1 Re 4:1 Commento

An instance of the wisdom God granted to Solomon we had in the close of the foregoing chapter. In this we have an account of his wealth and prosperity, the other branch of the promise there made him. We have here, I. The magnificence of his court, his ministers of state (Kg1 4:1-6), and the purveyors of his household (Kg1 4:7-19), and their office (Kg1 4:27, Kg1 4:28). II. The provisions for his table (Kg1 4:22, Kg1 4:23). III. The extent of his dominion (Kg1 4:21-24). IV. The numbers, case, and peace, of his subjects (Kg1 4:20-25). V. His stables (Kg1 4:26). VI. His great reputation for wisdom and learning (Kg1 4:29-34). Thus great was Solomon, but our Lord Jesus was greater than he (Mat 12:42), though he took upon him the form of a servant; for divinity, in its lowest humiliation, infinitely transcends royalty in its highest elevation.

Here we have, I. Solomon upon his throne (Kg1 4:1): So king Solomon was king, that is, he was confirmed and established king over all Israel, and not, as his successors, only over two tribes. He was a king, that is, he did the work and duty of a king, with the wisdom God had given him. Those preserve the name and honour of their place that mind the business of it and make conscience of it. II. The great officers of his court, in the choice of whom, no doubt, his wisdom much appeared. It is observable, 1. That several of them are the same that were in his father's time. Zadok and Abiathar were then priests (Sa2 20:25), so they were now; only then Abiathar had the precedency, now Zadok. Jehoshaphat was then recorder, or keeper of the great seal, so he was now. Benaiah, in his father's time, was a principal man in military affairs, and so he was now. Shisha was his father's scribe, and his sons were his, Kg1 4:3. Solomon, though a wise man, would not affect to be wiser than his father in this matter. When sons come to inherit their father's wealth, honour, and power, it is a piece of respect to their memory, caeteris paribus - where it can properly be done, to employ those whom they employed, and trust those whom they trusted. Many pride themselves in being the reverse of their good parents. 2. The rest were priests' sons. His prime-minister of state was Azariah the son of Zadok the priest. Two others of the first rank were the sons of Nathan the prophet, Kg1 4:5. In preferring them he testified the grateful respect he had for their good father, whom he loved in the name of a prophet. III. The purveyors for his household, whose business it was to send in provisions from several parts of the country, for the king's tables and cellars (Kg1 4:7) and for his stables (Kg1 4:27, Kg1 4:28), that thus, 1. His house might always be well furnished at the best hand. Let great men learn hence good house-keeping, to be generous in spending according to their ability, but prudent in providing. It is the character of the virtuous woman that she bringeth her food from afar (Pro 31:14), not far-fetched and dear-bought, but the contrary, every thing bought where it is cheapest. 2. That thus he himself, and those who immediately attended him, might be eased of a great deal of care, and the more closely apply themselves to the business of the state, not troubled about much serving, provision for that being got ready to their hand. 3. That thus all the parts of the kingdom might be equally benefited by the taking off of the commodities that were the productions of their country and the circulating of the coin. Industry would hereby be encouraged, and consequently wealth increased, even in those tribes that lay most remote from the court. The providence of God extends itself to all places of his dominions (Psa 103:22); so should the prudence and care of princes. 4. The dividing of this trust into so many hands was prudent, that no man might be continually burdened with the care of it nor grow exorbitantly rich with the profit of it, but that Solomon might have those, in every district, who, having a dependence upon the court, would be serviceable to him and his interest as there was occasion. These commissioners of the victualling-office, not for the army or navy (Solomon was engaged in no war), but for the household, are here named, several of them only by their surnames, as great men commonly call their servants: Ben-hur, Ben-dekar, etc., though several of them have also their proper names prefixed. Two of them married Solomon's daughters, Ben-Abinadab (Kg1 4:11) and Ahimaaz (Kg1 4:15), and no disparagement to them to marry men of business. Better match with the officers of their father's court that were Israelites than with the sons of princes that were strangers to the covenant of promise. The son of Geber was in Ramoth-Gilead (Kg1 4:19), and Geber himself was in the country of Sihon and Og, which included that and Mahanaim, Kg1 4:14. He is therefore said to be the only officer in that land, because the other two, mentioned Kg1 4:13, Kg1 4:14, depended on him, and were subordinate to him.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 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, Kg1 4:1; of the providers of food for his household in the several parts of the land, Kg1 4:7; of the largeness and extent of his dominions, and of the peace and prosperity thereof, Kg1 4:20; of his daily provisions for his household and for his cattle, Kg1 4:22; and of his superior wisdom and knowledge to all others in all nations, which brought some out of all to hear it, Kg1 4:29.

So 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; though this seems to have a particular respect to what is related in the preceding chapter concerning the wisdom of Solomon, for which he was so famous, that he reigned by the consent of all, and in the hearts of all the people of Israel. So 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; though this seems to have a particular respect to what is related in the preceding chapter concerning the wisdom of Solomon, for which he was so famous, that he reigned by the consent of all, and in the hearts of all the people of Israel. 1 Kings 4:2 kg1 4:2 kg1 4:2 kg1 4:2And these were the princes which he had,.... That were in office about him, in the highest posts of honour and trust: Azariah the son of Zadok the priest: or rather his grandson, since Ahimaaz was the son of Zadok, and Azariah the son of Ahimaaz, Ch1 6:8; though another Zadok may be meant, and his son not a priest but a prince, as the word may be rendered, and was Solomon's prime minister of state, and the rather, since he is mentioned first.

An account of Solomon's chief officers, Kg1 4:1-6. Names of the twelve officers that were over twelve districts, to provide victuals for the king's household monthly, Kg1 4:7-19. Judah and Israel are very populous; and Solomon reigns over many provinces, Kg1 4:20, Kg1 4:21. The daily provision for his family, Kg1 4:22, Kg1 4:23. The extent and peace of his dominions, Kg1 4:24, Kg1 4:25. His horses, chariots, and dromedaries; with the provision made for them, Kg1 4:26-28. His wisdom and understanding, Kg1 4:29-31. The number of his proverbs and songs; and his knowledge in natural history, Kg1 4:32, Kg1 4:33. People from all nations come to hear his wisdom, Kg1 4:34.

SOLOMON'S PRINCES. (Kg1 4:1-6) So King Solomon was king over all Israel--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.

Solomon's Ministers of State. His Regal Splendour and Wisdom - 1 Kings 4-5:14 1 Kings 4 contains a list of the chief ministers of state (Kg1 4:2-6), and of the twelve officers placed over the land (Kg1 4:7-20), which is inserted here to give an idea of the might and glory of the kingdom of Israel under Solomon's reign. So far as the contents are concerned, this list belongs to the middle portion of the reign of Solomon, as we may see from the fact that two of the officers named had daughters of Solomon for their wives (Kg1 4:11, Kg1 4:15), whom they could not possibly have married till the later years of Solomon's life.

The Chief Ministers of State. - The list is introduced in Kg1 4:1 by the general remark, that "king Solomon was king over all Israel." Kg1 4:2 The first of the שׂרים, princes, i.e., chief ministers of state or dignitaries, mentioned here is not the commander-in-chief, as under the warlike reign of David (Sa2 8:16; Sa2 20:23), but, in accordance with the peaceful rule of Solomon, the administrator of the kingdom (or prime minister): "Azariah the son of Zadok was הכּהן," i.e., not the priest, but the administrator of the kingdom, the representative of the king before the people; like כּהן in v. 5, where this word is interpreted by המּלך רעה, with this difference, however, arising from the article before כּהן, that Azariah was the Kohen par excellence, that is to say, held the first place among the confidential counsellors of the king, so that his dignity was such as befitted the office of an administrator of the kingdom. Compare the explanation of כּהן at Sa2 8:18. The view of the Vulgate, Luther, and others, which has been revived by Thenius, namely, that כּהן is to be connected as a genitive with בּן־צדוק in opposition to the accents, "Azariah the son of Zadok the priest," is incorrect, and does not even yield any sense, since the connection of these words with the following Elichoreph, etc., is precluded by the absence of the copula Vav, which would be indispensable if Azariah had held the same office as the two brothers Elichoreph and Achijah. (Note: The objection by which Thenius tries to set aside this argument, which has been already advanced by Houbigant, viz., that "if the first (Azariah) was not also a state scribe, the copula would be inserted, as it is everywhere else from v. 4 onwards when a new office is mentioned," proves nothing at all, because the copula is also omitted in v. 3, where the new office of מזכּיר is introduced.) Moreover, Azariah the son of Zadok cannot be a grandson of Zadok the high priest, i.e., a son of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, as many infer from 1 Chr. 5:34-35 (Ch1 6:8-9); for, apart from the fact that Zadok's grandson can hardly have been old enough at the time for Solomon to invest him with the chief dignity in the kingdom, which would surely be conferred upon none but men of mature years, we can see no reason why the Azariah mentioned here should not be called the son of Ahimaaz. If the Zadok referred to here was the high priest of that name, Azariah can only have been a brother of Ahimaaz. And there is no real difficulty in the way, since the name Azariah occurs three times in the line of high priests (1 Chr. 5:36, 39), and therefore was by no means rare. Kg1 4:3 Elichoreph and Achijah, sons of Shisha, who had held the same office under David, were secretaries of state (ספרים: see at Sa2 8:17 and Sa2 20:25, where the different names שׁשׁא = שׁיא and שׂריה are also discussed). - Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the chancellor, as he had already been in the time of David (Sa2 8:17 and Sa2 20:24). The rendering of Thenius, "whilst Jehoshaphat was chancellor," is grammatically impossible. Kg1 4:4 On Benaiah, compare Kg1 2:35 and the Commentary on Sa2 23:20. On Zadok and Abiathar, see at Sa2 8:17. It appears strange that Abiathar should be named as priest, i.e., as high priest, along with Zadok, since Solomon had deposed him from the priestly office (Kg1 2:27, Kg1 2:35), and we cannot imagine any subsequent pardon. The only possible explanation is that proposed by Theodoret, namely, that Solomon had only deprived him of the ἀρχή, i.e., of the priest's office, but not of the ἱερωσύνη or priestly dignity, because this was hereditary. (Note: Τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀφείλατο, ου ̓ τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἐγύμνωσεν· τὴν γὰρ τῆς ἱερωσύνης αξίαν οὐκ ἐκ χειροτονίας ἀλλ ̓ ἐκ γονικῆς εἶχον διαδοχῆς. - Theodoret.) Kg1 4:5 Azariah the son of Nathan was over the נצּבים, i.e., the twelve officers named in vv. 7ff. Zabud the son of Nathan was כּהן (not the son of "Nathan the priest," as Luther and many others render it). כּהן is explained by the epithet appended, המּלך רעה: privy councillor, i.e., confidential adviser of the king. Nathan is not the prophet of that name, as Thenius supposes, but the son of David mentioned in Sa2 5:14. Azariah and Zabud were therefore nephews of Solomon. Kg1 4:6 Ahishar was הבּית על, over the palace, i.e., governor of the palace, or minister of the king's household (compare Kg1 16:9; Kg2 18:18, and Isa 22:15), an office met with for the first time under Solomon. Adoniram, probably the same person as Adoram in Sa2 20:24, was chief overseer of the tributary service. He was so in the time of David also.