1 Kings 4

1 King Shlomo was king over all Yisra'el.

2 These were the princes whom he had: `Azaryah the son of Tzadok, the Kohen;

3 Elichoref and Achiyah, the sons of Shisha, Sofrim; Yehoshafat the son of Achilud, the recorder;

4 and Benayah the son of Yehoiada was over the host; and Tzadok and Avyatar were Kohanim;

5 and `Azaryah the son of Natan was over the officers; and Zavud the son of Natan was chief minister, [and] the king's friend;

6 and Achishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of `Avda was over the men subject to forced labor.

7 Shlomo had twelve officers over all Yisra'el, who provided victuals for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year.

8 These are their names: Ben-Hur, in the hill-country of Efrayim;

9 Ben-Deker, in Makatz, and in Sha`alvim, and Beit-Shemesh, and Elon-Beit-Hanan;

10 Ben-Hesed, in Arubbot (to him [pertained] Sokho, and all the land of Hefer);

11 Ben-Avinadav, in all the height of Dor (he had Tafat the daughter of Shlomo as wife);

12 Ba`anah the son of Achilud, in Ta`nakh and Megiddo, and all Beit-She'an which is beside Tzaretan, beneath Yizre`el, from Beit-She'an to Avel-Mecholah, as far as beyond Yokme`am;

13 Ben-Gever, in Ramot-Gil`ad (to him [pertained] the towns of Ya'ir the son of Menashsheh, which are in Gil`ad; [even] to him [pertained] the region of Argov, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and brazen bars);

14 Achinadav the son of `Iddo, in Machanayim;

15 Achima`atz, in Naftali (he also took Basemat the daughter of Shlomo as wife);

16 Ba`anah the son of Hushai, in Asher and Be`alot;

17 Yehoshafat the son of Paru'ach, in Yissakhar;

18 Shim`i the son of Ela, in Binyamin;

19 Gever the son of Uri, in the land of Gil`ad, the country of Sichon king of the Amori and of `Og king of Bashan; and [he was] the only officer who was in the land.

20 Yehudah and Yisra'el were many as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry.

21 Shlomo ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Pelishtim, and to the border of Mitzrayim: they brought tribute, and served Shlomo all the days of his life.

22 Shlomo's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and sixty measures of meal,

23 ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and one hundred sheep, besides harts, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fattened fowl.

24 For he had dominion over all [the region] on this side the River, from Tifsach even to `Aza, over all the kings on this side the River: and he had shalom on all sides round about him.

25 Yehudah and Yisra'el lived safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Be'er-Sheva, all the days of Shlomo.

26 Shlomo had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

27 Those officers provided victuals for king Shlomo, and for all who came to king Shlomo's table, every man in his month; they let nothing be lacking.

28 Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds brought they to the place where [the officers] were, every man according to his charge.

29 God gave Shlomo wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and very great understanding, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore.

30 Shlomo's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east, and all the wisdom of Mitzrayim.

31 For he was wiser than all men; than Etan the Ezrachite, and Heman, and Kalkol, and Darda, the sons of Machol: and his fame was in all the nations round about.

32 He spoke three thousand proverbs; and his songs were one thousand five.

33 He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Levanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fish.

34 There came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Shlomo, from all kings of the eretz, who had heard of his wisdom.

1 Kings 4 Commentary

Chapter 4

Solomon's court. (1-19) Solomon's dominions, His daily provision. (20-28) The wisdom of Solomon. (29-34)

Verses 1-19 In the choice of the great officers of Solomon's court, no doubt, his wisdom appeared. Several are the same that were in his father's time. A plan was settled by which no part of the country was exhausted to supply his court, though each sent its portion.

Verses 20-28 Never did the crown of Israel shine so bright, as when Solomon wore it. He had peace on all sides. Herein, his kingdom was a type of the Messiah's; for to Him it is promised that he shall have the heathen for his inheritance, and that princes shall worship him. The spiritual peace, and joy, and holy security, of all the faithful subjects of the Lord Jesus, were typified by that of Israel. The kingdom of God is not, as Solomon's was, meat and drink, but, what is infinitely better, righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. The vast number of his attendants, and the great resort to him, are shown by the provision daily made. Herein Christ far outdoes Solomon, that he feeds all his subjects, not with the bread that perishes, but with that which endures to eternal life.

Verses 29-34 Solomon's wisdom was more his glory than his wealth. He had what is here called largeness of heart, for the heart is often put for the powers of the mind. He had the gift of utterance, as well as wisdom. It is very desirable, that those who have large gifts of any kind, should have large hearts to use them for the good of others. What treasures of wisdom and knowledge are lost! But every sort of knowledge that is needful for salvation is to be found in the holy Scriptures. There came persons from all parts, who were more eager after knowledge than their neighbours, to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Solomon was herein a type of Christ, in whom are hid all treasures of wisdom and knowledge; and hid for us, for he is made of God to us, wisdom. Christ's fame shall spread through all the earth, and men of all nations shall come to him, learn of him, and take upon them his easy yoke, and find rest for their souls.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST KINGS 4

As in the preceding chapter we have a proof of the wisdom and understanding which the Lord gave to Solomon, as promised, so in this an account is given of the riches and honour he was possessed of; of him, as king over all Israel, and of his princes, 1Ki 4:1-6; of the providers of food for his household in the several parts of the land, 1Ki 4:7-19; of the largeness and extent of his dominions, and of the peace and prosperity thereof, 1Ki 4:20,21,24,25; of his daily provisions for his household and for his cattle, 1Ki 4:22,23,26-28; and of his superior wisdom and knowledge to all others in all nations, which brought some out of all to hear it, 1Ki 4:29-34.