New International Version NIV
The Message Bible MSG
1 So King Solomon ruled over all Israel.
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King Solomon was off to a good start ruling Israel.
2 And these were his chief officials: Azariah son of Zadok—the priest;
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These were the leaders in his government: Azariah son of Zadok - the priest;
3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha—secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud—recorder;
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Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha - secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud - historian;
4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada—commander in chief; Zadok and Abiathar—priests;
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Benaiah son of Jehoiada - commander of the army; Zadok and Abiathar - priests;
5 Azariah son of Nathan—in charge of the district governors; Zabud son of Nathan—a priest and adviser to the king;
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Azariah son of Nathan - in charge of the regional managers; Zabud son of Nathan - priest and friend to the king;
6 Ahishar—palace administrator; Adoniram son of Abda—in charge of forced labor.
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Ahishar - manager of the palace; Adoniram son of Abda - manager of the slave labor.
7 Solomon had twelve district governors over all Israel, who supplied provisions for the king and the royal household. Each one had to provide supplies for one month in the year.
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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.
8 These are their names: Ben-Hur—in the hill country of Ephraim;
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These are the names: Ben-Hur in the Ephraim hills;
9 Ben-Deker—in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh and Elon Bethhanan;
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Ben-Deker in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Bethhanan;
10 Ben-Hesed—in Arubboth (Sokoh and all the land of Hepher were his);
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Ben-Hesed in Arubboth - this included Socoh and all of Hepher;
11 Ben-Abinadab—in Naphoth Dor (he was married to Taphath daughter of Solomon);
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Ben-Abinadab in Naphoth Dor (he was married to Solomon's daughter Taphath);
12 Baana son of Ahilud—in Taanach and Megiddo, and in all of Beth Shan next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth Shan to Abel Meholah across to Jokmeam;
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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;
13 Ben-Geber—in Ramoth Gilead (the settlements of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead were his, as well as the region of Argob in Bashan and its sixty large walled cities with bronze gate bars);
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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;
14 Ahinadab son of Iddo—in Mahanaim;
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Ahinadab son of Iddo in Mahanaim;
15 Ahimaaz—in Naphtali (he had married Basemath daughter of Solomon);
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Ahimaaz in Naphtali (he was married to Solomon's daughter Basemath);
16 Baana son of Hushai—in Asher and in Aloth;
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Baana son of Hushai in Asher and Aloth;
17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah—in Issachar;
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Jehoshaphat son of Paruah in Issachar;
18 Shimei son of Ela—in Benjamin;
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Shimei son of Ela in Benjamin;
19 Geber son of Uri—in Gilead (the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and the country of Og king of Bashan). He was the only governor over the district.
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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.
20 The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy.
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Judah and Israel were densely populated - like sand on an ocean beach! All their needs were met; they ate and drank and were happy.
21 And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought tribute and were Solomon’s subjects all his life.
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Solomon was sovereign over all the kingdoms from the River Euphrates in the east to the country of the Philistines in the west, all the way to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and were vassals of Solomon all his life.
22 Solomon’s daily provisions were thirty cors of the finest flour and sixty cors of meal,
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One day's food supply for Solomon's household was: 185 bushels of fine flour 375 bushels of meal 10 grain-fed cattle 20 range cattle 100 sheep and miscellaneous deer, gazelles, roebucks, and choice fowl.
23 ten head of stall-fed cattle, twenty of pasture-fed cattle and a hundred sheep and goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks and choice fowl.
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24 For he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah to Gaza, and had peace on all sides.
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Solomon was sovereign over everything, countries and kings, west of the River Euphrates from Tiphsah to Gaza. Peace reigned everywhere.
25 During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, everyone under their own vine and under their own fig tree.
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Throughout Solomon's life, everyone in Israel and Judah lived safe and sound, all of them from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south - content with what they had.
26 Solomon had four thousand stalls for chariot horses, and twelve thousand horses.
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Solomon had forty thousand stalls for chariot horses and twelve thousand horsemen.
27 The district governors, each in his month, supplied provisions for King Solomon and all who came to the king’s table. They saw to it that nothing was lacking.
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The district managers, each according to his assigned month, delivered food supplies for King Solomon and all who sat at the king's table; there was always plenty.
28 They also brought to the proper place their quotas of barley and straw for the chariot horses and the other horses.
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They also brought to the designated place their assigned quota of barley and straw for the horses.
29 God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.
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God gave Solomon wisdom - the deepest of understanding and the largest of hearts. There was nothing beyond him, nothing he couldn't handle.
30 Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.
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Solomon's wisdom outclassed the vaunted wisdom of wise men of the East, outshone the famous wisdom of Egypt.
31 He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations.
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He was wiser than anyone - wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, wiser than Heman, wiser than Calcol and Darda the sons of Mahol. He became famous among all the surrounding nations.
32 He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five.
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He created three thousand proverbs; his songs added up to 1,005.
33 He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish.
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He knew all about plants, from the huge cedar that grows in Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows in the cracks of a wall. He understood everything about animals and birds, reptiles and fish.
34 From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.
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Sent by kings from all over the earth who had heard of his reputation, people came from far and near to listen to the wisdom of Solomon.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.