1 Kings 4

1 So king Solomon was king over all Israel.

King Solomon was king over all Israel.

2 And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest,

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

3 Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.

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

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

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

5 And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king’s friend:

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

6 And Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the forced labour.

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

7 And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision.

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 And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim:

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

9 The son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elonbethhanan:

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

10 The son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher:

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

11 The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; who had Taphath the daughter of Solomon for a wife:

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

12 Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even to the place that is beyond Jokneam:

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 The son of Geber, in Ramothgilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and brasen bars:

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 the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:

Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim;

15 Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon for a wife:

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

16 Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth:

Baana son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth;

17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar:

Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar;

18 Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin:

Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin;

19 Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead, in 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.

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 many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.

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

21 And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt: they brought presents, 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 And Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and sixty measures of meal,

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

23 Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, besides harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowls.

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 the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side of the river: and he had peace on all sides around him.

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

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 And 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 And those officers provided food for king Solomon, and for all that came to king Solomon’s table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing.

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 Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries they brought to the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.

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 And God gave Solomon great wisdom and understanding, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.

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

30 And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

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

31 For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the surrounding nations.

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 And he spoke three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.

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

33 And he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spoke also of beasts, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of fishes.

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 And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.

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.