Study Desk

Then Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and made peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.

Then the king said, "Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him. She is his mother."

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

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.

Ben-hesed, in Arubboth (Socoh was his and all the land of Hepher);

Ben-abinadab, in all the height of Dor (Taphath the daughter of Solomon was his wife);

Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead (the towns of Jair, the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead were his: the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars were his);

Now 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.

So Judah and Israel lived in safety, every man under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.

Solomon had 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariots, and 12,000 horsemen.

Those deputies provided for King Solomon and all who came to King Solomon's table, each in his month; they left nothing lacking.

They also brought barley and straw for the horses and swift steeds to the place where it should be, each according to his charge.

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

He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005.

Men came from all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.

Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram had always been a friend of David.

"You know that David my father was unable to build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the wars which surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.

Solomon then gave Hiram 20,000 kors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty kors of beaten oil; thus Solomon would give Hiram year by year.

Now Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.

His house where he was to live, the other court inward from the hall, was of the same workmanship. He also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh's daughter, whom Solomon had married.