1 Kings 4

1 Kings 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 ( Genesis 41:45 , Exodus 2:16 , 2 Samuel 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 [ 2 Samuel 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 1 Kings 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 ( 2 Samuel 20:24 , 1 Kings 12:18 ), or Hadoram ( 2 Chronicles 10:18 ),
was over the tribute--not the collection of money or goods, but the levy of compulsory laborers (compare 1 Kings 5:13 1 Kings 5:14 ).

1 Kings 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 ( 1 Samuel 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 ( 1 Kings 9:19 , 2 Chronicles 8:4 2 Chronicles 8:6 ).

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 1 Kings 4:24 .