מלכים א, פרק ד׳, פסוק י״ג

Maintaining a vast royal administration requires a highly organized system of regional districts to support the needs of the government. Ben-geber served as the appointed official over one such territory. His primary responsibility was to collect the king's taxes and gather the necessary funds from the people to cover royal expenses, in accordance with the laws of the monarchy [רש״י].

His broad jurisdiction covered two distinct and significant regions [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The first area consisted of the villages of Jair, which were rural settlements located in the land of Gilead [מצודת דוד]. The second area under his control was the district of Argob. Historically, land plots were often measured and divided using a physical measuring rope, a practice that gave rise to the term used to describe a district. The name Argob itself refers to the individual who previously ruled over this territory [מצודת ציון]. Located in the region of Bashan, the district of Argob was so expansive that it was considered a large state in its own right [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Within this massive district stood sixty large cities, all heavily fortified and surrounded by walls [מצודת דוד]. To secure these strongholds, the city doors were locked with heavy bars made of copper. This specific detail serves to complete a historical description found earlier in the Torah, clarifying the exact material used to fortify the gates of these ancient cities [רד״ק].