Geber the son of Uri was in charge of the twelfth administrative district, which probably corresponded roughly to the territory assigned to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, east of the Jordan River.

In the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan: The English words land and country translate the same Hebrew noun, which Revised Standard Version has translated according to the context.

Some interpreters follow one important manuscript of the Septuagint in reading “Gad” (so New Jerusalem Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) instead of Gilead. Since Gilead has already been mentioned in verse 13, “Gad” does fit better here, unless Geber and Ben-geber refer to the same person. If “Gad” is the correct reading, this means that Ben-geber, mentioned in verse 13, was responsible for the northern land east of the Jordan River and that Geber was responsible for the southern land east of the Jordan. Quite possibly “Gad” is original, and then when the text was changed to Gilead, the information about Sihon and Og was also added. But rather than attempt to go back to some supposed original text, it will be better to follow the Masoretic Text here.

Sihon and Og were non-Israelite kings, who were defeated by the Israelites at the time of the conquest and settlement of the Promised Land. Sihon ruled the land east of the Jordan River between the Arnon River and the Jabbok River. Og ruled the territory of Bashan further north (see verse 13), to the east of Lake Galilee. The accounts of their defeat and death are told in Num 21.21-35; Deut 2.26–3.11; and Josh 9.10; 12.1-6. Since both kings were no longer alive at the time of Solomon, Contemporary English Version says “Gilead, where King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan had lived” (Good News Translation is similar with “the land of Gilead, which had been ruled…”).

And there was one officer in the land of Judah is literally “and one officer who [was] in the land.” This final comment brings the list of officers to thirteen, which seems to contradict the statement in verse 7 that there were twelve officials. But this final comment may be understood in several different ways:

• (1) Twelve officials governed the northern tribes, and one official governed the southern land of Judah. “All Israel” in verse 7 then refers only to the northern tribes and does not include Judah. The land refers specifically to “Judah,” which is seen from the royal perspective (so Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Anchor Bible, Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie,Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Peregrino, all of which make explicit the name “Judah”). Compare also New American Bible: “There was one prefect besides, in the king’s own land.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible translates “… in the Land,” but it has a note that states “The reference here is certainly to the country of Judah.” Like Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Nouvelle Bible Segond says “… in the land,” but the footnote in Nouvelle Bible Segond says more cautiously “it is possible that this expression designates here the territory of Judah, which would have had a special status.”

• (2) One governor supervised all twelve of the regional governors. This interpretation seems most likely the intended meaning. It is supported by the ancient Jewish historian Josephus and is the basis for the translation in Revised English Bible, which corrects the Hebrew to read “In addition, one governor over all the governors in the land.” According to Revised English Bible, this one governor or superintendent is Azariah, whom Revised English Bible calls the “Superintendent of the regional governors” in verse 5. Compare also Moffatt: “All these prefects were under a single chief.” It is not clear whether the tribe of Judah is included among the twelve districts or whether Judah was excluded from providing food.

• (3) The reference is to Geber, and these words should be translated “He was the only governor over the district [of Gilead]” (so New International Version and the alternate translation in the margin of La Bible du Semeur and Bible en français courant). This translation seems least likely to be the intended meaning, but it is grammatically possible.

• (4) Geber is the same person as Ben-geber in verse 13, so eleven officials governed the northern tribes, and one official governed the southern land of Judah.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .