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1 Kings 4:6-19 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

6 And Ahishar H301 was over the household: H1004 and Adoniram H141 the son H1121 of Abda H5653 was over the tribute. H4522

7 And Solomon H8010 had twelve H8147 H6240 officers H5324 over all Israel, H3478 which provided victuals H3557 for the king H4428 and his household: H1004 each man H259 his month H2320 in a year H8141 made provision. H3557

8 And these are their names: H8034 The son of Hur, H1133 in mount H2022 Ephraim: H669

9 The son of Dekar, H1128 H1857 in Makaz, H4739 and in Shaalbim, H8169 and Bethshemesh, H1053 and Elonbethhanan: H358

10 The son of Hesed, H1136 H2618 in Aruboth; H700 to him pertained Sochoh, H7755 and all the land H776 of Hepher: H2660

11 The son of Abinadab, H1125 in all the region H5299 of Dor; H1756 which had Taphath H2955 the daughter H1323 of Solomon H8010 to wife: H802

12 Baana H1195 the son H1121 of Ahilud; H286 to him pertained Taanach H8590 and Megiddo, H4023 and all Bethshean, H1052 which is by H681 Zartanah H6891 beneath Jezreel, H3157 from Bethshean H1052 to Abelmeholah, H65 even unto the place that is beyond H5676 Jokneam: H3361

13 The son of Geber, H1127 in Ramothgilead; H1568 H7433 to him pertained the towns H2333 of Jair H2971 the son H1121 of Manasseh, H4519 which are in Gilead; H1568 to him also pertained the region H2256 of Argob, H709 which is in Bashan, H1316 threescore H8346 great H1419 cities H5892 with walls H2346 and brasen H5178 bars: H1280

14 Ahinadab H292 the son H1121 of Iddo H5714 had Mahanaim: H4266

15 Ahimaaz H290 was in Naphtali; H5321 he also took H3947 Basmath H1315 the daughter H1323 of Solomon H8010 to wife: H802

16 Baanah H1195 the son H1121 of Hushai H2365 was in Asher H836 and in Aloth: H1175

17 Jehoshaphat H3092 the son H1121 of Paruah, H6515 in Issachar: H3485

18 Shimei H8096 the son H1121 of Elah, H414 in Benjamin: H1144

19 Geber H1398 the son H1121 of Uri H221 was in the country H776 of Gilead, H1568 in the country H776 of Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 and of Og H5747 king H4428 of Bashan; H1316 and he was the only H259 officer H5333 which was in the land. H776

Commentary on 1 Kings 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 4

1Ki 4:1-6. Solomon's Princes.

1. So King Solomon was king over all Israel—This chapter contains a general description of the state and glory of the Hebrew kingdom during the more flourishing or later years of his reign.

2. these were the princes—or chief officers, as is evident from two of them marrying Solomon's daughters.

Azariah the son of Zadok the priest—rather, "the prince," as the Hebrew word frequently signifies (Ge 41:45; Ex 2:16; 2Sa 8:18); so that from the precedency given to his person in the list, he seems to have been prime minister, the highest in office next the king.

3. scribes—that is, secretaries of state. Under David, there had been only one [2Sa 8:17; 20:25]. The employment of three functionaries in this department indicates either improved regulations by the division of labor, or a great increase of business, occasioned by the growing prosperity of the kingdom, or a more extensive correspondence with foreign countries.

recorder—that is, historiographer, or annalist—an office of great importance in Oriental courts, and the duties of which consisted in chronicling the occurrences of every day.

4. Benaiah … was over the host—formerly captain of the guard. He had succeeded Joab as commander of the forces.

Zadok and Abiathar were the priests—Only the first discharged the sacred functions; the latter had been banished to his country seat and retained nothing more than the name of high priest.

5. over the officers—that is, the provincial governors enumerated in 1Ki 4:17-19.

principal officer, and the king's friend—perhaps president of the privy council, and Solomon's confidential friend or favorite. This high functionary had probably been reared along with Solomon. That he should heap those honors on the sons of Nathan was most natural, considering the close intimacy of the father with the late king, and the deep obligations under which Solomon personally lay to the prophet.

6. Ahishar was over the household—steward or chamberlain of the palace.

Adoniram—or Adoram (2Sa 20:24; 1Ki 12:18), or Hadoram (2Ch 10:18),

was over the tribute—not the collection of money or goods, but the levy of compulsory laborers (compare 1Ki 5:13, 14).

1Ki 4:7-21. His Twelve Officers.

7. Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel—The royal revenues were raised according to the ancient, and still, in many parts, existing usage of the East, not in money payments, but in the produce of the soil. There would be always a considerable difficulty in the collection and transmission of these tithes (1Sa 8:15). Therefore, to facilitate the work, Solomon appointed twelve officers, who had each the charge of a tribe or particular district of country, from which, in monthly rotation, the supplies for the maintenance of the king's household were drawn, having first been deposited in "the store cities" which were erected for their reception (1Ki 9:19; 2Ch 8:4, 6).

8. The son of Hur—or, as the Margin has it, Benhur, Bendekar. In the rural parts of Syria, and among the Arabs, it is still common to designate persons not by their own names, but as the sons of their fathers.

21. Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river—All the petty kingdoms between the Euphrates and the Mediterranean were tributary to him. Similar is the statement in 1Ki 4:24.

22, 23. Solomon's provision for one day—not for the king's table only, but for all connected with the court, including, besides the royal establishment, those of his royal consorts, his principal officers, his bodyguards, his foreign visitors, &c. The quantity of fine floor used is estimated at two hundred forty bushels; that of meal or common flour at four hundred eighty. The number of cattle required for consumption, besides poultry and several kinds of game (which were abundant on the mountains) did not exceed in proportion what is needed in other courts of the East.

24. from Tiphsah—that is, Thapsacus, a large and flourishing town on the west bank of the Euphrates, the name of which was derived from a celebrated ford near it, the lowest on that river.

even to Azzah—that is, Gaza, on the southwestern extremity, not far from the Mediterranean.

25. every man under his vine and … fig tree—This is a common and beautiful metaphor for peace and security (Mic 4:4; Zec 3:10), founded on the practice, still common in modern Syria, of training these fruit trees up the walls and stairs of houses, so as to make a shady arbor, beneath which the people sit and relax.

26. forty thousand stalls—for the royal mews (see on 2Ch 9:25).

28. Barley … and straw—Straw is not used for litter, but barley mixed with chopped straw is the usual fodder of horses.

dromedaries—one-humped camels, distinguished for their great fleetness.

1Ki 4:29-34. His Wisdom.

29. God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart—that is, high powers of mind, great capacity for receieving, as well as aptitude for communicating knowledge.

30. Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country—that is, the Arabians, Chaldeans, and Persians (Ge 25:6).

all the wisdom of Egypt—Egypt was renowned as the seat of learning and sciences, and the existing monuments, which so clearly describe the ancient state of society and the arts, show the high culture of the Egyptian people.

31. wiser than all men—that is, all his contemporaries, either at home or abroad.

than Ethan—or Jeduthun, of the family of Merari (1Ch 6:44).

Heman—(1Ch 15:17-19)—the chief of the temple musicians and the king's seers (1Ch 25:5); the other two are not known.

the sons of Mahol—either another name for Zerah (1Ch 2:6); or taking it as a common noun, signifying a dance, a chorus, "the sons of Mahol" signify persons eminently skilled in poetry and music.

32. he spake three thousand proverbs—embodying his moral sentiments and sage observations on human life and character.

songs … a thousand and five—Psalm 72, 127, 132, and the Song of Songs are his.

33. he spake of trees, from the cedar … to the hyssop—all plants, from the greatest to the least. The Spirit of God has seen fit to preserve comparatively few memorials of the fruits of his gigantic mind. The greater part of those here ascribed to him have long since fallen a prey to the ravages of time, or perished in the Babylonish captivity, probably because they were not inspired.