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New Century Version

1 Kings 4:7

Solomon placed twelve governors over the districts of Israel, who gathered food from their districts for the king and his family. Each governor was responsible for bringing food to the king one month of each year.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Cabinet;   Canaan;   Commissary;   King;   Officer;   Purveyor;   Rulers;   Solomon;   Tax;   Thompson Chain Reference - Canaan, Land of;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Holy Land;   Kings;   Months;   Tribute;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - King;   Month;   Solomon;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Month;   Taxes;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Abinadab;   City;   Month;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Azariah;   Book(s);   Economic Life;   King, Kingship;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Occupations and Professions in the Bible;   Solomon;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Army;   Azariah;   Government;   Israel;   King;   Officer;   Solomon;   Tribes of Israel;   Tribute, Toll, Taxing;   War;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Geber ;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Month;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - City;   Government;   King;   Solomon;   Tax;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Pottery;   Solomon;   Titles of Honor;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Solomon had twelve deputies for all Israel. They provided food for the king and his household; each one made provision for one month out of the year.
Hebrew Names Version
Shlomo had twelve officers over all Yisra'el, who provided victuals for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year.
King James Version
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision.
English Standard Version
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.
New English Translation
Solomon 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.
Amplified Bible
Solomon had twelve deputies over all Israel, who secured provisions for the king and his household; each man had to provide for a month in the year.
New American Standard Bible
Solomon had twelve deputies over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household; each deputy had to provide food for a month in the year.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Salomon had twelue officers ouer all Israel, which prouided vitailes for the King and his housholde: eche man had a moneth in the yeere to prouide vitailes.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now Solomon had twelve deputies over all Israel, who sustained the king and his household; each man had to sustain them for a month in the year.
Contemporary English Version
Solomon chose twelve regional officers, who took turns bringing food for him and his household. Each officer provided food from his region for one month of the year.
Complete Jewish Bible
Shlomo had twelve officers over all Isra'el who were in charge of providing food and supplies for the king and his household; each one was in charge of provisions for one month out of the year.
Darby Translation
And Solomon had twelve superintendents over all Israel; and they provided food for the king and his household: each man his month in the year had to make provision.
Easy-to-Read Version
Israel was divided into twelve districts. Solomon chose governors to rule over each district. These governors were ordered to gather food from their districts and give it to the king and his family. Each of the twelve governors was responsible for giving food to the king one month each year.
George Lamsa Translation
And Solomon had twelve governors over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household and for the army; each month of the year it fell on one of them to supply provisions.
Good News Translation
Solomon appointed twelve men as district governors in Israel. They were to provide food from their districts for the king and his household, each man being responsible for one month out of the year.
Lexham English Bible
Solomon had twelve governors over all Israel, and they sustained the king and his palace, each one was to sustain for each month of the year.
Literal Translation
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel. And they sustained the king and his household. Each man had one month in the year to provide.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Salomon had twolue offycers ouer all Israel, which made prouysion of fode for the kynge and his house: One had a moneth longe in ye yeare to make prouysion:
American Standard Version
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided victuals for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year.
Bible in Basic English
And Solomon put twelve overseers over all Israel, to be responsible for the stores needed for the king and those of his house; every man was responsible for one month in the year.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Solomon had twelue officers ouer all Israel, which prouided vittayles for the king and his houshold: eche man his moneth in a yere, made prouision for necessarie thinges.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided victuals for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year.
King James Version (1611)
And Solomon had twelue officers ouer all Israel, which prouided victuals for the king and his houshold: each man his moneth in a yeere made prouision.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, to provide for the king and his household; each one’s turn came to supply for a month in the year.
English Revised Version
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year:
Berean Standard Bible
Solomon had twelve governors over all Israel to provide food for the king and his household. Each one would arrange provisions for one month of the year,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Salomon hadde twelue `prefectis, ether cheef minystrys, on al Israel, that yauen lijflode to the kyng, and to his hows; sotheli bi ech monethe bi it silf in the yeer, ech prefect bi hym silf mynystride necessaries.
Young's Literal Translation
And Solomon hath twelve officers over all Israel, and they have sustained the king and his household -- a month in the year is on each one for sustenance;
Update Bible Version
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided victuals for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision.
World English Bible
Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided victuals for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year.
New King James Version
And Solomon had twelve governors over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household; each one made provision for one month of the year.
New Living Translation
Solomon 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.
New Life Bible
Solomon had twelve men over all Israel, who brought food for the king and those of his house. Each man had to bring food for one month in the year.
New Revised Standard
Solomon had twelve officials over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household; each one had to make provision for one month in the year.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, Solomon, had twelve governors over all Israel, who used to sustain the king and his household, - for a month in the year, was it appointed unto each one, to find sustenance.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Solomon had twelve governors over all Israel, who provided victuals for the king and for his house hold: for every one provided necessaries, each man his month in the year.
Revised Standard Version
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.
THE MESSAGE
Solomon had twelve regional managers distributed throughout Israel. They were responsible for supplying provisions for the king and his administration. Each was in charge of bringing supplies for one month of the year. These are the names: Ben-Hur in the Ephraim hills; Ben-Deker in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Bethhanan; Ben-Hesed in Arubboth—this included Socoh and all of Hepher; Ben-Abinadab in Naphoth Dor (he was married to Solomon's daughter Taphath); Baana son of Ahilud in Taanach and Megiddo, all of Beth Shan next to Zarethan below Jezreel, and from Beth Shan to Abel Meholah over to Jokmeam; Ben-Geber in Ramoth Gilead—this included the villages of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead and the region of Argob in Bashan with its sixty large walled cities with bronze-studded gates; Ahinadab son of Iddo in Mahanaim; Ahimaaz in Naphtali (he was married to Solomon's daughter Basemath); Baana son of Hushai in Asher and Aloth; Jehoshaphat son of Paruah in Issachar; Shimei son of Ela in Benjamin; Geber son of Uri in Gilead—this was the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and also of Og king of Bashan; he managed the whole district by himself.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Solomon had twelve deputies over all Israel, who provided for the king and his household; each man had to provide for a month in the year.

Contextual Overview

1 King Solomon ruled over all Israel. 2 These are the names of his leading officers: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest; 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha, recorded what happened in the courts; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud recorded the history of the people; 4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was commander of the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 5 Azariah son of Nathan was in charge of the district governors; Zabud son of Nathan was a priest and adviser to the king; 6 Ahishar was responsible for everything in the palace; Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of the labor force. 7 Solomon placed twelve governors over the districts of Israel, who gathered food from their districts for the king and his family. Each governor was responsible for bringing food to the king one month of each year. 8 These are the names of the twelve governors: Ben-Hur was governor of the mountain country of Ephraim. 9 Ben-Deker was governor of Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Bethhanan. 10 Ben-Hesed was governor of Arubboth, Socoh, and all the land of Hepher.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

officers: These are doubtless to be considered as general receivers; for, as Sir John Chardin observes, "the revenues of the princes of the East are paid in the fruits and productions of the earth: there are no other taxes on the peasants."

each man: 1 Chronicles 27:1-15

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 8:12 - and will set 1 Kings 4:5 - the officers 1 Kings 4:27 - those officers 1 Kings 5:14 - a month 1 Kings 12:4 - our yoke 1 Chronicles 27:28 - And over Ecclesiastes 5:9 - the king Ezekiel 48:19 - shall serve

Cross-References

Genesis 3:16
Then God said to the woman, "I will cause you to have much trouble when you are pregnant, and when you give birth to children, you will have great pain. You will greatly desire your husband, but he will rule over you."
Genesis 4:6
The Lord asked Cain, "Why are you angry? Why do you look so unhappy?
Genesis 4:8
Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out into the field." While they were out in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
Genesis 4:9
Later, the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" Cain answered, "I don't know. Is it my job to take care of my brother?"
Genesis 4:10
Then the Lord said, "What have you done? Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground.
Genesis 4:11
And now you will be cursed in your work with the ground, the same ground where your brother's blood fell and where your hands killed him.
Genesis 4:12
You will work the ground, but it will not grow good crops for you anymore, and you will wander around on the earth."
Genesis 4:13
Then Cain said to the Lord , "This punishment is more than I can stand!
Genesis 19:21
The angel said to Lot, "Very well, I will allow you to do this also. I will not destroy that town.
Numbers 32:23
"But if you don't do these things, you will be sinning against the Lord ; know for sure that you will be punished for your sin.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel,.... Not with respect to the twelve tribes of Israel, for it does not appear that they had each of them a tribe under them, but some particular places in a tribe; but with respect to the twelve months of the year, in which each took his turn:

which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision; furnished food of all sorts out of the country in which they presided for the space of one month in a year; by which means there was always a plenty of provisions at court for the king's family, and for all strangers that came and went, and no one part of the land was burdened or drained, nor the price of provisions raised; these seem to be the twelve "phylarchi", or governors of tribes, Eupolemus r, an Heathen writer, speaks of, before whom, and the high priest, David delivered the kingdom to Solomon; though in that he was mistaken, that they were in being then, since these were officers of Solomon's creating.

r Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 30.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The requirement of a portion of their produce from subjects, in addition to money payments, is a common practice of Oriental monarchs. It obtained in ancient, and it still obtains in modern, Persia.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 4:7. Twelve officers — The business of these twelve officers was to provide daily, each for a month, those provisions which were consumed in the king's household; see 1 Kings 4:22-23. And the task for such a daily provision was not an easy one.


 
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