnto king Solomons table, euery man in his moneth: they lacked nothing.

28 Barley also and straw for the horses and [Note: Or, mules, or swift beasts.] dromedaries, brought they vnto the place where the officers were, euery man according to his charge.

29 And [Note: Genesis 47:14-16.] God gaue Solomon wisdome, and vnderstanding, exceeding much, and largenesse of heart, euen as the sand that is on the sea shoare.

30 And Solomons wisedome excelled the wisedome of all the children of the East countrey, and all the wisedome of Egypt.

31 For hee was wiser then all men; then Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda the sonnes of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.

32 And he spake three thousand prouerbes: and his songs were a thousand and fiue.

33 And hee spake of trees, from the Cedar tree that is in Lebanon, euen vnto the Hyssope that springeth out of the wall: hee spake also of beasts, and of foule, and of creeping things, and of fishes.

34 And there came of all people to heare the wisedome of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisedome.