Solomon’s Administration of Israel
Introduction:
Solomon does some things well in the beginning of his reign as Israel’s king. We do see, however, that Satan is already “getting his foot in the door”.
1 Kings 4:1-34 NLT
Solomon’s Officials and Governors
4:1 King Solomon now ruled over all Israel,
2 and these were his high officials:
Azariah son of Zadok was the priest.
3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were court secretaries.
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.
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, a priest, was a trusted adviser to the king.
6 Ahishar was manager of the palace property.
Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of forced labor.
7 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. 8 These are the names of the twelve governors:
Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim.
9 Ben-deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-bethhanan.
10 Ben-hesed, in Arubboth, including Socoh and all the land of Hepher.
11 Ben-abinadab, in all of Naphoth-dor. (He was married to Taphath, one of Solomon’s daughters.)
12 Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, all of Beth-shan near Zarethan below Jezreel, and all the territory from Beth-shan to Abel-meholah and over to Jokmeam.
13 Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead, including the Towns of Jair (named for Jair of the tribe of Manasseh) in Gilead, and in the Argob region of Bashan, including sixty large fortified towns with bronze bars on their gates.
14 Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim.
15 Ahimaaz, in Naphtali. (He was married to Basemath, another of Solomon’s daughters.)
16 Baana son of Hushai, in Asher and in Aloth.
17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar.
18 Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin.
19 Geber son of Uri, in the land of Gilead including the territories of King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan.
There was also one governor over the land of Judah.
Solomon’s Prosperity and Wisdom
20 The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They were very contented, with plenty to eat and drink. 21 Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River in the north to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt in the south. The conquered peoples of those lands sent tribute money to Solomon and continued to serve him throughout his lifetime.
22 The daily food requirements for Solomon’s palace were 150 bushels of choice flour and 300 bushels of meal; 23 also 10 oxen from the fattening pens, 20 pasture-fed cattle, 100 sheep or goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roe deer, and choice poultry.
24 Solomon’s dominion extended over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah to Gaza. And there was peace on all his borders. 25 During the lifetime of Solomon, all of Judah and Israel lived in peace and safety. And from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, each family had its own home and garden.
26 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses, and he had 12,000 horses
27 The district governors faithfully provided food for King Solomon and his court; each made sure nothing was lacking during the month assigned to him. 28 They also brought the necessary barley and straw for the royal horses in the stables.
29 God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore. 30 In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt. 31 He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite and the sons of Mahol—Heman, Calcol, and Darda. His fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. 32 He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. 33 He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, small creatures, and fish. 34 And kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon.
Examine the Scriptures
Solomon’s Administration of Israel
1 Kings 4:1-34 NLT
Solomon’s Officials and Governors
4:1 King Solomon now ruled over all Israel,
Solomon ruled over an undivided kingdom, as his father had before him at the end of his reign.
2 Samuel 8:15 NLT
15 So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people.
Israel is now functioning as one nation under Solomon’s rule.
Rather than a loose tribal confederation.
A tribal confederation is a loose alliance of independent tribes that come together for shared purposes—such as defense, leadership, religion, or survival—while still maintaining their own identity and local authority.
The kingdom under Solomon’s rule was unified and stable.
- King Solomon ruled over all of Israel.
2 and these were his high officials:
Azariah son of Zadok was the (high) priest.
3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were court secretaries.
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.
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, a priest, was a trusted adviser to the king.
6 Ahishar was manager of the palace property.
Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of forced labor.
Solomon’s governmental officials included:
A high priest
Court secretaries
A royal historian
A commander of the army
Priests
A person in charge of the district governors
A trusted advisor
A manager of the palace property
A person in charge of forced labor (More about this in vs. 21-22)
- Solomon developed an organized and highly structured government.
1 Corinthians 14:40 NLT
40 But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.
- Solomon delegated authority to capable leaders.
7 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.
Solomon’s twelve districts did not exactly coincide with the old tribal allotments.
- Each of Solomon’s twelve districts was responsible for providing for the king’s household for one month each year.
8 These are the names of the twelve governors:
Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim.
9 Ben-deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-bethhanan.
10 Ben-hesed, in Arubboth, including Socoh and all the land of Hepher.
11 Ben-abinadab, in all of Naphoth-dor. (He was married to Taphath, one of Solomon’s daughters.)
12 Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, all of Beth-shan near Zarethan below Jezreel, and all the territory from Beth-shan to Abel-meholah and over to Jokmeam.
13 Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead, including the Towns of Jair (named for Jair of the tribe of Manasseh) in Gilead, and in the Argob region of Bashan, including sixty large fortified towns with bronze bars on their gates.
14 Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim.
15 Ahimaaz, in Naphtali. (He was married to Basemath, another of Solomon’s daughters.)
16 Baana son of Hushai, in Asher and in Aloth.
17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar.
18 Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin.
19 Geber son of Uri, in the land of Gilead including the territories of King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan.
There was also one governor over the land of Judah.
Solomon’s Prosperity and Wisdom
20 The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore.
Review God’s promise to Abraham.
Genesis 22:17 NLT God speaking to Abraham
17 I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies.
They were very contented, with plenty to eat and drink.
Solomon displayed great wisdom in the early years of his kingship, and as a result, Judah and Israel prospered and “were very contented, with plenty to eat and drink.”
- The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore.
- The people of Israel and Judah were experiencing a growth in population, peace, and prosperity.
21 Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River in the north to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt in the south.
Refer to a map.
Review God’s covenant with Abram.
Genesis 15:18 NLT
18 So the Lord made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River—
God’s nature is perfectly truthful—He cannot lie.
Everything God says is reliable, pure, and trustworthy.
Hebrews 6:18 NLT
18 So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie.
Numbers 23:19 NLT
19 God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?
The conquered peoples of those lands sent tribute money to Solomon and continued to serve him throughout his lifetime.
The non-Israelite communities did not lose their identity and territory, but rather recognized Solomon’s authority and brought him tribute without giving up their land.
“Satan’s foot in the door.”
1 Kings 9:20-21 NLT
20 There were still some people living in the land who were not Israelites, including Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 21 These were descendants of the nations whom the people of Israel had not completely destroyed. So Solomon conscripted them as slaves, and they serve as forced laborers to this day.
These inhabitants should have been destroyed.
Deuteronomy 20:16-18 NLT
16 In those towns that the Lord your God is giving you as a special possession, destroy every living thing. 17 You must completely destroy the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, just as the Lord your God has commanded you. 18 This will prevent the people of the land from teaching you to imitate their detestable customs in the worship of their gods, which would cause you to sin deeply against the Lord your God.
2 Chronicles 2:17 NLT
17 Solomon took a census of all foreigners in the land of Israel, like the census his father had taken, and he counted 153,600.
1 Kings 5:13-14 NLT
13 Then King Solomon conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men from all Israel. 14 He sent them to Lebanon in shifts, 10,000 every month, so that each man would be one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of this labor force.
1 Kings 9:15 NLT
15 This is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon conscripted to build the Lord’s Temple, the royal palace, the supporting terraces, the wall of Jerusalem, and the cities of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer.
- Solomon’s kingdom included non-Israelite communities.
- Non-Israelites sent tribute money to Solomon and continued to serve him throughout his lifetime.
- Solomon conscripted non-Israelites as slaves, and they served as forced laborers.
22 The daily food requirements for Solomon’s palace were 150 bushels of choice flour and 300 bushels of meal; 23 also 10 oxen from the fattening pens, 20 pasture-fed cattle, 100 sheep or goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roe deer, and choice poultry.
- Maintaining the royal court was costly.
This lifestyle appears to be excessive. (Satan’s foot in the door)
(Continued in v. 27)
24 Solomon’s dominion extended over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah to Gaza. And there was peace on all his borders.
Refer to a map.
25 During the lifetime of Solomon, all of Judah and Israel lived in peace and safety.
And from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, each family had its own home and garden.
- The people of Solomon’s kingdom experienced God’s blessings of personal security, economic stability, and domestic peace.
26 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses, and he had 12,000 horses.
Note:
“Satan’s foot in the door.”
Deuteronomy 17:16 NLT
16 “The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’
1 Kings 10:26-29 NLT
26 Solomon built up a huge force of chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him in Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. And valuable cedar timber was as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah. 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Cilicia; the king’s traders acquired them from Cilicia at the standard price. 29 At that time chariots from Egypt could be purchased for 600 pieces of silver, and horses for 150 pieces of silver. They were then exported to the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.
Note:
Horses = military power in the ancient world (especially chariots).
Egypt was known for supplying horses and chariots.
God did not want his people to trust in military strength. God wants his people to trust in him.
God does not want his people to relying on foreign alliances (especially Egypt).
- Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses, and he had 12,000 horses.
27 The district governors faithfully provided food for King Solomon and his court; each made sure nothing was lacking during the month assigned to him. 28 They also brought the necessary barley and straw for the royal horses in the stables.
- The district governors faithfully provided food for King Solomon and his court.
A form of taxation
Samuel Warns against a Kingdom
1 Samuel 8:10-17 NLT
10 So Samuel passed on the Lord’s warning to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 “This is how a king will reign over you,” Samuel said. “The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. 12 Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. 13 The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. 14 He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. 16 He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use. 17 He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves.
29 God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore.
- God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore.
30 In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt. 31 He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite and the sons of Mahol—Heman, Calcol, and Darda. His fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. 32 He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. 33 He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, small creatures, and fish. 34 And kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon.
- People “from every nation” came to hear the wisdom of Solomon.
