Throughout the afternoon they were in an ecstatic frenzy, ¹  but there was no sound, no answer, and no response. ² 

Solomon had twelve district governors appointed throughout Israel who acquired supplies for the king and his palace. Each was responsible for one month in the year.

If you ever do leave and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will certainly die! You will be responsible for your own death.” ¹ 

The district governors acquired supplies for King Solomon and all who ate in his royal palace. ¹  Each was responsible for one month in the year; they made sure nothing was lacking.

When all Israel’s elders had arrived, the priests lifted the ark.

besides 3,300 ¹  officials who supervised the workers. ² 

All the leaders and people said to him, “Do not give in or agree to his demands.” ¹ 

Well, it just so happened that while your servant was doing this and that, he disappeared.” The king of Israel said to him, “Your punishment is already determined by your own testimony.” ¹ 

The men of the ¹  city, the leaders ²  and the nobles who lived there, ³  followed the written orders Jezebel had sent them. ⁴ 

Jeroboam was a talented man; ¹  when Solomon saw that the young man was an accomplished worker, he made him the leader of the work crew from the tribe ²  of Joseph.

She wrote out orders, ¹  signed Ahab’s name to them, ²  and sealed them with his seal. She then sent the orders ³  to the leaders ⁴  and to the nobles who lived in Naboth’s city. ⁵ 

¹ Then Solomon convened in Jerusalem ²  Israel’s elders, all the leaders of the Israelite tribes and families, so they could witness the transferal of the ark of the Lord’s covenant from the city of David (that is, Zion). ³ 

So they took a bull, as he had suggested, ¹  and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us.” But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped ²  around on the altar they had made. ³ 

The king of Israel summoned all the leaders ¹  of the land and said, “Notice how this man is looking for trouble. ²  Indeed, he demanded my wives, sons, silver, and gold, and I did not resist him.”

So he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, “Say this to my master, the king, ‘I will give you everything you demanded at first from your servant, but I am unable to agree to this latest demand.’” ¹  So the messengers went back and gave their report.