1Ki 4:1 So king Solomon was king over all Israel.
King Solomon was king over all Israel - Solomon was king over “all Israel” from the first; not like David, who for seven and a half years reigned over Judah only. This feature well introduces the glory of Solomon and the organization of the court which this chapter intends to give us a general sketch. 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.
King Solomon was king over all Israel - As David his father was not at first, only over Judah, and as Solomon's successors were not, after the division of the kingdom under his son Rehoboam.
1Ki 4:2 And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest,
Azariah, the son of Zadok, the priest - Azariah, called here the “son,” but appears to be the “grandson,” of Zadok, seems to have succeeded him in the priesthood 1Ch_6:10.
These were the princes which he had - That were in office about him, in the highest posts of honor and trust: These were his great, chief, or principal men. Azariah seems to have been prime minister, the highest in office next the king. None of them were princes in the common acceptation of the word. 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.
1Ki 4:3 Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.
Shisha - or Shavsha 1Ch_18:16, seems also to have been called Sheva 2Sa_20:25, and Seraiah 2Sa_8:17. He was scribe only in David's time; and he being dead very probably, both his sons were continued in the office.
scribes - The “scribes” were probably royal “secretaries” who drew up the king’s edicts, wrote his letters, and perhaps managed his finances 1Ki_12:10. They were among his most influential councilors.
scribes — that is, secretaries of state. Under David, there had been only one 2Sa_8:17; 2Sa_20:25. Solomon chose two: either, because he observed some inconveniences in trusting all those matters in one hand: or, because he had now much more employment than David had, this being a time of great peace and prosperity, and his empire enlarged.
recorder - Historiographer to the king, who chronicled the affairs of the kingdom. Jehoshaphat was in this office under David 2Sa_20:24.
1Ki 4:4 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
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 - so they were when Solomon came to the throne; but Abiathar was deposed by him after some time. Perhaps the true explanation is that the historian here enumerates all those who were accounted “princes” in any part of Solomon’s reign.
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.
1Ki 4:5 And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king's friend:
Azariah was over the officers - He had the superintendence of the twelve officers mentioned who provided food for Solomon's household.
The king’s friend - His chief favorite, his confidant.
Zabud the son of Nathan - possibly one of the sons of Nathan the prophet. He may also be a son of David’s son Nathan.
1Ki 4:6 And Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.
Over the household - Steward of the household.
The tribute - The reference is to the forced laborers whom Solomon employed in his great works.
Adoniram the son of Abda - this man was in the same post in David's time, 2Sa_20:24.
1Ki 4:7 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.
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.
which provided victuals for the king - each man his month in a year made provision; furnished food of all sorts out of the country in which they presided for the space of one month in a year; by which means there was always a plenty of provisions at court for the king's family, and for all strangers that came and went, and no one part of the land was burdened or drained. 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 (1Ki_9:19; 2Ch_8:4, 2Ch_8:6).
1Ki 4:8 And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim:
And these are their names - Or rather the names of their fathers; for of many of them not their own names but their fathers' names are given, as being well known:
the son of Hur, in Mount Ephraim - a fruitful country in the tribe of Ephraim, from whence this officer was to furnish the king with provisions for one month in the year. These mountains, here only the mountainous district of the tribe of Ephraim, were among the most fruitful portions of Israel.
1Ki 4:9 The son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elonbethhanan:
The son of Dekar in Makaz - A place in the tribe of Dan, on the borders of it: Makaz is a city only mentioned here, the situation of which is presumed to be in the tribe of Dan, to which the other cities of this district belong.
in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elonbethhanan - all in the same tribe, Jos_19:41.
1Ki 4:10 The son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher:
The son of Hesed in Aruboth - Which seems to have been in the tribe of Judah.
Sochoh - there were two places of this name in that tribe, Jos_15:35; one upon the mountains (Jos_15:48) and one in the plain (Jos_15:35).
all the land of Hepher - there was an Hepher in the land of Canaan, which was a royal city in the times of the Canaanites, Jos_12:17; and there was an Hepher, the name of a man, a descendant of Judah, to whom, very probably, this land belonged, 1Ch_4:6; unless it can be thought to be the portion of land given to the daughters of Hepher, Jos_17:3.
1Ki 4:11 The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife:
The son of Abinadab in all the region of Dor - The same with Dor and her towns, belonged to the half tribe of Manasseh, on this side Jordan, Jos_17:11;
Abinadab - The person named was possibly a son of David's eldest brother but one (1Sa_16:8; 1Sa_17:13), and therefore Solomon's cousin; and he had married Solomon's daughter.
1Ki 4:12 Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam:
Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean to Abelmeholah - All which were places in the tribe of Manasseh, Jos_17:11;
Jokneam - in the tribe of Zebulun, Jos_19:11.
Baana the son of Ahilud - likely a brother of Jehoshaphat the chancellor (1Ki_4:3).
1Ki 4:13 The son of Geber, in Ramothgilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen bars:
Threescore great cities with walls and brazen bars - These were fortified cities: their gates and bars covered with plates of brass.
Ramothgilead - A city in the tribe of Gad, and was a city of refuge, Jos_20:8;
1Ki 4:14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:
Mahanaim - Another city on the other side Jordan, where both Ishbosheth and David sometimes dwelt, 2Sa_2:8. It was a fortified and probably also a very important city to the north of the Jabbok, on the border of the tribe of Gad.
1Ki 4:15 Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife:
1Ki 4:16 Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth:
Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher - In the tribe of Asher; a very plentiful tribe, particularly for oil. Baanah was probably the faithful friend and wise counselor of David (2Sa_15:32., 1Ki_17:5.),
1Ki 4:17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar:
Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah in Issachar - he had the whole tribe of Issachar at his command to make a monthly provision out of for the king once a year.
1Ki 4:18 Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin:
Shimei the son of Elah - So described, to distinguish him from that Shimei that cursed David, who was of the same tribe.
1Ki 4:19 Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead, in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer which was in the land.
Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead - Which was beyond Jordan, and inhabited by the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh; this must be understood of all the country, excepting what was under the jurisdiction of the son of Geber, 1Ki_4:13
he was the only officer which was in the land – In all Gilead, excepting the parcels mentioned before, in all the territories of Sihon and Og; which because they were of large extent, and yet all committed to this one man, it is here noted concerning him as his privilege above the rest.
he was the only officer which was in the land – which is not true of Geber; for there was another officer in the land of Gilead besides him, the son of Geber before observed, unless it should be rendered "in that land", in that part of the land he had; but then the same might have been observed of all the rest of the officers: the words may be rendered best, "and there was one officer in the land"; which some understand of one officer over all the rest, Azariah the son of Nathan, 1Ki_4:5; but it seems best what other Jewish writers say, that this was another officer appointed for the intercalated month; when there were thirteen months in the year, there was an officer in the land fixed for that month to make provision out of the land; perhaps any where, where he pleased, being not limited to any certain place.
In this arrangement of the territory into twelve portions, the divisions of the tribes seem to have been adopted as far as could be managed without unfairness. The prefecture of Ben-Hur corresponded nearly to the territory of Ephraim; that of Ben-Dekar to Dan; that of Ben-Hesed to Judah; those of Ben-Abinadab and Baana to Cis-Jordanic Manasseh; that of Ben-Geber to Manasseh beyond Jordan; of Abinadab to Gad; of Ahimaaz to Naphtali; of Baanah to Asher; of Jehoshaphat to Issachar; of Shimei to Benjamin; and of Geber to Reuben. The order in which the prefectures are mentioned is clearly not the geographical. Perhaps it is the order in which they had to supply the king’s table.
1Ki 4:20 Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude - Being blessed with great fruitfulness in their families, and having no pestilential disease among them, nor wars to lessen their number, and so the promise to Abraham was fulfilled, Gen_22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; Hos_1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
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.
1Ki 4:21 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.
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. Thus he appears to have possessed all the land that God covenanted with Abraham to give to his posterity.
Solomon reigned over all kingdoms - Not only over Judah and Israel, but all people round about him, they standing in fear of him; or who brought him presents, or paid tribute to him, which was an acknowledgment of superiority over them, and doing homage to him:
1Ki 4:22 And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,
Thirty measures of fine flour - From the quantity of flour consumed, it has been conjectured that the number of those who fed at the royal board was anywhere from 14,000 to 70,000.
Meal - Of a coarser sort for common use, not the fine flour otherwise mentioned.
1Ki 4:23 Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.
Ten fat oxen - Such as were kept up in the stall and fatted:
Oxen out of pastures - Well fleshed, tender and good, though not so fat as the former.
harts, and roebucks, and fallow deer - which were clean creatures, according to the Levitical law, Deu_14:5; these were hunted in fields, or taken out of the park, or were presents from other countries; so that here was plenty of beef, mutton, and venison.
1Ki 4:24 For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.
On this side the river - the region west of the Euphrates, beyond the river Euphrates, in the sense before given, 1Ki_4:21; which accounts for the plenty of provisions he had, and the revenue with which he supported such a table he kept:.
Tiphsah - or Tiphsach, the place on the Euphrates called Thapsacus. The word means “ford,” or “passage.” The stream is fordable here, and nowhere else in this part of its course. Solomon’s possession of Thapsacus would have been very favorable to his schemes of land commerce 1Ki_9:19.
All the kings - In Philistia, small as it was, there were five kings 1Sa_6:18. Syria was divided into numerous small states, as many as thirty-two kings being mentioned on one occasion 1Ki_20:1. The Hittites were ruled by a great number of chieftains or princes 1Ki_10:29; 2Ki_7:6, twelve are mentioned in the Assyrian inscriptions.
he had peace on all sides round about him - in which he was a type of Christ, the Prince of peace.
1Ki 4:25 And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
Under his vine - This phrase seems to have been common among the Jews, and even among neighboring nations 2Ki_18:31, to express a time of quiet and security. It is used by the prophets in descriptions of the Messianic kingdom.
every man under his vine, and under his fig tree - the phrase denotes the happy, safe, quiet, full, and peaceable enjoyment of all outward blessings, and is used of the times of the Messiah, Mic_4:4 But they shall sit each one under his vine and under his fig tree; and there shall be no trembling; for the mouth of Jehovah of Hosts has spoken, Zec_3:10 In that day, says the LORD of hosts, you shall call, each man to his neighbor, to sit under the vine and under the fig tree.
Every man under his vine - They were no longer obliged to dwell in fortified cities for fear of their enemies; they spread themselves over all the country, which they everywhere cultivated; and had always the privilege of eating the fruits of their own labors.
Judah and Israel dwelt safely - Without fear of any injury done to their persons or properties by any enemy; which is, and will be, more abundantly fulfilled in Christ, the antitype of Solomon, Jer_23:5;
from Dan even to Beersheba - which were the two extremities of the land of Israel, north and south:
1Ki 4:26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses - In 2Ch_9:25 And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he put in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. instead of forty thousand stalls, we read four thousand; and even this number might be quite sufficient to hold horses for twelve thousand horsemen; for stalls and stables may be here synonymous. In 1Ki_10:26 it is said he had one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; and this is the reading in 2Ch_1:14. 2Ch_9:25 (Septuagint) And Solomon had four thousand mares for chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; and he put them in the chariot cities, and with the king in Jerusalem. From this collation of parallel places some scholars think that there is a corruption in the numbers somewhere; and as a sort of medium, they take for the whole four thousand stalls, one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
Forty thousand - In 2Ch_9:25, it is but four thousand. But it is not exactly the same Hebrew word which is here and there, though we translate both stalls; and therefore there may well be allowed some difference in the signification, the one signifying properly stables, of which there were four thousand, the other stalls or partitions for each horse, which were forty thousand.
1Ki 4:27 And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing.
for all that came to Solomon's table - which was an open table for all comers, as there were some from all parts of the earth, 1Ki_4:34;
1Ki 4:28 Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.
Dromedaries - Coursers. The animal intended is neither a camel nor a mule, but a swift horse. The original word seems to signify a very swift kind of horse, and race-horse or post-horse is probably its true meaning. To communicate with so many distant provinces, Solomon had need of many animals of this kind.
The place where the officers were - Rather, “places where the horses and coursers were,” to the different cities where they were lodged.
1Ki 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
Largeness of heart - he had a genius and capacity to receive anything; his knowledge was vast and comprehensive; it reached to and included things innumerable, as the sand of the sea; there was scarce anything under the heavens, or on the earth, and in the sea, but came within the compass of it, as what are later mentioned show.
largeness of heart —high powers of mind, great capacity for receiving, as well as aptitude for communicating knowledge. Vastness of understanding, a most comprehensive knowledge of all things both Divine and human.
1Ki 4:30 And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
The children of the east country - That is the Chaldeans, Persians, and Arabians, who, with the Egyptians, were famed for wisdom and knowledge through all the world. Their wisdom lay in the knowledge of the stars, in divination by birds, and soothsaying.
The wisdom of Egypt - Egypt was renowned as the seat of learning and sciences, and the existing monuments, which so clearly describe the ancient state of society and the arts, show the high culture of the Egyptian people. The “wisdom of Egypt” was of a different kind. It included magic Gen_41:8; Exo_7:11, geometry, arithmetic, medicine, astronomy, architecture, astrology and mystism. The writer only means to say that his wisdom was truer and more real than all the much-praised wisdom of Egypt.
1Ki 4:31 For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.
He was wiser than all men - He was wiser than any of those who were most celebrated in his time, among whom were the four after mentioned, Ethan, Heman, Chalcol, and Darda. Ethan was possibly the same as is mentioned in some of the Psalms, particularly Psa_89:1 A Poem of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations. and in 1Ch_6:42. There is a Heman mentioned in the title to Psa_88:1 A Song. A Psalm for the sons of Korah. To the Chief Musician. On Mahalath, to make humble. A Poem of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before You. In 1Ch_2:6 we have all the four names, but they are probably not the same persons, for they are there said to be the sons of Zerah, and he flourished long before Solomon’s time. Some suppose that Hebrew words should be rendered masters of dancing or music. Perhaps a reference is here made to Solomon’s skill in music and poetry, as he is compared to persons who appear to have been eminent poets and musicians.
his fame was in all nations round about - not for his riches and grandeur only, but chiefly for his wisdom.
the sons of Mahol — either another name for Zerah (1Ch_2:6); or taking it as a common noun, signifying a dance, a chorus, “the sons of Mahol” signify persons eminently skilled in poetry and music.
1Ki 4:32 And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
Proverbs - In the collection which forms the “Book of Proverbs,” only a small portion has been preserved, less certainly than one thousand out of the three. The great bulk of Solomon’s proverbs has perished.
his songs were a thousand and five - Of all his one thousand and five songs or poems we have only one, the book of Song of Solomon, remaining, unless we include Psa_127, Psa_72, Psa_132.
1Ki 4:33 And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.
He spake of trees - The writer here means to say that Solomon composed special works on these subjects. The Lebanon cedars were the most magnificent of all the trees known to the Hebrews.
from the cedar tree even unto the hyssop - from the tallest and largest of trees to the lowest and least herb, all plants, from the greatest to the least.
Of beasts, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of fishes - This is the usual Biblical division of the animal kingdom Gen_1:26; Gen_9:2; Psa_148:10. This is a complete system of natural history, as far as relates to the animal and vegetable kingdoms, and the first intimation we have of any thing of the kind: Solomon was possibly the first natural historian in the world.
1Ki 4:34 And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
