1 Kings 4

1 King Solomon was king over all Israel.

King Solomon was king over all Israel.

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

These were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest;

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

Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder;

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

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

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

Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan was chief minister, the king’s friend;

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

Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to forced labour.

7 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ben Abinadab, in all the height of Dor (he had Taphath, Solomon’s daughter, as wife);

12 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;

Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam;

13 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);

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

14 Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim;

Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim;

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

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

16 Baana son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth;

Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth;

17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar;

Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar;

18 Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin;

Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin;

19 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.

Geber the 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 officer who was in the land.

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

Judah and Israel were numerous as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry.

21 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.

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

Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty cors of fine flour, sixty measures of meal,

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

ten head of fat cattle, twenty head of cattle out of the pastures, and one hundred sheep, in addition to deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl.

24 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.

For he had dominion over all on this side the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River; and he had peace on all sides around him.

25 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.

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

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

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

27 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.

Those officers 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 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.

They also brought barley and straw for the horses and swift steeds to the place where the officers were, each man according to his duty.

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

God gave Solomon abundant wisdom, understanding, and breadth of mind like the sand that is on the seashore.

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

Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.

31 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.

For he was wiser than all men—wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the nations all around.

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

He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered one thousand and five.

33 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.

He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that grows out of the wall; he also spoke of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish.

34 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.

People of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, sent by all kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.