1 Kings 4:7-19

1 Kings 4:7-19

[7] And Solomon  had twelve  officers  over all Israel,  which provided victuals  for the king  and his household:  each man  his month  in a year  made provision.  [8] And these are their names:  The son of Hur,  in mount  Ephraim:  [9] The son of Dekar,  in Makaz,  and in Shaalbim,  and Bethshemesh,  and Elonbethhanan:  [10] The son of Hesed,  in Aruboth;  to him pertained Sochoh,  and all the land  of Hepher:  [11] The son of Abinadab,  in all the region  of Dor;  which had Taphath  the daughter  of Solomon  to wife:  [12] Baana  the son  of Ahilud;  to him pertained Taanach  and Megiddo,  and all Bethshean,  which is by  Zartanah  beneath Jezreel,  from Bethshean  to Abelmeholah,  even unto the place that is beyond  Jokneam:  [13] The son of Geber,  in Ramothgilead;  to him pertained the towns  of Jair  the son  of Manasseh,  which are in Gilead;  to him also pertained the region  of Argob,  which is in Bashan,  threescore  great  cities  with walls  and brasen  bars:  [14] Ahinadab  the son  of Iddo  had Mahanaim:  [15] Ahimaaz  was in Naphtali;  he also took  Basmath  the daughter  of Solomon  to wife:  [16] Baanah  the son  of Hushai  was in Asher  and in Aloth:  [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. 

What does 1 Kings 4:7-19 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

These men were responsible for providing for the needs of Solomon"s large household, including his courtiers, and for his thousands of horses ( 1 Kings 4:28). Two were Solomon"s sons-in-law ( 1 Kings 4:11; 1 Kings 4:15). The district arrangement seems designed to move Israel away from tribal independence to cooperation under the new centralized government, though the district boundaries approximated the tribal boundaries. [1]
". . . this was a radical and decisive step, and that not only because it imposed upon the people an unprecedented burden. It meant that the old tribal system, already increasingly of vestigial significance, had been, as far as its political functioning was concerned, virtually abolished. In place of twelve tribes caring in turn for the central shrine were twelve districts taxed for the support of Solomon"s court!" [2]
The writer did not include Judah and Jerusalem in this list of areas that Solomon taxed. This gave Judah a great advantage economically. Perhaps Solomon favored Judah because it was his tribe. This favoritism may have been a factor in the revolt of the northern tribes later ( 1 Kings 12:4).
Solomon"s throne exercised four spheres of political influence. First, there was the homeland. This was the geographical area Joshua had assigned to the12tribes. In Solomon"s day Israel occupied only this area. Second, there were adjacent provinces (i.e, Damascus, Ammon, Moab, Edom, et al.). Solomon taxed these and conscripted them for military service. They enjoyed protection and the benefits of Israel"s central government. Third, there were the vassal states (i.e, Zobah, Hamath, Arabia, possibly Philistia, et al.) that Israel controlled. These enjoyed some autonomy such as native rulers and internal fiscal policies. They recognized Solomon"s authority, however, provided some tribute, and pledged loyalty to him. Israel in return defended them from alien forces when necessary. Fourth, there were the allied states (i.e, Phoenicia, Egypt, et al.). These countries enjoyed equality with Israel. They defended each other as needed, traded with each other, and generally cooperated with one another. [3]
Clearly Solomon"s kingdom had a large bureaucracy.