The First Book of the Kings

Chapter 4

Solomon's princes. 1-6. His twelve officers for provision, 7-19. The peace and largeness of his kingdom, 20, 21. His daily provision, 22-25. His stables, 26-28. His wisdom, 29-34.

1 So king Solomon was king over all Israel. 2 And these were the princes which he had: Azariah the son of Zadok the priest, 3 Elihoreph and Ahiah the sons of Shisha were scribes, Jehosaphat the son of Ahilud the recorder, 4 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army, Zadok and Abiathar were the priests, 5 Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers, Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer and the king's friend, 6 Ahishar was over the household, and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.

7 And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel who provided food for the king and his household. Each man made provision for a month in the year. 8 And these are their names: the son of Hur, in the mountains of Ephraim; 9 The son of Dekar, in Makaz, in Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan; 10 The son of Hesed, in Aruboth—to him pertained Sochoh and all the land of Hepher; 11 The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor, who had Taphath the daughter of Solomon for a wife; 12 Baana the son of Ahilud—to him pertained Taanach, Megiddo, and all Beth-shean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, even to the place that is beyond Jokneam; 13 The son of Geber, in Ramoth-gilead—to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, and also to him pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and brazen bars; 14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim; 15 Ahimaaz was in Naphtali—he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon for a wife; 16 Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth; 17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar; 18 Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin; 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 who was in the land.

20 Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry.

21 And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought presents and served Solomon all the days of his life.

22 And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, sixty measures of meal, 23 Ten fat oxen, twenty oxen out of the pastures, one hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, and fallow-deer, and fattened birds. 24 For he had dominion over all the region on this side of the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side of the river. And he had peace on all sides around him. 25 And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon. 26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots and twelve thousand horsemen. 27 And those officers provided food for king Solomon and for all who came to king Solomon's table, every man in his month. They lacked nothing. 28 Also barley and straw for the horses and dromedaries they brought to the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.

29 And God gave Solomon great wisdom and understanding and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore. 30 And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 For he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. 32 And he spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. 33 And he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall. He also spoke of beasts, of birds, of creeping animals, and of fish. 34 And men came of all the peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - 1st Kings, Chapter 4[➚]

Notes

[v.26] - See the comment for Deuteronomy 17:16-20.

[v.32] - "proverbs" - Many of such proverbs have been recovered and recorded within the canon of the Scriptures. The collection of these proverbs can be found in the book called, "The Proverbs." See Proverbs 1:1 for Solomon's authorship of the proverbs. Only Proverbs, ch. 30 and 31 are not attributed to Solomon for authorship.

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