1 King Solomon was king over all Israel. 2 These were his officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest. 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah sons of Shisha, were secretaries. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder. 4 Benaiah 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. 6 Ahishar was over the household. Adoniram son of Abda was over the men who were subjected to forced labor. 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. 8 These were their names: Ben-Hur, in the hill country of Ephraim; 9 Ben-Deker in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Beth Hanan; 10 Ben-Hesed, in Arubboth (to him belonged Sokoh and all the land of Hepher); 11 Ben-Abinadab, in all Naphoth Dor (he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as his 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; 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); 14 Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim; 15 Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he also married Basemath the daughter of Solomon as his wife); 16 Baana son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth; 17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar; 18 Shimei 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. 20 Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea. They were eating and drinking and were happy. 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. 22 Solomon's provision for one day was thirty cors of fine flour and sixty cors of meal, 23 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 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 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 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. 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. 29 God gave Solomon great wisdom and understanding, and wideness of understanding like the sand on the seashore. 30 Solomon's wisdom exceeded the wisdom of all the people 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. 32 He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs were one thousand and five in number. 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. 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.
1 Kings · Unlocked Literal Bible
1 Kings 4 Unlocked Literal Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Abda
Named as the father of Adoniram, who was in charge of the forced labor.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:6
Adoniram
Son of Abda, in charge of the forced labor, who oversaw the monthly shifts of 30,000 sent to Lebanon.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:6; 1 Kings 5:14
Ahijah
One of the two sons of Shisha listed among Solomon's chief officials as a secretary.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:3
Ahilud
Named as the father of Jehoshaphat, David's recorder.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 8:16; 2 Samuel 20:24; 1 Kings 4:3
Ahimaaz
One of Solomon's twelve governors, over Naphtali, who married Basemath, a daughter of Solomon.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:15
Ahinadab
Son of Iddo, one of Solomon's twelve governors, over Mahanaim.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:14
Ahishar
Listed among Solomon's chief officials as being in charge of the palace.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:6
Azariah
Son of Nathan (the text does not say which Nathan), in charge of the governors.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:5
Azariah
Son of Zadok, listed first among Solomon's chief officials as the priest.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:2
Baana
Son of Ahilud, one of Solomon's twelve governors, over Taanach, Megiddo and Beth-shean.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:12
Baana
Son of Hushai, one of Solomon's twelve governors, over Asher and Aloth.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:16
Basemath
A daughter of Solomon, wife of the governor Ahimaaz.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:15
Darda
One of the sons of Mahol, a wise man whom Solomon's wisdom surpassed.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:31
Ela
Named as the father of Shimei, Solomon's governor in Benjamin.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:18
Elihoreph
One of the two sons of Shisha listed among Solomon's chief officials as a secretary.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:3
Ethan the Ezrahite
A wise man whom Solomon's wisdom surpassed.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:31; Psalm 89:1
Geber
Son of Uri, one of Solomon's governors, over the land of Gilead including the territories of Sihon and Og.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:19
Heman
One of the sons of Mahol, a wise man whom Solomon's wisdom surpassed.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:31
Hushai
Named as the father of Baana, Solomon's governor in Asher.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:16
Iddo
Named as the father of Ahinadab, Solomon's governor at Mahanaim.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:14
Jehoshaphat
Son of Ahilud, listed as the recorder in David's administration.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 8:16; 2 Samuel 20:24; 1 Kings 4:3
Jehoshaphat
Son of Paruah, one of Solomon's twelve governors, over Issachar.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:17
Mahol
Named as the father of the wise men Heman, Calcol and Darda.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:31
Paruah
Named as the father of Jehoshaphat, Solomon's governor in Issachar.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:17
Shimei
Son of Ela, one of Solomon's twelve governors, over Benjamin.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:18
Shisha
Named as the father of Elihoreph and Ahijah, Solomon's secretaries.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:3
Sihon
King of the Amorites, whose former territory lay within the district of Solomon's governor in Gilead.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:19
Solomon
David's son who built the temple and became famous for God-given wisdom.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 1-11; 1 Chron. 3:5; Matt. 1:6-7
Taphath
A daughter of Solomon, wife of the governor Ben-abinadab.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:11
Uri
Named as the father of Geber, Solomon's governor in Gilead.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:19
Zabud
Son of Nathan (the text does not say which Nathan), called a priest and adviser to the king.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:5
Cross references (31)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Chronicles 9:30; 1 Kings 12:19–20; 1 Chronicles 12:38; Ecclesiastes 1:12; 1 Kings 11:35–36
- 2 1 Corinthians 12:28; Exodus 18:21; 2 Samuel 20:23–26; 2 Samuel 8:15–18; 1 Chronicles 6:8–10
- 3 2 Samuel 8:16; Isaiah 62:6; 1 Chronicles 18:15; 1 Chronicles 18:6; 2 Samuel 20:24–25
- 4 1 Kings 2:35; 1 Kings 2:26–27
- 5 2 Samuel 15:37; 1 Chronicles 27:33; 2 Samuel 16:16; John 15:14–15; 2 Samuel 12:25
- 6 2 Samuel 20:24; 1 Kings 12:18; 1 Kings 9:15; 1 Kings 5:13–14
- 7 1 Chronicles 27:1–15
- 8 Joshua 24:33; Judges 19:1; Judges 17:1
- 9 Joshua 19:42; 1 Samuel 6:12; Judges 1:35; Joshua 21:16; 1 Samuel 6:20
- 10 Joshua 12:17; Joshua 15:35; Joshua 17:2
- 11 Joshua 11:2; Joshua 17:11; Joshua 12:23; Judges 1:27
- 12 Joshua 17:11; Joshua 3:16; 1 Kings 19:16; Judges 5:19; 1 Kings 7:46
- 13 Deuteronomy 3:4; Numbers 32:41; 1 Kings 22:3; 2 Kings 9:14; Deuteronomy 4:43
- 14 Genesis 32:2; 2 Samuel 2:8; Joshua 13:26; 2 Samuel 17:24; 2 Samuel 17:27
- 15 1 Samuel 18:18; Joshua 19:32–39; 2 Samuel 15:27; 1 Kings 4:11
- 16 Joshua 19:24–31; 2 Samuel 15:32
- 17 Joshua 19:17–23
- 18 1 Kings 1:8; Zechariah 12:13; Joshua 18:20–28
- 19 Deuteronomy 2:26–3:17; Joshua 13:9–12; Numbers 21:21–35
- 20 1 Kings 3:8; Genesis 22:17; Genesis 32:12; 1 Chronicles 12:39; Genesis 15:5
- 21 Genesis 15:18; Joshua 1:4; Psalm 68:29; 2 Chronicles 9:26–31; 1 Kings 4:24
- 23 Nehemiah 5:17–18
- 24 1 Chronicles 22:9; Psalm 72:11; Genesis 10:19; 1 Kings 5:4; Isaiah 9:7
- 25 Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10; Jeremiah 33:15–16; Jeremiah 23:5–6; 2 Kings 18:31
- 26 2 Chronicles 1:14; 2 Chronicles 9:25; 2 Samuel 8:4; Psalm 20:7; 1 Kings 10:25–26
- 28 Esther 8:10; Esther 8:14; Micah 1:13
- 29 1 Kings 3:12; James 3:17; James 1:5; 1 Kings 4:20; Ecclesiastes 2:26
- 30 Daniel 5:11–12; Genesis 25:6; Acts 7:22; Daniel 1:20; Job 1:3
- 31 1 Chronicles 15:19; 1 Chronicles 2:6; 1 Kings 3:12; 1 Chronicles 6:33; Psalm 89:1–52
- 33 2 Kings 19:23; Psalm 51:7; Psalm 92:12; Numbers 19:18; Numbers 24:6
- 34 2 Chronicles 9:23; 1 Kings 10:1; 2 Chronicles 9:1; Isaiah 2:2; Zechariah 8:23
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… cannot contain, really dwell with men upon the earth?" And he pleased God, and was the admiration of all; and all kings of the earth sought an interview with him (quærebant faciem ejus) that they might hear the wisdom which God had conferred upon him. The queen of the south, too, came to him from the ends of the earth, …