3 Eliorefe e Aiás (filhos de Sisa) exerciam as funções de secretários; Jeosafá (filho de Ailude) era cronista;4 Benaia (filho de Jeoiada) era o comandante do exército; Zadoque e Abiatar eram sacerdotes;5 Azarias (filho de Natã) tinha as funções de administrador-geral; Zabude (filho de Natã) era sacerdote e o seu conselheiro especial;6 Aisar, chefiava a casa real; Adonirão (filho de Abda) superintendia sobre os trabalhos obrigatórios.9 Bene-Dequer, que tinha a área de Macaz, de Saalabim, de Bete-Semes, de Elom e de Bete-Hanã;10 Bene-Hesede, com a área de Arubote, incluindo Socó e toda a terra de Hefer;11 Bene-Abinadabe (que casou com a filha de Salomão, a princesa Tafate), responsável pela área das serranias de Dor;12 Baaná (filho de Ailude), responsável por Taanaque, Megido, toda a Bete-Seã perto de Zaretã, abaixo de Jezreel e todo o território desde Bete-Seã até Abel-Meolá e até Jocmeão;13 Bene-Geber, cuja área era Ramote-Gileade, incluindo as povoações de Jair (o filho de Manassés) que estão em Gileade; mais a região de Argobe em Basã, incluindo também sessenta cidades muradas e com portões de bronze;14 Ainadabe (filho de Iddo), cuja área era Maanaim;15 Aimaaz (que casou com a princesa Basemate, outra filha de Salomão), que tinha a área de Naftali;16 Baana (filho de Husai), cujas áreas eram Aser e Bealote;17 Jeosafá (filho de Paruá), que tinha a área de Issacar;18 Simei (filho de Ela), com a área de Benjamim;19 Havia depois um administrador que supervisava todo este trabalho.20 Israel e Judá, nesse tempo, eram uma nação rica, próspera, populosa. O rei Salomão governava um extenso território que ia desde o rio Eufrates até à terra dos filisteus, descendo até à fronteira com o Egipto. Os povos destas áreas, que tinham sido conquistados, pagavam impostos a Salomão, e estiveram-lhe sujeitos toda a sua vida.22 A provisão alimentar para o palácio real, diariamente, era de 6.825 litros de farinha e de 13.650 litros de cereais, dez vacas engordadas, e outras trazidas dos pastos, cem ovelhas e, de vez em quando, veados, gazelas, cabras monteses e gordas aves de capoeira.24 O seu domínio alargava-se a todos os reinos do oriente do rio Eufrates, desde Tifsa até Gaza. E havia paz em toda a terra.25 Durante o tempo do reinado de Salomão, Israel e Judá viveram em paz e segurança; cada família possuia a sua própria casa com o seu jardim.26 Salomão possuía ainda quarenta mil cavalos, para os seus carros de combate e doze mil cavaleiros.27 Em cada mês, como se viu, os administradores forneciam a casa real de alimento;28 além de cevada e palha para as estrebarias reais.29 Deus deu a Salomão grande sabedoria e inteligência, assim como muito conhecimento. De facto, a sua sabedoria excedia a de qualquer sábio do Oriente, incluindo os do Egipto. Era mais sábio do que Etã o ezraíta, e do que Hemã, Calcol e Darda, os filhos de Maol; a sua fama estendeu-se a todas as nações vizinhas. Foi o autor de 3.000 provérbios e escreveu 1.005 cânticos. Interessou-se muito pela natureza, pela vida dos animais quadrúpedes, das aves, dos répteis, dos peixes, assim como das plantas - desde os grandes cedros do Líbano até ao mais insignificante hissope que cresce nas fendas do muros. Reis de muitas terras mandaram-lhe embaixadores pedindo-lhe conselhos.

1 So king Solomon was king over all Israel.2 And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest,3 Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehosaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.4 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:5 And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king's friend:6 And Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.7 And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who 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 Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan: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; who had Taphath the daughter of Solomon for a wife:12 Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, even to the place that is beyond Jokneam:13 The son of Geber, in Ramoth-gilead; 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, sixty great cities with walls and brazen bars:14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:15 Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon for a 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 who 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 to the land of the Philistines, and to 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 sixty measures of meal.23 Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and roebucks, and fallow-deer, and fatted fowls.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 of the river: and he had peace on all sides around him.25 And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, 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 victuals for king Solomon, and for all that came to king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing.28 Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries they brought to the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.29 And God gave Solomon great wisdom and understanding, 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 the surrounding nations.32 And he spoke three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.33 And he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spoke also of beasts, and of fowls, and of creeping animals, and of fishes.34 And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.