1 Kingschapter 4

A.The princes of Solomon's courtvv. 1-6

1 So King Solomon ruled over Israel, 2 and these were his chief officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest; 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder; 4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 5 Azariah son of Nathan was in charge of the governors; Zabud son of Nathan was a priest and adviser to the king; 6 Ahishar was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of the forced labor.

B.Twelve officers, twelve months of breadvv. 7-19

7 Solomon had twelve governors over all Israel to provide food for the king and his household. Each one would arrange provisions for one month of the year, 8 and these were their names: Ben-hur in the hill country of Ephraim; 9 Ben-deker in Makaz, in Shaalbim, in Beth-shemesh, and in Elon-beth-hanan; 10 Ben-hesed in Arubboth (Socoh and all the land of Hepher belonged to him); 11 Ben-abinadab in Naphath-dor (Taphath, a daughter of Solomon, was his wife); 12 Baana son of Ahilud in Taanach, in Megiddo, and in all of Beth-shean next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah and on past Jokmeam; 13 Ben-geber in Ramoth-gilead (the villages of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead belonged to him, as well as the region of Argob in Bashan with its sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars); 14 Ahinadab son of Iddo in Mahanaim; 15 Ahimaaz in Naphtali (he had married Basemath, a daughter of Solomon); 16 Baana son of Hushai in Asher and in Aloth; 17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah in Issachar; 18 Shimei son of Ela in Benjamin; 19 Geber son of Uri in the land of Gilead, including the territories of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan. There was also one governor in the land of Judah.

C.Every man under his vine and under his fig-treevv. 20-28

20 The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore, and they were eating and drinking and rejoicing. 21 And Solomon reigned over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These kingdoms offered tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life. 22 Solomon’s provisions for a single day were thirty cors of fine flour, sixty cors of meal, 23 ten fat oxen, twenty range oxen, and a hundred sheep, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened poultry. 24 For Solomon had dominion over everything west of the Euphrates—over all the kingdoms from Tiphsah to Gaza—and he had peace on all sides. 25 Throughout the days of Solomon, Judah and Israel dwelt securely from Dan to Beersheba, each man under his own vine and his own fig tree. 26 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses and 12,000 horses. 27 Each month the governors in turn provided food for King Solomon and all who came to his table. They saw to it that nothing was lacking. 28 Each one also brought to the required place their quotas of barley and straw for the chariot horses and other horses.

D.Wisdom like the sand: three thousand proverbs, and trees down to hyssopvv. 29-34

29 And God gave Solomon wisdom, exceedingly deep insight, and understanding beyond measure, like the sand on the seashore. 30 Solomon’s wisdom was greater than that of all the men of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 He was wiser than all men—wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and wiser than Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread throughout the surrounding nations. 32 Solomon composed three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five. 33 He spoke of trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop growing in the wall, and he taught about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. 34 So men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

The golden age laid out in lists: Azariah over the priests, Jehoshaphat the recorder, Benaiah over the host, and twelve officers who each provision the king's household one month a year.

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The golden age laid out in lists: Azariah over the priests, Jehoshaphat the recorder, Benaiah over the host, and twelve officers who each provision the king's household one month a year. Judah and Israel are 'many, as the sand which is by the sea,' eating and drinking and making merry, dwelling safely 'every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba': Scripture's picture of peace under a good king. Solomon's wisdom exceeds all the east and Egypt: three thousand proverbs, a thousand and five songs, learning that ranges from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop in the wall, and kings sending to hear him.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Jeremiah — 1 Kings overview

A. 1–6 The princes of Solomon's court
B. 7–19 Twelve officers, twelve months of bread
C. 20–28 Every man under his vine and under his fig-tree
D. 29–34 Wisdom like the sand: three thousand proverbs, and trees down to hyssop

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

2 Chronicles 93 verses
- 2 Chronicles 9:23All the kings of the earth sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart.
- 2 Chronicles 9:25Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.
- 2 Chronicles 9:30Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.
- Read 2 Chronicles 9 →
Joshua 193 verses
- Joshua 19:17The fourth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Issachar:
- Joshua 19:24The fifth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Asher:
- Joshua 19:32The sixth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Naphtali:
- Read Joshua 19 →
Joshua 172 verses
- Joshua 17:2So this allotment was for the rest of the descendants of Manasseh—the clans of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the other male descendants of the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph.
- Joshua 17:11Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh was assigned Beth-shean, Ibleam, Dor (that is, Naphath), Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, each with their surrounding settlements.
- Read Joshua 17 →
1 Kings 32 verses
- 1 Kings 3:8Your servant is here among the people You have chosen, a people too numerous to count or number.
- 1 Kings 3:12behold, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has never been nor will ever be another like you.
- Read 1 Kings 3 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

1 Kings 122 verses
- 1 Kings 12:18Then King Rehoboam sent out Adoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem.
- 1 Kings 12:19So to this day Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David.
- Read 1 Kings 12 →
2 Samuel 202 verses
- 2 Samuel 20:23Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;
- 2 Samuel 20:24Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;
- Read 2 Samuel 20 →
2 Samuel 82 verses
- 2 Samuel 8:4David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers, and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and he hamstrung all the horses except a hundred he kept for the chariots.
- 2 Samuel 8:16Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;
- Read 2 Samuel 8 →
1 Chronicles 182 verses
- 1 Chronicles 18:6Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
- 1 Chronicles 18:15Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;
- Read 1 Chronicles 18 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.