1 Kings 4:22

22 The food of Solomon for one day was thirty dry measures of choice meal and sixty dry measures of flour;

1 Kings 4:22 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 4:22

And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of
fine flour
The measure here used was the "corus", or "cor", the same with the homer, which was equal to ten ephahs, and, according to Bishop Cumberland ^F23, held seventy five wine gallons and five pints, and somewhat more; by which may be known how many gallons of fine flour these thirty measures held, which were all consumed in one day:

and threescore measures of meal:
sixty measures of a coarser sort, for the servants, not so finely dressed; the same measure is here used as before; and it is observed by some, that one cor is equivalent to six hundred forty eight Roman pounds, and allowing to one man two pounds a day for his food, there would be food enough for 29,160 men out of 90 times 648, or 58,320 pounds ^F24. Others exaggerate the account; Vilalpandus says it would have sufficed 48,600 persons; Seth Calvisius 54,000, and Salianus 70,000 ^F25; the Jews say ^F26 that he had 60,000 that ate at his table; that is, who were maintained at his court.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Scripture Weights and Measures, ch. 3. p. 86.
F24 Vid. Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. p. 516.
F25 Vid. Witsii Miscellan. tom. 2. exercit. 10. sect. 26.
F26 Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 8. 2.

1 Kings 4:22 In-Context

20 Judah and Israel [were] as many as the sand which is on the seashore in abundance, eating and drinking and rejoicing!

21 Now Solomon was ruling over all the kingdoms from the River [to] the land of [the] Philistines, and up to the border of Egypt, who [were] bringing tribute and [were] serving Solomon all the days of his life.

22 The food of Solomon for one day was thirty dry measures of choice meal and sixty dry measures of flour;

23 ten stall-fed oxen and twenty pasture-fed oxen and a hundred sheep, besides deer and buck gazelles and roebucks and well-fed fowls.

24 For he [was] ruling over all the west of the River from Tiphsah up to Gaza, over all the kings west of the River; and he had peace from every side all around.