1So herrschte also Salomo als König über ganz Israel;2und dies waren seine Fürsten[1]: Asarja, der Sohn Zadoks, war (Hoher-) Priester;3Elihoreph und Ahija, die Söhne Sisas, waren Staatsschreiber; Josaphat, der Sohn Ahiluds, war Kanzler;4Benaja, der Sohn Jojadas, war oberster Heerführer; [Zadok und Abjathar waren Priester;]5Asarja, der Sohn Nathans, war über die Vögte gesetzt; Sabud, der Sohn Nathans, war der priesterliche Freund[2] des Königs;6Ahisar war Palastoberster, und Adoniram, der Sohn Addas, hatte die Oberaufsicht über die Fronarbeiten.7Salomo hatte zwölf Vögte, die über ganz Israel gesetzt waren und den König und seinen Hof zu versorgen hatten, und zwar oblag jedem von ihnen die Versorgung einen Monat lang im Jahre.8Folgendes sind ihre Namen: Der Sohn Hurs, im Gebirge Ephraim;9der Sohn Dekers in Makaz; (ihm unterstand) Saalbim, Beth-Semes und Elon bis Beth-Hanan;10der Sohn Heseds in Arubboth; ihm war Socho und die ganze Landschaft Hepher überwiesen;11der Sohn Abinadabs, der das ganze Hügelland von Dor unter sich hatte; er war mit Salomos Tochter Taphath verheiratet worden;12Baana, der Sohn Ahiluds, in Thaanach, Megiddo und ganz Beth-Sean, das neben Zarthan liegt unterhalb Jesreels, von Beth-Sean bis nach Abel-Mehola, bis über Jokmeam hinaus;13der Sohn Gebers zu Ramoth in Gilead, dem die Zeltdörfer Jairs, des Sohnes Manasses, die in Gilead liegen, überwiesen waren; dazu gehörte auch der Landstrich Argob in Basan, sechzig große Städte mit Mauern und ehernen Riegeln;14Ahinadab, der Sohn Iddos, in Mahanaim;15Ahimaaz in Naphthali; auch er war mit einer Tochter Salomos, mit Basmath, verheiratet;16Baana, der Sohn Husais, in Asser und Bealoth;17Josaphat, der Sohn Pharuahs, in Issaschar;18Simei, der Sohn Elas, in Benjamin;19Geber, der Sohn Uris, im Lande Gilead, dem Lande Sihons, des Königs der Amoriter, und Ogs, des Königs von Basan; außerdem war noch ein Vogt[3] über alle Vögte im Lande eingesetzt. –20(Die Bewohner von) Juda und Israel waren so zahlreich wie der Sand am Meer an Menge; sie aßen und tranken und waren guter Dinge.
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 River Euphrates 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. 4.5 tonnes of the finest flour 9 tonnes of meal23ten 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 birds24Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms that were west of the River Euphrates. 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.