{"id":61483,"date":"2019-08-20T10:45:19","date_gmt":"2019-08-20T07:45:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=61483"},"modified":"2023-03-17T14:50:37","modified_gmt":"2023-03-17T12:50:37","slug":"solomon-rezones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/solomon-rezones\/","title":{"rendered":"Solomon Rezones"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[835,430,838,792],"acf":{"old_id":"61483","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":33692,"related_cahpter":"291","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"Modernization, expansionism, rational restructuring - or gerrymandering?","content":"

The chapter moves on to the demarcation of the twelve administrative regions through which Solomon finances the country. The number twelve is striking in that it recalls the classic tribal division that we have been accustomed to throughout Jewish history, from Exodus through to the period of Judges. When we examine the list of districts, however, we discern that the geographical regions do not match specific tribes. In fact, only five regions (Mount Ephraim, Naphtali, Asher, Issachar, and Benjamin) correspond to tribal identities. It appears that Solomon has remodeled tribal borders and generated new regional boundaries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Solomon’s objective in altering the ancient tribal divisions?<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Expanded territory \u2014 One theory views the new division as a response to the capture and settlement of new areas, previously unpopulated by Israel. Population shift requires the drawing of new civic lines. Some of these new areas, such as the region of Dor, with its lucrative port, were small, but generated significant revenue; this region was capable of competing financially with provinces much larger in area and population. Solomon, understanding the new economic realities of Israel, restructures his country accordingly.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. A new national agenda \u2014 Some suggest that we are witnessing an attempt to modernize the kingdom and discard the ancient tribal division. The tribal period of the Judges has come to a close. Now, with one king and a united nation, the tribal identities seem archaic and superfluous. Solomon retains five tribal units, but creates seven new regions that muddle and modernize the traditional boundaries.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    But rezoning the country has its hazards. Notwithstanding Solomon’s intent, historic identities endure; ethnic statuses remain intact. A significant and troubling detail is that the tribe of Judah is not specified in this list of tax colonies. Some suggest that this omission is evidence that Solomon’s own tribe is fully absolved of its tax burden.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Solomon’s changes are most severe for the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, as they suffer from a more invasive subdivision, and hence a disproportionate tax burden. This uneven policy is possibly deliberate, intended to weaken the tribes of Joseph, who represent a potential source of opposition to the king, but this strategy has a devastating ripple effect in later years. The act that eventually tears Solomon’s kingdom apart after his death is a demand for a reduction of the crushing tax burden, and the epicenter of the revolt is the tribes of Joseph (1 Kings 11:27-28).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Alex Israel, 1 Kings: Torn in Two<\/em>, Maggid Books, 2013, A Fresh National Agenda\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":61437,"id":61437,"title":"alex israel - kings 1","filename":"alex-israel-kings-1.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/adonijahs-scheme-to-ascend-the-throne\/alex-israel-kings-1\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"alex-israel-kings-1","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":61414,"date":"2019-08-19 12:13:44","modified":"2019-08-19 12:13:53","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1020,"height":1304,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1-235x300.jpg","medium-width":235,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1-768x982.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":982,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1-801x1024.jpg","large-width":801,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1020,"1536x1536-height":1304,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1020,"2048x2048-height":1304,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1-939x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":939,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1-329x420.jpg","home_baner-width":329,"home_baner-height":420}},"embedded_video":"","video_duration":"","show_fb_comments":true,"credit_media":""},"tile":{"top_caption":"Excerpts from: 1 Kings - 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