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1 Kings 4:17-34
New International Version
1 Kings 4:17-34
New International Version
17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah—in Issachar;
18 Shimei(A) son of Ela—in Benjamin;
19 Geber son of Uri—in Gilead (the country of Sihon(B) king of the Amorites and the country of Og(C) king of Bashan). He was the only governor over the district.
Solomon’s Daily Provisions
20 The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand(D) on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy.(E) 21 And Solomon ruled(F) over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River(G) to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt.(H) These countries brought tribute(I) and were Solomon’s subjects all his life.
22 Solomon’s daily provisions(J) were thirty cors[a] of the finest flour and sixty cors[b] of meal, 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.(K) 24 For he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah(L) to Gaza, and had peace(M) on all sides. 25 During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba,(N) lived in safety,(O) everyone under their own vine and under their own fig tree.(P)
26 Solomon had four[c] thousand stalls for chariot horses,(Q) and twelve thousand horses.[d]
27 The district governors,(R) 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. 28 They also brought to the proper place their quotas of barley and straw for the chariot horses and the other horses.
Solomon’s Wisdom
29 God gave Solomon wisdom(S) and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand(T) on the seashore. 30 Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East,(U) and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.(V) 31 He was wiser(W) 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. 32 He spoke three thousand proverbs(X) and his songs(Y) numbered a thousand and five. 33 He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop(Z) that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. 34 From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings(AA) of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.[e]
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 4:22 That is, probably about 5 1/2 tons or about 5 metric tons
- 1 Kings 4:22 That is, probably about 11 tons or about 10 metric tons
- 1 Kings 4:26 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 2 Chron. 9:25); Hebrew forty
- 1 Kings 4:26 Or charioteers
- 1 Kings 4:34 In Hebrew texts 4:21-34 is numbered 5:1-14.
1 Kings 4:17-34
King James Version
1 Kings 4:17-34
King James Version
17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar:
18 Shimei the son of Elah, 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 which 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.
21 And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
22 And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,
23 Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted 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 the river: and he had peace on all sides round about 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.
26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
27 And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing.
28 Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.
29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
30 And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, 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 nations round about.
32 And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
33 And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.
34 And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
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1 Kings 4:17-34
New King James Version
1 Kings 4:17-34
New King James Version
17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar; 18 (A)Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin; 19 Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, in (B)the country of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Bashan. He was the only governor who was in the land.
Prosperity and Wisdom of Solomon’s Reign
20 Judah and Israel were as numerous (C)as the sand by the sea in multitude, (D)eating and drinking and rejoicing. 21 So (E)Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from (F)the[a] River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. (G)They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.
22 (H)Now Solomon’s [b]provision for one day was thirty [c]kors of fine flour, sixty kors of meal, 23 ten fatted oxen, twenty oxen from the pastures, and one hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fatted fowl.
24 For he had dominion over all the region on this side of [d]the River from Tiphsah even to Gaza, namely over (I)all the kings on this side of the River; and (J)he had peace on every side all around him. 25 And Judah and Israel (K)dwelt[e] safely, (L)each man under his vine and his fig tree, (M)from Dan as far as Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
26 (N)Solomon had [f]forty thousand stalls of (O)horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. 27 And (P)these governors, each man in his month, provided food for King Solomon and for all who came to King Solomon’s table. There was no lack in their supply. 28 They also brought barley and straw to the proper place, for the horses and steeds, each man according to his charge.
29 And (Q)God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. 30 Thus Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men (R)of the East and all (S)the wisdom of Egypt. 31 For he was (T)wiser than all men—(U)than Ethan the Ezrahite, (V)and Heman, Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. 32 (W)He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his (X)songs were one thousand and five. 33 Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish. 34 And men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom, (Y)came to hear the wisdom of Solomon.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Kings 4:21 The Euphrates
- 1 Kings 4:22 Lit. bread
- 1 Kings 4:22 Each about 5 bushels
- 1 Kings 4:24 The Euphrates
- 1 Kings 4:25 lived in safety
- 1 Kings 4:26 So with MT, most other authorities; some LXX mss. four thousand; cf. 2 Chr. 9:25
New International Version (NIV) 
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New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.