Solomon Divides His Kingdom into Twelve Administrative Districts

After Solomon consolidated his throne, he reorganized Israel into twelve regional administrative districts (1 Kings 4:7-19): "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." The twelve districts redrew the older tribal boundaries into roughly equal economic units. The catalog names each governor and his territory: Ben-hur in Mount Ephraim; Ben-deker in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh; Ben-hesed in Arubboth; Ben-abinadab in Naphath-dor; Baana in Taanach and Megiddo; Ben-geber in Ramoth-gilead; and others. The reorganization was central to the new royal economy that built the temple and palace.

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