1 Kings 4:7
in 1 Kings 4Solomon 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,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided victuals for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year.
KJV
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision.
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This verse in 1 Kings 4
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThe 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 …
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”.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The requirement of a portion of their produce from subjects, in addition to money payments, is a common practice of Oriental monarchs. It obtained in ancient, and it still obtains in modern, Persia.
Twelve officers - The business of these twelve officers was to provide daily, each for a month, those provisions which were consumed in the king’s household; see 1Ki 4:22, 1Ki 4:23. And the task for such a daily provision was not an easy one.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְלִשְׁלֹמֹ֞ה | velishlomoh | and [belonged] to Solomon | H8010 → | 291 times |
| שְׁנֵים־ | sheneim- | two [plus] | H8147 → | 768 times |
| עָשָׂ֤ר | ʾasar | ten | H6240 → | 338 times |
| נִצָּבִים֙ | nitzavim | overseers | H5324 → | 75 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וְכִלְכְּל֥וּ | vekhilkelu | and they supplied | H3557 → | 38 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בֵּית֑וֹ | beito | household his | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| חֹ֧דֶשׁ | chodesh | a month | H2320 → | 284 times |
| בַּשָּׁנָ֛ה | bashanah | in the year | H8141 → | 877 times |
| יִהְיֶ֥ה | yihyeh | it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הָאֶחָ֖ד | haechad | the one | H259 → | 971 times |
| לְכַלְכֵּֽל׃ ס | lekhalkel | to supply | H3557 → | 38 times |
וְלִשְׁלֹמֹ֞הand [belonged] to Solomon
velishlomohH8010 →291 times
שְׁנֵים־two [plus]
sheneim-H8147 →768 times
עָשָׂ֤רten
ʾasarH6240 →338 times
נִצָּבִים֙overseers
nitzavimH5324 →75 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וְכִלְכְּל֥וּand they supplied
vekhilkeluH3557 →38 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
בֵּית֑וֹhousehold his
beitoH1004 →2046 times
חֹ֧דֶשׁa month
chodeshH2320 →284 times
בַּשָּׁנָ֛הin the year
bashanahH8141 →877 times
יִהְיֶ֥הit was
yihyehH1961 →3559 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הָאֶחָ֖דthe one
haechadH259 →971 times
לְכַלְכֵּֽל׃ סto supply
lekhalkelH3557 →38 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Kings
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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.