Topical Bible: Kings: Their Revenues Derived From: Produce of Their own Lands

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In the ancient Near Eastern context, including the biblical narrative, kings often derived a significant portion of their revenues from the produce of their own lands. This practice was not only a reflection of the agrarian-based economy but also a demonstration of the king's wealth and the prosperity of his reign. The Bible provides several insights into how kings managed and benefited from the produce of their lands.

Biblical Examples and Practices

1. Solomon's Abundance: King Solomon, renowned for his wisdom and wealth, had extensive lands that contributed to his vast resources. The Bible notes that Solomon's provisions for one day included "thirty cors of fine flour and sixty cors of meal, ten fat oxen, twenty pasture-fed cattle, a hundred sheep and goats, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl" (1 Kings 4:22-23). This daily provision underscores the abundance of produce from his lands, which supported not only his household but also his administration.

2. Royal Vineyards and Fields: Kings often owned vineyards and fields that were directly managed or leased out to tenants. In the account of Naboth's vineyard, King Ahab desired a vineyard close to his palace in Jezreel, indicating the value placed on such properties (1 Kings 21:1-2). Although this narrative highlights Ahab's misuse of power, it also reflects the importance of agricultural lands to a king's wealth.

3. Hezekiah's Storehouses: King Hezekiah of Judah is noted for his efforts to store the produce of his lands. "Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made treasuries for his silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all kinds of valuable articles. He also made storehouses for the harvest of grain, new wine, and oil, and stalls for all kinds of cattle and pens for the flocks" (2 Chronicles 32:27-28). These storehouses were essential for sustaining the kingdom during times of need and for trade.

4. Agricultural Management: The management of royal lands was a significant aspect of a king's administration. Kings employed officials to oversee agricultural production, ensuring that the lands yielded maximum output. This is evident in the organization of Solomon's kingdom, where twelve governors were appointed over Israel to provide food for the king and his household, each responsible for one month of the year (1 Kings 4:7).

5. Symbol of Divine Blessing: The prosperity of a king's lands was often seen as a sign of divine favor. In Deuteronomy, the blessings of obedience include abundant produce: "The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of His bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands" (Deuteronomy 28:12). A fruitful land was thus a testament to the king's righteous rule and God's blessing upon the nation.

Theological Implications

The revenues derived from the produce of their own lands not only provided for the king's household and administration but also played a role in the broader economic and social stability of the kingdom. The management of these resources required wisdom and integrity, reflecting the king's responsibility to steward God's creation faithfully. The prosperity of the land under a king's rule was often seen as a reflection of his adherence to God's laws and his ability to lead the people in righteousness.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Chronicles 26:10
Also he built towers in the desert, and dig many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: farmers also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Travelling in Palestine --Roads, Inns, Hospitality, Custom-House ...
... time of the kings (for example, 1 Kings 12:18 ... For, ever since their return from Babylon,
the Jews must ... kindly, and that they applied the revenues derived from it ...
/.../sketches of jewish social life/chapter 4 travelling in palestineroads.htm

Alexandria and Rome - the Jewish Communities in the Capitals of ...
... troubles of Palestine under the Syrian kings greatly swelled ... their support being
derived from the revenues of the ... ill-chance might bring into their hands, to ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter v alexandria and rome.htm

The First Theban Empire
... soil was fertile, well watered, and well tilled, but the revenues from this ... Asia
had as little attraction for these kings as for their Memphite predecessors ...
/.../chapter iiithe first theban empire.htm

Prolegomena.
... the churches, and the poor"of the revenues of the ... Theodebert and Theoderic, the two
boy-kings of Austrasia and of Burgundy, and to their powerful grandmother ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leo/writings of leo the great/prolegomena.htm

The Close of the Theban Empire --(Continued)
... the mummies of these kings and the statues of their ... previously associated with him
still held their own beside him ... in the fact that Khonsu is derived from the ...
/.../chapter ithe close of the.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1828 to the Beginning ...
... occasion said, quoting from the second Psalm, The kings of the ... from the people either
the amount of the revenues of the Church, or their application, the ...
/.../chapter 10 from the close.htm

Chaldaean Civilization
... and from which he drew the revenues; the other ... The kings, the vicegerents, the temple
administration, and the ... numbers in the construction of their buildings or ...
/.../chapter iiichaldaean civilization.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... forest to which the priests and kings alone had ... Shushinak is an adjective derived
from the ... of the priests by piously augmenting their revenues, and throughout ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

The Temples and the Gods of Chaldaea
... The construction and revenues of the temples"Popular gods ... in his blind rage, the
kings of Chaldaea were accustomed to invoke him against their enemies, and ...
/.../chapter iithe temples and the.htm

the Legendary History of Egypt
... I have in nought curtailed the sacred revenues! ... from the Universal Lord all that
kings and princes here below bestowed upon their followers"rations ...
/.../chapter iii -the legendary history of.htm