Baal-hanan
Baal-hanan the Gederite was in charge of the olive and sycamore trees in the lowlands under David's reign.
Biography
Baal-hanan the Gederite served as the official overseer of the olive and sycamore-fig trees in the Shephelah, the foothills of western Judah, during the reign of King David (1 Chronicles 27:28). His title placed him among David's twelve regional superintendents who managed the royal agricultural estates. Geder was a town in the lowland region of Judah, and Baal-hanan's appointment to oversee its most economically significant crops, olive oil being essential for lamps, food, medicine, and religious use, reflects his local expertise. His role was both agricultural and administrative, ensuring that the produce of this strategically and economically vital region flowed into the royal treasury and supply chain.
Significance
Baal-hanan the Gederite exemplifies the sophisticated administrative apparatus that David built to govern a unified Israel. The twelve-district oversight structure described in 1 Chronicles 27 mirrors the kind of organized statecraft that enabled Solomon's even more elaborate kingdom. Theologically, David's careful stewardship of the land's resources reflects the biblical principle that the land of Israel was God's gift, its abundance to be managed faithfully for the welfare of the whole nation (Leviticus 25:23). Baal-hanan's specialized agricultural oversight reminds readers that honoring God includes the responsible management of creation's gifts, and that faithful service in seemingly mundane administrative roles contributes to the broader purposes of God's covenant people.
Verse Appearances (1)
1Chr
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]