Bible Strands
1 Kings 4:12
Baana son of Ahilud in Taanach, in Megiddo, and in all of Beth-shean next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah and on past Jokmeam;
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator lists Solomon’s appointed officials, assigning Baana son of Ahilud to govern a network of northern cities and valleys.
The words — תַּעְנַ֖ךְ (ta'.Nakh) means Taanach, a known Canaanite stronghold, and וּ/מְגִדּ֑וֹ (u./me.gi.Do) names Megiddo, both explicitly listed as part of the assigned territory.
The thread — These locations reappear in Joshua 17:11 as part of Manasseh’s inheritance, Joshua 3:16 near Zarethan where the Jordan waters halted, and Judges 5:19 as the battlefield of the Canaanite kings.
Why it lands — The passage functions as a territorial ledger, requiring the reader to track how former military and tribal zones are now organized under royal administrators.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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 unto the place that is beyond Jokneam:
Cross-references
- Joshua 17:11 Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh was assigned Beth-shean, Ibleam, Dor (that is, Naphath), Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, each with their surrounding settlements.
- Joshua 3:16 the flowing water stood still. It backed up as far upstream as Adam, a city in the area of Zarethan, while the water flowing toward the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.
- Judges 5:19 Kings came and fought; then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no plunder of silver.
- 1 Kings 19:16 You are also to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet.
- 1 Samuel 31:10 They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and hung his body on the wall of Beth-shan.
- 1 Kings 7:46 The king had them cast in clay molds in the plain of the Jordan between Succoth and Zarethan.
- 1 Kings 18:46 And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
- 2 Kings 23:29 During Josiah’s reign, Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt marched up to help the king of Assyria at the Euphrates River. King Josiah went out to confront him, but Neco faced him and killed him at Megiddo.
- 1 Chronicles 6:68 Jokmeam, Beth-horon,
- 1 Samuel 31:12 all their men of valor set out, journeyed all night, and retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. When they arrived at Jabesh, they burned the bodies there.