Solomon's Officials and Administration
[ READ ] 1 Kings 4:1–19
Solomon's Officials
1 King Solomon was king over all Israel, 2 and these were his high officials: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest; 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 4 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 5 Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan was priest and king's friend; 6 Ahishar was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram the son of Abda was in charge of the forced labor.
7 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. 8 These were their names: Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim; 9 Ben-deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elonbeth-hanan; 10 Ben-hesed, in Arubboth (to him belonged Socoh and all the land of Hepher); 11 Ben-abinadab, in all Naphath-dor (he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as his wife); 12 Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach, Megiddo, and all Beth-shean that is beside Zarethan below Jezreel, and from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as the other side of Jokmeam; 13 Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead (he had the villages of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, and he had the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars); 14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim; 15 Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he had taken Basemath the daughter of Solomon as his wife); 16 Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth; 17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar; 18 Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin; 19 Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan. And there was one governor who was over the land.
1 King Solomon was king over all Israel, 2 and these were his high officials: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest; 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 4 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 5 Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan was priest and king's friend; 6 Ahishar was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram the son of Abda was in charge of the forced labor.
7 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. 8 These were their names: Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim; 9 Ben-deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elonbeth-hanan; 10 Ben-hesed, in Arubboth (to him belonged Socoh and all the land of Hepher); 11 Ben-abinadab, in all Naphath-dor (he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as his wife); 12 Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach, Megiddo, and all Beth-shean that is beside Zarethan below Jezreel, and from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as the other side of Jokmeam; 13 Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead (he had the villages of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, and he had the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars); 14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim; 15 Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he had taken Basemath the daughter of Solomon as his wife); 16 Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth; 17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar; 18 Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin; 19 Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan. And there was one governor who was over the land.
I’ll admit, 1 Kings 4 is the kind of passage I’m tempted to skim. It reads like an ancient organizational chart. Officials. Secretaries. Priests. Commanders. Governors.
Everyone seems to have a job. And then we meet Zabud.
“Zabud the son of Nathan was priest and king’s friend.” (v. 5)
I love that. Someone is over the army. Someone keeps the records. Someone oversees the household. And Zabud? He is the king’s friend.
Sometimes our relationship with God can quietly become another job description.
But Jesus says something to his disciples in John 15:15: “I have called you friends.”
Maybe following Jesus was never supposed to become a life of doing things for him while forgetting how to be with him.
So perhaps the question today isn’t, What does the King need me to accomplish? Maybe it’s simpler: Am I becoming a friend of the King?
- David Bempong
Everyone seems to have a job. And then we meet Zabud.
“Zabud the son of Nathan was priest and king’s friend.” (v. 5)
I love that. Someone is over the army. Someone keeps the records. Someone oversees the household. And Zabud? He is the king’s friend.
Sometimes our relationship with God can quietly become another job description.
But Jesus says something to his disciples in John 15:15: “I have called you friends.”
Maybe following Jesus was never supposed to become a life of doing things for him while forgetting how to be with him.
So perhaps the question today isn’t, What does the King need me to accomplish? Maybe it’s simpler: Am I becoming a friend of the King?
- David Bempong
[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ What do you notice about the different roles and responsibilities Solomon gives to the people around him?
+ Why do you think the writer includes the description of Zabud as “the king’s friend”? What stands out to you about that phrase?
+ What do you notice about the different roles and responsibilities Solomon gives to the people around him?
+ Why do you think the writer includes the description of Zabud as “the king’s friend”? What stands out to you about that phrase?
[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Has your relationship with Jesus lately felt more like something you are doing or someone you are being with? What might be contributing to that?
+ What would friendship with Jesus look like in the ordinary rhythms of your life today? Where could you make room simply to be with him?
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Has your relationship with Jesus lately felt more like something you are doing or someone you are being with? What might be contributing to that?
+ What would friendship with Jesus look like in the ordinary rhythms of your life today? Where could you make room simply to be with him?
[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Jesus, thank you that you invite me into more than work, responsibility, and religious activity. You invite me to know you. Forgive me for the ways I can become so busy doing things for you that I forget to be with you. Teach me to enjoy your presence and to walk closely with you today. Amen.
+ Pray with me:
Jesus, thank you that you invite me into more than work, responsibility, and religious activity. You invite me to know you. Forgive me for the ways I can become so busy doing things for you that I forget to be with you. Teach me to enjoy your presence and to walk closely with you today. Amen.
[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
yourself:
+ Talk today’s message over with someone who is discipling you, and someone you are discipling.
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
yourself:
+ Talk today’s message over with someone who is discipling you, and someone you are discipling.
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