1 Kings 4:21

Extent of Solomon's Kingdom, the provision for his table, his stud (Not in Chronicles)

21. This verse in the Hebrew is the beginning of Chapter 5, which has therefore 32 verses instead of 18 as in the English division. The LXX. and the Vulgate divide as in the A.V., but the former has a different order of the verses, putting after 1 Kings 4:19, the other verses as follows 27, 28, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34. Of 1 Kings 4:20-21; 1 Kings 4:25-26 the LXX. has no notice, and adds a passage after 34, on which see note there.

over all kingdoms The country was governed by a number of petty kings who all owned Solomon as their lord superior.

from the river i.e. The River par excellence, viz. the Euphrates.

unto the land of the Philistines There is no word for -unto" in the sentence. It would seem best therefore to repeat the previous preposition, and render - overthe land of the Philistines." The first section of the verse will thus embrace the kingdoms to the north and east of Israel and Judah, the second those to the south and west. It should be mentioned that in 2 Chronicles 9:26 the preposition -unto" is expressed in the Hebrew. The Vulgate here, in consequence of the absence of any preposition, translates -a flumine terræ Philistiim."

they brought presents The noun is singular, and comprehends all that sort of offerings which tributaries rendered to their chief lord, but to which the more euphemious name of -gift" or -present" was assigned. Cp. for the character of these gifts 2 Samuel 8:2; 2 Samuel 8:6, where they are described as tribute from nations who became servants to king David; and in 2 Kings 17:4, we learn that they were presented year by year, and the failure in such service was ground enough for suspicion of conspiracy and for commencing war against the defaulter.