1 Re 4:26 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.

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.

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much,.... In things natural, moral, divine, and spiritual, and that not slight and superficial, but exceeding deep, and large beyond expression; and this he had not from the acuteness of his genius merely, nor from his industry and diligence; but by the gift of God, as whatsoever solid wisdom and understanding is in any man, it is from the liberal hand of God, the fountain of wisdom, Jam 1:5; and largeness of heart, even as sand that is on the seashore; 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.

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 had forty thousand stalls of horses - and twelve thousand horsemen - In Ch2 9:25, 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 Kg1 10:26 it is said he had one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; and this is the reading in Ch2 1:14. In Ch2 9:25, already quoted, instead of forty thousand stalls for horses, the Septuagint has τεσσαρες χιλιαδες θηλειαι ἱπποι, four thousand mares; and in this place the whole verse is omitted both by the Syriac and Arabic. In the Targum of Rabbi Joseph on this book we have ארבע מאה arba meah, four hundred, instead of the four thousand in Chronicles, and the forty thousand in the text. From this collation of parallel places we may rest satisfied that there is a corruption in the numbers somewhere; and as a sort of medium, we may take for the whole four thousand stalls, one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

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.

forty thousand stalls--for the royal mews (see on Ch2 9:25).

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.