1 Kings 4:21
in 1 Kings 4And 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought tribute, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
KJV
And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
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This verse in 1 Kings 4
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Solomon’s empire, like all the great empires of Asia down to the time of the Persians, consisted of a congeries of small kingdoms, all ruled by their own kings 1Ki 4:24, who admitted the suzerainty of the Jewish monarch, and paid him “presents,” i. e., an annual tribute (see 1Ki 10:25). Unto the land of the Philistines - There is no word corresponding to “unto” in the Hebrew.
This site's exposition
from the river unto the land of the Philistines
on 1 Kings 4:21-24
Solomon's dominion runs from the river to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt, the span promised to Abraham at Genesis 15:18, unto the great river, the river Euphrates, and for these years the border reaches the promise's own edge. The daily provision, thirty measures of fine flour and threescore of meal beside the oxen, sheep and game, feeds a court gathered from client kingdoms that brought presents and served him, and the peace on every side is what makes such a table possible. Farrar and the older commentators read this abundance as the high point later prophets look back toward when they picture the kingdom restored.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The river - Euphrates: for so far David, having conquered the Syrians, extended his empire, which Solomon also maintained in that extent. And so God's promise concerning the giving the whole land, as far as Euphrates, to the Israelites, was fulfilled.
And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms,....
David, by his successful wars, compelled them to this subjection, and Solomon, by his admirable wisdom, made it easy and reasonable; for it is fit that the fool should be servant to the wise in heart. If they gave him presents, he gave them instructions, and still taught the people knowledge, not only his own people, but those of other nations: and wisdom is better than gold.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
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.
We will read a few verses first, and at the close of them you will find the text. The last words are the text for this occasion. From the whole passage you will see that the kingdom of Israel under the sway of Solomon was a fair type of the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ. Perhaps it most exactly describes His future dominion, in the long-expected Glory of the latter days. The present state of the Church may be compared to the reign of David, splendid with victories, but disturbed with battles.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
We will read a few verses first, and at the close of them you will find the text. The last words are the text for this occasion. From the whole passage you will see that the kingdom of Israel under the sway of Solomon was a fair type of the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ. Perhaps it most exactly describes His future dominion, in the long-expected Glory of the latter days. The present state of the Church may be compared to the reign of David, splendid with victories, but disturbed with battles. But there are better days to come, days in which the kingdom shall be extended and become more manifest—and then the Lord Jesus Christ shall be even more conspicuously seen as the Solomon of the kingdom, "who shall have dominion from sea to sea." Yet even now, as "we that have believed do enter into rest," so do we also enter into the richest provision which is made in the Covenant of Grace, even at this present time. And I may say of all who have come under the sway of Christ, that we dwell in a region of peace, seated, every man, under his vine and fig tree and none making us afraid. "There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus," and, "therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." "The peace of God which passes all understanding" does keep our heart and mind by Jesus Christ. Israel under Solomon had abundance as well as peace. What says the historian? They were "as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry." It is said that there was such plenty in the land in Solomon's time that gold was of no more value than silver and silver became of little more value than iron! And as for the other metals, they were little accounted of.
Solomon reigned over all kingdoms - The meaning of this verse appears to be, that Solomon reigned over all the provinces from the river Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, even to the frontiers of Egypt. The Euphrates was on the east of Solomon’s dominions; the Philistines were westward on the Mediterranean sea; and Egypt was on the south. Solomon had, therefore, as tributaries, the kingdoms of Syria, Damascus, Moab, and Ammon, which lay between the Euphrates and the Mediterranean. See Calmet. Thus he appears to have possessed all the land that God covenanted with Abraham to give to his posterity.
The words behind it
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּשְׁלֹמֹ֗ה | ushelomoh | and Solomon | H8010 → | 291 times |
| הָיָ֤ה | hayah | he was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| מוֹשֵׁל֙ | moshel | ruling | H4910 → | |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | over all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַמַּמְלָכ֔וֹת | hamamlakhot | the kingdoms | H4467 → | 117 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַנָּהָר֙ | hanahar | the River | H5104 → | 119 times |
| אֶ֣רֶץ | ʾeretz | [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים | pelishtim | [the] Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
| וְעַ֖ד | vead | and to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| גְּב֣וּל | gevul | [the] border of | H1366 → | |
| מִצְרָ֑יִם | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| מַגִּשִׁ֥ים | magishim | [they were] bringing | H5066 → | 125 times |
| מִנְחָ֛ה | minchah | tribute | H4503 → | 211 times |
| וְעֹבְדִ֥ים | veoedim | and [were] serving | H5647 → | 288 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה | shelomoh | Solomon | H8010 → | 291 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| יְמֵ֥י | yemei | [the] days of | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| חַיָּֽיו׃ פ | chaiyav | life his | H2416 → | 498 times |
וּשְׁלֹמֹ֗הand Solomon
ushelomohH8010 →291 times
הָיָ֤הhe was
hayahH1961 →3559 times
מוֹשֵׁל֙ruling
moshelH4910 →
בְּכָל־over all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
הַמַּמְלָכ֔וֹתthe kingdoms
hamamlakhotH4467 →117 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַנָּהָר֙the River
hanaharH5104 →119 times
אֶ֣רֶץ[the] land of
ʾeretzH776 →2504 times
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים[the] Philistines
pelishtimH6430 →287 times
וְעַ֖דand to
veadH5704 →1261 times
גְּב֣וּל[the] border of
gevulH1366 →
מִצְרָ֑יִםEgypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
מַגִּשִׁ֥ים[they were] bringing
magishimH5066 →125 times
מִנְחָ֛הtribute
minchahH4503 →211 times
וְעֹבְדִ֥יםand [were] serving
veoedimH5647 →288 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שְׁלֹמֹ֖הSolomon
shelomohH8010 →291 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
יְמֵ֥י[the] days of
yemeiH3117 →2304 times
חַיָּֽיו׃ פlife his
chaiyavH2416 →498 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Genesis 15:18On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 11:24
Every place where the sole of your foot treads will be yours. Your territory will extend from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the Western Sea.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Joshua 1:3–4
I have given you every place where the sole of your foot will tread, just as I promised to Moses.
- Genesis 12:7
Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
- Genesis 24:7
The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this…
- Genesis 13:15
for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever.
- Deuteronomy 11:24
Through
Psalms 68:29Because of Your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring You gifts.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 10:10
Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again was such an abundance of spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave…
- 1 Kings 10:10
Through
1 Kings 4:24For Solomon had dominion over everything west of the Euphrates—over all the kingdoms from Tiphsah to Gaza—and he had peace on all sides.
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 22:9
But a son will be born to you who will be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name will be Solomon, and…
- 1 Chronicles 22:9
Through
Joshua 1:4Your territory shall extend from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great River Euphrates—all the land of the Hittites—and west as far as the Great Sea.
it leads to
- Exodus 23:31
And I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the Euphrates. For I will deliver the inhabitants into your hand, and you…
- Exodus 23:31
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 1 Kings
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1504: “The Swift Camels” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); F. W. Farrar, The First Book of Kings (Expositor's Bible); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil, The Books of the Kings and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.