New Living Translation | NET Bible |
1King Solomon now ruled over all Israel, | 1King Solomon ruled over all Israel. |
2and these were his high officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest. | 2These were his officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest. |
3Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were court secretaries. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian. | 3Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, wrote down what happened. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was in charge of the records. |
4Benaiah son of Jehoiada was commander of the army. Zadok and Abiathar were priests. | 4Benaiah son of Jehoiada was commander of the army. Zadok and Abiathar were priests. |
5Azariah son of Nathan was in charge of the district governors. Zabud son of Nathan, a priest, was a trusted adviser to the king. | 5Azariah son of Nathan was supervisor of the district governors. Zabud son of Nathan was a priest and adviser to the king. |
6Ahishar was manager of the palace property. Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of forced labor. | 6Ahishar was supervisor of the palace. Adoniram son of Abda was supervisor of the work crews. |
7Solomon also had twelve district governors who were over all Israel. They were responsible for providing food for the king’s household. Each of them arranged provisions for one month of the year. | 7Solomon had twelve district governors appointed throughout Israel who acquired supplies for the king and his palace. Each was responsible for one month in the year. |
8These are the names of the twelve governors: Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim. | 8These were their names: Ben-Hur was in charge of the hill country of Ephraim. |
9Ben-deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-bethhanan. | 9Ben-Deker was in charge of Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Beth Hanan. |
10Ben-hesed, in Arubboth, including Socoh and all the land of Hepher. | 10Ben-Hesed was in charge of Arubboth; he controlled Socoh and all the territory of Hepher. |
11Ben-abinadab, in all of Naphoth-dor. (He was married to Taphath, one of Solomon’s daughters.) | 11Ben-Abinadab was in charge of Naphath Dor. (He was married to Solomon's daughter Taphath.) |
12Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, all of Beth-shan near Zarethan below Jezreel, and all the territory from Beth-shan to Abel-meholah and over to Jokmeam. | 12Baana son of Ahilud was in charge of Taanach and Megiddo, as well as all of Beth Shan next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth Shan to Abel Meholah and on past Jokmeam. |
13Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead, including the Towns of Jair (named for Jair of the tribe of Manasseh ) in Gilead, and in the Argob region of Bashan, including sixty large fortified towns with bronze bars on their gates. | 13Ben-Geber was in charge of Ramoth Gilead; he controlled the tent villages of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead, as well as the region of Argob in Bashan, including sixty large walled cities with bronze bars locking their gates. |
14Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim. | 14Ahinadab son of Iddo was in charge of Mahanaim. |
15Ahimaaz, in Naphtali. (He was married to Basemath, another of Solomon’s daughters.) | 15Ahimaaz was in charge of Naphtali. (He married Solomon's daughter Basemath.) |
16Baana son of Hushai, in Asher and in Aloth. | 16Baana son of Hushai was in charge of Asher and Aloth. |
17Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar. | 17Jehoshaphat son of Paruah was in charge of Issachar. |
18Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin. | 18Shimei son of Ela was in charge of Benjamin. |
19Geber son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, including the territories of King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan. There was also one governor over the land of Judah. Solomon’s Prosperity and Wisdom | 19Geber son of Uri was in charge of the land of Gilead (the territory which had once belonged to King Sihon of the Amorites and to King Og of Bashan). He was sole governor of the area. |
20The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They were very contented, with plenty to eat and drink. | 20The people of Judah and Israel were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore; they had plenty to eat and drink and were happy. |
21 Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River in the north to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt in the south. The conquered peoples of those lands sent tribute money to Solomon and continued to serve him throughout his lifetime. | 21Solomon ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These kingdoms paid tribute as Solomon's subjects throughout his lifetime. |
22The daily food requirements for Solomon’s palace were 150 bushels of choice flour and 300 bushels of meal ; | 22Each day Solomon's royal court consumed thirty cors of finely milled flour, sixty cors of cereal, |
23also 10 oxen from the fattening pens, 20 pasture-fed cattle, 100 sheep or goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roe deer, and choice poultry. | 23ten calves fattened in the stall, twenty calves from the pasture, and a hundred sheep, not to mention rams, gazelles, deer, and well-fed birds. |
24Solomon’s dominion extended over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah to Gaza. And there was peace on all his borders. | 24His royal court was so large because he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River from Tiphsah to Gaza; he was at peace with all his neighbors. |
25During the lifetime of Solomon, all of Judah and Israel lived in peace and safety. And from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, each family had its own home and garden. | 25All the people of Judah and Israel had security; everyone from Dan to Beer Sheba enjoyed the produce of their vines and fig trees throughout Solomon's lifetime. |
26Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses, and he had 12,000 horses. | 26Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses and 12,000 horses. |
27The district governors faithfully provided food for King Solomon and his court; each made sure nothing was lacking during the month assigned to him. | 27The district governors acquired supplies for King Solomon and all who ate in his royal palace. Each was responsible for one month in the year; they made sure nothing was lacking. |
28They also brought the necessary barley and straw for the royal horses in the stables. | 28Each one also brought to the assigned location his quota of barley and straw for the various horses. |
29God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore. | 29God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment; the breadth of his understanding was as infinite as the sand on the seashore. |
30In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt. | 30Solomon was wiser than all the men of the east and all the sages of Egypt. |
31He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite and the sons of Mahol—Heman, Calcol, and Darda. His fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. | 31He was wiser than any man, including Ethan the Ezrahite or Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. He was famous in all the neighboring nations. |
32He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. | 32He composed 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. |
33He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, small creatures, and fish. | 33He produced manuals on botany, describing every kind of plant, from the cedars of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows on walls. He also produced manuals on biology, describing animals, birds, insects, and fish. |
34And kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon. | 34People from all nations came to hear Solomon's display of wisdom; they came from all the kings of the earth who heard about his wisdom. |
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