Solomon’s Officials and Governors
1So King Solomon ruled over the whole nation of Israel.
2Here are the names of his chief officials.
Azariah was the priest. He was the son of Zadok.
3Elihoreph and Ahijah were secretaries. They were the sons of Shisha.
Jehoshaphat kept the records. He was the son of Ahilud.
4Benaiah was the commander in chief. He was the son of Jehoiada.
Zadok and Abiathar were priests.
5Azariah was in charge of the local governors. He was the son of Nathan.
Zabud was a priest. He was also the king’s adviser. He was the son of Nathan.
6Ahishar was in charge of the palace.
Adoniram was in charge of those who were forced to work for the king. He was the son of Abda.
7Solomon had 12 local governors over the whole land of Israel. They provided supplies for the king and the royal family. Each governor had to provide supplies for one month out of each year.
8Here are their names and areas.
Ben-Hur’s area was the hill country of Ephraim.
9Ben-Deker’s area was Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh and Elon Bethhanan.
10Ben-Hesed’s area was Arubboth. Sokoh and the whole land of Hepher were included in his area.
11Ben-Abinadab’s area was Naphoth Dor. He married Solomon’s daughter Taphath.
12Baana’s area was Taanach, Megiddo and the whole territory of Beth Shan. Beth Shan was next to Zarethan below Jezreel. Baana’s area reached from Beth Shan all the way to Abel Meholah. It also went across to Jokmeam. Baana was the son of Ahilud.
13Ben-Geber’s area was Ramoth Gilead. The settlements of Jair, the son of Manasseh, were included in his area in Gilead. The area of Argob in Bashan was also included. That area had 60 large cities that had high walls around them. The city gates were made secure with heavy bronze bars.
14Ahinadab’s area was Mahanaim. He was the son of Iddo.
15Ahimaaz’s area was Naphtali. He had married Basemath. She was Solomon’s daughter.
16Baana’s area was Asher and Aloth. He was the son of Hushai.
17Jehoshaphat’s area was Issachar. He was the son of Paruah.
18Shimei’s area was Benjamin. He was the son of Ela.
19Geber’s area was Gilead. He was the only governor over the area. He was the son of Uri. Gilead had been the country of Sihon and Og. Sihon had been king of the Amorites. Og had been king of Bashan.
Solomon’s Daily Supplies
20There were many people in Judah and Israel. In fact, they were as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. They ate, drank and were happy. 21Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines. He ruled as far as the border of Egypt. All those countries brought the gifts he required them to bring him. And Solomon ruled over those countries for his whole life.
22Here are the supplies Solomon required every day.
five and a half tons of the finest flour
11 tons of meal
23ten oxen that had been fed by hand
20 oxen that had been fed on grasslands
100 sheep and goats
deer, antelopes and roebucks
the finest birds
24Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms that were west of the Euphrates River. He ruled from Tiphsah all the way to Gaza. And he had peace and rest on every side. 25While Solomon was king, Judah and Israel lived in safety. They were secure from Dan all the way to Beersheba. Everyone had their own vine and their own fig tree.
26Solomon had 4,000 spaces where he kept his chariot horses. He had a total of 12,000 horses.
27The local governors provided supplies for King Solomon. They provided them for all who ate at the king’s table. Each governor provided supplies for one month every year. The governors made sure the king had everything he needed. 28They also brought barley and straw for the chariot horses and the other horses. Each of the governors brought the amounts required of them. They brought them to the proper places.
God Makes Solomon Very Wise
29God made Solomon very wise. His understanding couldn’t even be measured. It was like the sand on the seashore. People can’t measure that either. 30Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the east. It was greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. 31Solomon was wiser than anyone else. He was wiser than Ethan, the Ezrahite. He was wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda. They were the sons of Mahol. Solomon became famous in all the nations around him. 32He spoke 3,000 proverbs. He wrote 1,005 songs. 33He spoke about plants. He knew everything about them, from the cedar trees in Lebanon to the hyssop plants that grow out of walls. He spoke about animals and birds. He also spoke about reptiles and fish. 34The kings of all the world’s nations heard about how wise Solomon was. So they sent their people to listen to him.
Administración del reino
1Salomón reinó sobre todo Israel.
2Estos fueron sus oficiales:
Azarías, hijo del sacerdote Sadoc;
3Elijoref y Ahías, hijos de Sisá, cronistas;
Josafat, hijo de Ajilud, el secretario;
4Benaías, hijo de Joyadá, comandante en jefe;
Sadoc y Abiatar, sacerdotes;
5Azarías, hijo de Natán, encargado de los gobernadores;
Zabud, hijo de Natán, sacerdote y consejero personal del rey;
6Ajisar, encargado del palacio;
Adonirán, hijo de Abdá, supervisor del trabajo forzado.
7Salomón tenía por todo Israel a doce gobernadores, cada uno de los cuales debía abastecer al rey y a su corte un mes al año.
8Estos son sus nombres:
Ben Hur, en la región montañosa de Efraín;
9Ben Déquer, en Macaz, Salbín, Bet Semes y Elón Bet Janán;
10Ben Jésed, en Arubot (Soco y toda la tierra de Héfer entraban en su jurisdicción);
11Ben Abinadab, en Nafot Dor4:11 Nafot Dor. Alt. las alturas de Dor. (la esposa de Ben Abinadab fue Tafat hija de Salomón);
12Baná, hijo de Ajilud, en Tanac y Meguido, y en todo Betseán (junto a Saretán, más abajo de Jezrel, desde Betseán hasta Abel Mejolá, y todavía más allá de Jocmeán);
13Ben Guéber, en Ramot de Galaad (los poblados de Yaír, hijo de Manasés, en Galaad entraban en su jurisdicción, así como también el distrito de Argob en Basán y sus sesenta grandes ciudades, amuralladas y con cerrojos de bronce);
14Ajinadab, hijo de Idó, en Majanayin;
15Ajimaz, en Neftalí (Ajimaz estaba casado con Basemat, hija de Salomón);
16Baná, hijo de Husay, en Aser y en Alot;
17Josafat hijo de Parúaj, en Isacar;
18Simí, hijo de Elá, en Benjamín;
19Guéber, hijo de Uri, en Galaad (que era el país de Sijón, rey de los amorreos, y de Og, rey de Basán). En la tierra de Judá4:19 tierra de Judá. Lit. tierra. había un solo gobernador.
Prosperidad de Salomón
20Los pueblos de Judá y de Israel eran tan numerosos como la arena que está a la orilla del mar; y abundaban la comida, la bebida y la alegría. 21Salomón gobernaba sobre todos los reinos desde el río Éufrates hasta la tierra de los filisteos y la frontera con Egipto. Mientras Salomón vivió, todos estos países fueron sus vasallos tributarios.
22La provisión diaria de Salomón era de treinta coros4:22 Es decir, aprox. 5 t. de harina refinada, sesenta coros4:22 Es decir, aprox. 10 t. de harina regular, 23diez bueyes engordados y veinte de pastoreo, y cien ovejas, así como ciervos, gacelas, corzos y aves de corral. 24El dominio de Salomón se extendía sobre todos los reinos al oeste del río Éufrates, desde Tifsa hasta Gaza, y disfrutaba de paz en todas sus fronteras. 25Durante el reinado de Salomón, todos los habitantes de Judá y de Israel, desde Dan hasta Berseba, vivieron seguros sentados debajo de su propia vid y de su propia higuera.
26Salomón tenía doce mil caballos4:26 caballos. Alt. conductores de carros. y cuatro mil4:26 cuatro mil (mss. de LXX; véase también 2Cr 9:25); cuarenta mil (TM). establos para los caballos de sus carros de combate.
27Los gobernadores, cada uno en su mes, abastecían al rey Salomón y a todos los que se sentaban a su mesa, y se ocupaban de que no les faltara nada. 28Además, llevaban a los lugares indicados sus cuotas de cebada y de paja para los caballos de tiro y para el resto de la caballería.
La sabiduría de Salomón
29Dios dio a Salomón sabiduría e inteligencia extraordinarias; sus conocimientos eran tan vastos como la arena que está a la orilla del mar. 30Sobrepasó en sabiduría a todos los sabios del Oriente y de Egipto. 31En efecto, fue más sabio que nadie: más que Etán, el ezraíta, y más que Hemán, Calcol y Dardá, los hijos de Majol. Por eso la fama de Salomón se difundió por todas las naciones vecinas. 32Compuso tres mil proverbios y mil cinco canciones. 33Disertó acerca de las plantas, desde el cedro del Líbano hasta el hisopo que crece en los muros. También enseñó acerca de las bestias y las aves, los reptiles y los peces. 34Los reyes de todas las naciones del mundo que se enteraron de la sabiduría de Salomón enviaron a sus representantes para que lo escucharan.
