1 Kings 4

1 Thus was king Solomon king over all Israel.

King Solomon was king over all Israel.

2 And these were the princes whom he had: 'Azaryahu the son of Zadok the priest;

These were his officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest.

3 Elichoreph and Achiyah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Achilud, the recorder;

Elihoreph and Ahijah sons of Shisha, were secretaries. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder.

4 And Benayahu the son of Yehoyada' over the army; and Zadok and Ebyathar priests;

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the army. Zadok and Abiathar were priests.

5 And Azaryahu the son of Nathan was over the superintendents; and Zabud the son of Nathan was an officer of state and the king's friend;

Azariah son of Nathan was over the officers. Zabud son of Nathan was a priest and the king's friend.

6 And Achishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of 'Abda was over the tribute.

Ahishar was over the household. Adoniram son of Abda was over the men who were subjected to forced labor.

7 And Solomon had twelve superintendents over all Israel, who provided for the king and his household: one month in the year had the particular one to procure provisions.

Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household. Each man had to make provision for one month in the year.

8 And these are their names: Ben-chur on the mountain of Ephraim;

These were their names: Ben-Hur, in the hill country of Ephraim;

9 Ben-deker, in Makaz, and in Sha'albim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-chanan;

Ben-Deker in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Beth Hanan;

10 Ben-chessed, in Arubboth; to him pertained Sochoh and all the land of Chepher;

Ben-Hesed, in Arubboth (to him belonged Sokoh and all the land of Hepher);

11 Ben-abinadab, in all the district of Dor; he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon for wife;

Ben-Abinadab, in all Naphoth Dor (he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as his wife);

12 Ba'ana the son of Achilud in Tha'anach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean, which is by Zarethanah beneath Yizre'el, from Beth-shean to Abel-mecholah, as far as beyond Yokme'am;

Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shan that is beside Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth Shan to Abel Meholah as far as the other side of Jokmeam;

13 Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gil'ad; to him pertained the villages of Ya'ir the son of Menasseh, which are in Gil'ad; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and brazen bars;

Ben-Geber, in Ramoth Gilead (to him belonged the towns of Jair son of Manasseh, that are in Gilead, and the region of Argob belonged to him, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze gate bars);

14 Achinadab the son of 'Iddo in Machanayim;

Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim;

15 Achima'az in Naphtali; he also took Bahsemath the daughter of Solomon for wife;

Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he also married Basemath the daughter of Solomon as his wife);

16 Ba'anah the son of Chushai in Asher and in Be'aloth;

Baana son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth;

17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruach, in Issachar;

Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar;

18 Shim'i the son of Ela, in Benjamin;

Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin;

19 Geber the son of Uri in the country of Gil'ad, the country of Sichon the king of the Emorites, and of 'Og the king of Bashan; besides the one superintendent who was in the land.

and Geber son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan, and he was the only official who was in the land.

20 Judah and Israel were numerous, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude; and they ate and drank, and made merry.

Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea. They were eating and drinking and were happy.

21 And Solomon was ruling over all the kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and as far as the boundary of Egypt, which brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.

Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.

22 And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty kors of fine flour, and sixty kors of meal,

Solomon's provision for one day was thirty cors of fine flour and sixty cors of meal,

23 Ten fatted oxen, and twenty pasture oxen, and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and roebucks, and fallow-deer, and fatted fowl.

ten fat oxen, twenty oxen out of the pastures, and one hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl.

24 For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Thiphsach even to Gazzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.

For he had dominion over all the region on this side of the River, from Tiphsah as far as to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River, and he had peace on all sides around him.

25 And Judah and Israel dwelt in safety, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba', all the days of Solomon.

Judah and Israel lived in safety, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.

26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls for the horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

27 And those superintendents provided for king Solomon, and for all that came near unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they let nothing be wanting.

Those officials provided food for King Solomon and for all who came to King Solomon's table, every man in his month. They let nothing be lacking.

28 The barley also and the straw for the horses and the runners did they bring unto the place where he might be, every man according to his prescription.

They also brought to the proper place barley and straw for the chariot horses and riding horses, each one bringing in what he was able.

29 And God gave unto Solomon wisdom and understanding exceedingly much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore.

God gave Solomon great wisdom and understanding, and wideness of understanding like the sand on the seashore.

30 And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

Solomon's wisdom exceeded the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.

31 And he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrachite, and Heman, and Kalkol, and Darda', the sons of Machol: and his name was [spread] among all the nations round about.

He was wiser than all men—than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Kalkol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol—and his fame reached all the surrounding nations.

32 And he spoke three thousand proverbs; and his songs were a thousand and five.

He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs were one thousand and five in number.

33 And he spoke concerning the trees, from the cedar-tree that is on the Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall; he spoke also concerning the beasts, and concerning the fowl, and concerning the creeping things, and concerning the fishes.

He described the plants, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He explained also about beasts, birds, creeping things, and fish.

34 And men came from all the people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.

People came from all the nations to hear the wisdom of Solomon. They came from all kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.