STORE CITIES. Supply depots for provisions and arms. Solomon built some in a region given to his Egyptian wife by Pharaoh (1Kgs.9.15-1Kgs.9.19; 2Chr.8.4-2Chr.8.6). Some were captured by Ben-Hadad (2Chr.16.4) and restored by Jehoshaphat (2Chr.17.12).

The “store-city” apparently had its background in the practice of Egypt to provide storage for the excessive yield of a “fat” year as a reserve against the poor yield of a “lean” year, as was the case in Joseph’s time. The storage facilities or “store-cities” are perhaps illustrated in the long, rectangular, room-like structures found at Beth-shemesh, Lachish, and other places. Beginning with Solomon and throughout the reigns of the later kings, these cities were used for storing grains and oil to be sent later to the palace personnel in Jerusalem or Samaria (for Jerusalem, see 1 Kings 4:7, 22, 23) or to be collected as an important part of government revenue, as is known from the ostraca of Samaria and other sources.

Bibliography

FLAP (1959), 186-188; G. E. Wright, Biblical Archaeology (1962), 131, 163, 164.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

the Revised Version (British and American) Ex 1:11 (of PITHOM and RAAMSES (which see)) for the King James Version "treasure cities" (compare 1Ki 9:19; 2Ch 8:4,6; 16:4, etc.). Depots of provisions and magazines of arms.