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1 Kings 4:1-20 | Bible Study

Solomon's Political Structure

The First Dynasty

After God grants Solomon wisdom (1 Kings 3:1-15), the next several chapters put that wisdom on display.

1 Kings 4:1-20 describes the political structure Solomon puts in place.

The passage is full of complicated names and confusing geographic references. It's one of those sections of the Bible that is easy to gloss over.

If we'll take some time, however, we'll find some interesting details.

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1 Kings 4:1-20 | My translation and highlights

1 Now King Solomon was king over all of Israel. 2 These were his officials: Azaraiah, the son of Zadok was the priest. 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha were the scribes. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the secretary. 4 Benaiah the son of Jeohiada was over the army and Zaddok and Abiathar were the priests. 5 Azariah the son of Nathan was over the governors. Zabud the son of Nathan was a priest and the king’s friend. 6 Ahishar was over the house. Adoniram son of Abda was over the forced labor.

7 And Solomon had 12 governors over all Israel and they provided the king with food and his house. Each of them was in charge of providing food for one month of the year. 8 And these are their names:

Ben Hur in the hill country of Ephraim.

9 Ben-deker in the Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan.

10 Ben-hesed in Aruboth to him belonged Socoh and all the lend of Hepher.

11 Ben-abinadab, all the hill country of Dor (Taphat, Solomon’s daughter was his wife).

12 Baana son of Ahilud: Tanak and Megiddo, and all of Beth-shean which is beside Zerethan below Jezreel: from Bethshean until Abel-meholah until the other side of Jokmeam.

13 Ben-geber in Ramoth-gilead: the villages of Jair the son of Mannasseh which were in Gilead belonged to him and the region of Argob which was in Bashan—sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars.

14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo in Mahanaim.

15 Ahimaaz in Naphtali. Also, he took Basemath, Solomon’s daughter as his wife.

16 Baana the son of Hushai in Asher and Bealoth.

17 Jehoshephat son of Paruah in Issachar.

18 Shimei son of Ela in Benjamin.

19 Geber son of Uri in the land of Gilead, the land of Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan.

And there was one governor who was in the land.

20 Judah and Israel were numerous like the sand which is by the sea. They ate and drank and rejoiced.

Solomon's Government Compared to Israel's Past

It’s important to remember that the monarchy is still a very new thing in Israel’s history at this point. Solomon is just the third king after Saul and David. Additionally, Solomon’s reign represents the first time someone became the national leader because of his family of origin.

The People and Positions in Solomon's Government

The list reveals that Solomon likes to keep his friends close. The children of Zadok and Nathan occupy important roles in Solomon’s government. Both Zadok and Nathan were a part of the contingent that supported Solomon in opposition to Adonijah as reported in 1 Kings 1.

Interestingly, these verses report that one of Zadok’s sons is priest (v. 2) and that Zadok and Abiathar are priests (v. 4). These notes are peculiar for two reasons. First, why should there be three priests mentioned here? Second, why does Abiathar return? Solomon banished Abiathar in 1 Kings 2:26-27.

The positions listed in the first six verses reveal a more developed governmental structure than Israel had known. One position is particularly noteworthy in light of later events in Solomon’s story.

Adoniram is over the forced labor (v. 6). This position will cause major issues between Solomon and the tribes. Forced labor (aka, slavery) will ultimately serve as one of the reasons for the divided monarchy.

God's Covenant Promise Fulfilled

When God established His covenant with Abraham, God promised that Abraham’s descendants would be too many to count. 1 Kings 4:20 reminds the reader of this promise and insists that it was fulfilled during Solomon’s reign.

Whatever concern is foreshadowed by the mention of forced labor (v. 6) is not meant to undermine the narrator’s statement here in v. 20. Solomon’s reign is a massive success even if only initially.

Summary

It’s easy to move past passages like 1 Kings 4:1-20 as quickly as possible. The names are confusing and the geographical references are even more difficult. If we will patiently examine the passage, however, we will discover some important insights.

For example, Solomon’s inner circle is filled with loyalists. Additionally, he institutes a political structure that was previously unknown in Israel. Unfortunately, one of these institutions (i.e., forced labor) will come back to bite him.

His division of the nation into twelve regions is interesting. On the one hand, many of the regions are similar to the tribal allotments described in the book of Joshua. Not all of them match those historic borderlines though. One is left to wonder whether Solomon is intentionally pushing Israel away from the tribal structure it enjoyed into a new organizational system based on taxation instead of family affiliation.

Whatever questions the reader has when considering Solomon’s governmental policies are emphatically brushed aside with the narrator’s comments in verse 20. Solomon’s reign represents the fulfillment of God’s covenant promise with Abraham. The people are as numerous as the sand on the sea shore… and they’re happy.

Recommended Resources

This blog post is a part of the Passage of the Week. Join the email list to get guided study notes sent to your inbox every Monday and Friday.

Check out the notes for this passage here and here.

Here are a couple of commentaries you might find helpful on the book of Kings.

Wray Beal, Lissa M. 1 & 2 Kings. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2014.

Leithart, Peter J. 1 & 2 Kings. Grand Rapids, Mich: Brazos Press, 2006.

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