CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
1 Kings 4
Chapter 4 of 22
Chapter Overview
What happens in 1 Kings 4
Solomon organizes his kingdom with skilled officials and twelve district governors. Israel enjoys peace and prosperity. Solomon's wisdom becomes famous throughout the world.
Scripture
1 Kings 4
Solomon's Officials
Study note
Solomon appointed skilled officials to help govern, including priests, scribes, a historian, the army commander, and a man in charge of forced labor. This organized government was a sign of Israel's growing power.
1 So King Solomon ruled over all of Israel. So king Solomon was king over all Israel.
2 These were his top officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest. And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest,
3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha, were secretaries. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder. Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.
4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada commanded the army. Zadok and Abiathar served as priests. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
5 Azariah son of Nathan supervised the district governors. Zabud son of Nathan was a priest and the king's personal advisor. And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king's friend:
6 Ahishar managed the palace affairs. Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of the labor force. And Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.
The Twelve District Governors
Study note
Solomon divided Israel into twelve districts, each responsible for providing food for the royal household for one month of the year. This spread the burden evenly across the nation.
7 Solomon had twelve district governors throughout Israel who were responsible for providing food for the king and his household. Each one supplied provisions for one month of the year. 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.
8 These were their names: Ben-hur was over the hill country of Ephraim. And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim:
9 Ben-deker was over Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan. The son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan:
10 Ben-hesed was over Arubboth. This included Socoh and all of Hepher's land. The son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher:
11 Ben-abinadab was over all the heights of Dor. He was married to Taphath, Solomon's daughter. The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife:
12 Baana son of Ahilud was over Taanach, Megiddo, and the whole area of Beth-shean near Zarethan below Jezreel. His area went from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah and past Jokmeam. Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam:
13 Ben-geber was over Ramoth-gilead. This included Jair's tent-towns in Gilead. Jair was Manasseh's son. Ben-geber also had the Argob area in Bashan. It had sixty large walled cities with bronze gate bars. The son of Geber, in Ramoth-gilead; 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:
14 Ahinadab son of Iddo was over Mahanaim. Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:
15 Ahimaaz was over Naphtali. He had married Basemath, another of Solomon's daughters. Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife:
16 Baana son of Hushai was over Asher and Aloth. Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth:
17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah was over Issachar. Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar:
18 Shimei son of Ela was over Benjamin. Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin:
19 Geber son of Uri was over the land of Gilead, the former territory of King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan. He was the only governor over that entire region. 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.
Israel's Peace and Prosperity
Study note
Under Solomon, Israel reached its greatest size and wealth. Solomon's kingdom stretched from the Euphrates River to the border of Egypt. Every person could sit safely under their own vine and fig tree, a picture of perfect peace.
20 The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as sand on the seashore. They had plenty to eat and drink, and they were happy. Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
21 Solomon's kingdom stretched from the Euphrates River all the way to the land of the Philistines and down to the border of Egypt. The peoples in those lands paid tribute to Solomon and served him throughout his life. 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.
22 The daily food needs for Solomon's palace were huge: 150 bushels of fine flour and 300 bushels of meal, And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,
23 ten grain-fed cattle, twenty pasture-fed cattle, one hundred sheep, and also deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened birds. Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.
24 Solomon controlled all the territory west of the Euphrates, from Tiphsah to Gaza, including all the kings in that region. He enjoyed peace on every border. 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.
25 Throughout Solomon's lifetime, everyone in Judah and Israel lived safely, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south. Each family enjoyed the fruit of their own vineyards and fig trees. 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 Solomon had 40,000 stalls for his chariot horses and 12,000 horsemen. And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
27 The twelve district governors took turns supplying food for King Solomon and his entire court. Each governor covered one month, making sure nothing was lacking. 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.
28 They also brought barley and straw for the horses. Each person met their set quota. They took it to the right places. Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.
Solomon's Great Wisdom
Study note
God gave Solomon wisdom surpassing all the wise men of the East and Egypt. He composed three thousand proverbs and over a thousand songs. He studied plants and animals. People from all nations came to hear his wisdom.
29 God gave Solomon great wisdom and understanding. His interests were as wide as the sand on the seashore. And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
30 Solomon's wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
31 He was wiser than anyone else -- wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, or Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. His fame spread to every surrounding nation. 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.
32 Solomon composed 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
33 He taught about plants, from the great cedar trees of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop growing out of walls. He also studied animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. 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.
34 People came from every nation on earth to hear Solomon's wisdom. Kings from everywhere sent their representatives to learn from him. And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
Key Themes
Themes in 1 Kings 4
The blessings of wise governance and organized leadershipPeace and prosperity as gifts from GodThe universal appeal of god-given wisdomStewardship and administrative responsibility
Apply This Today
Living 1 Kings 4
Under Solomon's wise leadership, every person in Israel lived in safety and abundance. Good leadership creates environments where people can flourish. Whether at home, at work, or in our communities, bringing order and wisdom to our responsibilities blesses everyone around us.
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