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1 Kings 4:18

in 1 Kings 4

Shimei son of Ela in Benjamin;

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin;

KJV

Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin:

This verse in 1 Kings 4

Commentary

4 notes on this verse
Shimei the son of Elah in Benjamin. So described, to distinguish him from that Shimei that cursed David, who was of the same tribe; See Gill on 2Sa 16:5.

This site's exposition

twelve governors over all Israel

on 1 Kings 4:7-19

Solomon has “twelve governors over all Israel”, each to “arrange provisions for one month”. The districts mix tribal territory with cities and regions redrawn under the crown. Verse 19 gives Geber the land of Gilead, “including the territories of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan”.

This site's exposition

Shimei son of Ela in Benjamin

Shimei son of Ela governed Benjamin, the tribe of Saul. John Gill notes his father's name marks this Shimei apart from the Shimei of Benjamin who cursed David and was put to death at 2:46.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Ephrem the Syrian

ON THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS 4:1 · Written before 373.

The officials elected by Solomon designate the order of the chosen ones whom Christ affirmed in his grace and appointed as rulers of his people. Indeed, twelve prefects were selected to administer the incomes of this king and his house, because just as many apostles …

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

On the verses either side of this one

And one officer over the land. Rav and Shmuel have differing opinions, one says, one was appointed over all of them, and this was Azaryoh[u] the son of Noson, who was mentioned previously, 6 Above v. and one says he was [appointed] for the thirteenth month.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on I Kings 4:19:1, via Sefaria, The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

4 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • שִׁמְעִ֥יShimei

    shimiH8096 →43 times

  • בֶן־[the] son of

    ven-H1121 →4930 times

  • אֵלָ֖אEla

    ʾela'H414 →

  • בְּבִנְיָמִֽן׃ סin Benjamin

    bevinyaminH1144 →166 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    1 Kings 1:8

    But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s mighty men would not join Adonijah.

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 23:8–39

      These are the names of David’s mighty men: Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the Three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed at one time.

    • 2 Samuel 20:25

      Sheva was the scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

    • 1 Kings 2:35

      And the king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada in Joab’s place over the army, and he appointed Zadok the priest in Abiathar’s place.

    • 2 Samuel 12:1–15

      Then the LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he arrived, he said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.

    • 1 Chronicles 11:10–47

      Now these were the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who, together with all Israel, bolstered and strengthened his kingdom, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

  • Through

    Zechariah 12:13

    the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives,

    it leads to

    • 2 Chronicles 29:14

      Jehiel and Shimei from the Hemanites; and Shemaiah and Uzziel from the Jeduthunites.

    • Numbers 3:1–4

      This is the account of Aaron and Moses at the time the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.

    • 1 Chronicles 23:10

      And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These were the sons of Shimei—four in all.

Where this verse is studied

About 1 Kings

The visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon, Sir Edward John Poynter, 1890. Public domain.
The visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon, Sir Edward John Poynter, 1890. Public domain.

This page draws on Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS 4:1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Keil, The Books of the Kings.