1 Kings 4 - Introduction
IV. The style of this and the succeeding chapter changes from the Vividness and fulness of the preceding Chapter s to a drier and barer record, evidently drawn from the national archives.... [ Continue Reading ]
IV. The style of this and the succeeding chapter changes from the Vividness and fulness of the preceding Chapter s to a drier and barer record, evidently drawn from the national archives.... [ Continue Reading ]
KING OVER ALL ISRAEL. — The emphasis laid upon “all” is characteristic of the writer, who compiled the book after the disruption of the kingdom.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THESE WERE. — The officers described are of two classes — those attached to Solomon’s Court, and those invested with local authority. THE PRINCES are evidently Solomon’s high counsellors and officers, “eating at the king’s table.” The word is derived from a root which means to “set in order.” I... [ Continue Reading ]
SONS OF SHISHA. — In 1 Chronicles 18:16 “Shavsha,” and in 2 Samuel 20:25 “Sheva,” is mentioned as the scribe of David. Probably these are variations of the same name, and the office may have become virtually hereditary. The “scribe,” or (see Margin) “secretary,” is constantly referred to as a high o... [ Continue Reading ]
ZADOK AND ABIATHAR... THE PRIESTS. — Abiathar, though disgraced and practically deposed, was still regarded theoretically as priest (much as Annas is called “high priest” in the Gospels), for the priesthood was properly for life.... [ Continue Reading ]
SON OF NATHAN. — Probably Nathan, son of David, and own brother of Solomon (1 Chronicles 3:5), is here intended; for the title _Cohen,_ here given to Zabud, is expressly ascribed in 2 Samuel 8:18 to the “sons of David;” and Nathan the prophet always has his title, “the prophet,” appended to his name... [ Continue Reading ]
OVER THE HOUSEHOLD, — like the “High Steward” of a modern Court. In 2 Kings 18:18 we have the same three officers mentioned (“Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder”). ADONIRAM... OVER THE TRIBUTE (or “levy”), — evidently the head of Solomo... [ Continue Reading ]
PROVIDED VICTUALS FOR THE KING AND HIS HOUSEHOLD. — This denotes the collection of revenue — mostly, no doubt, in kind — for the maintenance of the Court and household and guards of the king; and perhaps may have included also the management of the royal domain lands, such as is described under Davi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THESE ARE THEIR NAMES. — The first division, _“_mount Ephraim,” included all the higher part of the territory of Ephraim, one of the most fertile and beautiful regions in Palestine, surrounding the city of Shechem, which lies in a rich plain between Mount Ebel and Gerizim, and including the stro... [ Continue Reading ]
The second division included the territory in the maritime plain to the north-west of Judah; assigned to Dan, but in all the earlier history held, with perhaps a few exceptions, by the Philistines. The cities Shaalbim, Elon, and Beth-shemesh, or Ir-shemesh, are noted in Joshua 19:41. Makaz is not me... [ Continue Reading ]
The third division was also in the land of the Philistines, being part of the territory assigned to Judah. Sochoh is mentioned in Joshua 15:35, and is noticed in 1 Samuel 17:1 as close to the field of battle on which David slew Goliath. Hepher is an old Amorite city which was conquered by Joshua (Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
The fourth division, “all the region of Dor,” still lies along the coast, but to the north of the preceding districts, close under Mount Carmel, in the territory assigned to Manasseh. Dor is named in Joshua 11:2, as forming a part of the confederacy of the north under Jabin, and as subsequently conq... [ Continue Reading ]
The fifth division must have been large and important, including much of the great plain of Esdraelon or Jezreel, the garden and battle-field of Northern Palestine, and extending to the Jordan valley. Taanach, Megiddo, and Beth-shean are all named as Canaanitish cities not taken by Manasseh, but mad... [ Continue Reading ]
The sixth division, large, but probably less fertile, crosses the Jordan, and includes a great portion of the territory of Manasseh and Gad. The region of Argob, “the rocky region” (afterwards translated into the Greek name _Trachonitis_), is noticed in Deuteronomy 3:4; Deuteronomy 3:13, as the land... [ Continue Reading ]
The seventh division, still on the other side of Jordan, is the region of Mahanaim, in the territory of Gad. Mahanaim (“the camps”), the scene of Jacob’s angelic vision on his return to Canaan (Genesis 36:3), assigned to Dan after the Conquest (see Joshua 13:26; Joshua 13:30; Joshua 21:38), must hav... [ Continue Reading ]
The eighth division is the upper valley of the Jordan, south of Mount Hermon, including part of the north-west coast of the sea of Gennesareth and the water of Merom. In it lie Hazor, forming the centre of the native confederacy of the north, and the Levitical city of refuge, Kedesh-Naphtali (Joshua... [ Continue Reading ]
The ninth division, “in Asher and Aloth,” bordered on the Tyrian territory, stretching north from Mount Carmel, first along the coast, and then behind the ranges of Lebanon. In Judges 1:31, we read that the tribe of Asher did not occupy the territory assigned them (Joshua 19:24), but mingled with th... [ Continue Reading ]
The tenth division, the territory of Issachar, lying north of Manasseh, included part of the great plain of Esdraelon, and must have been so closely connected with the fifth division that the frontiers could hardly be discerned.... [ Continue Reading ]
The eleventh division, the territory of Benjamin (properly including Jerusalem itself), though small, is singularly strong and populous, including Jericho, Bethel, Gibeon, Ramah, extending from Judah to Ephraim, and commanding the centre of the high land of what was afterwards the kingdom of Judah.... [ Continue Reading ]
The twelfth division was on the east of Jordan, south of the seventh, including the pastoral country of Reuben and part of Gad on the borders of Moab, probably occupied by the royal flocks and herds. In place of the reading of the text, “and _he was_ the only officer in the land” — which yields very... [ Continue Reading ]
WERE MANY. — The description of the condition of the people here and in 1 Kings 4:25, as multiplied in numbers, and living in festivity and peace, is evidently designed to specify not only their general prosperity and wealth, but also the fact noticed in 1 Kings 9:20, that at this time they were a d... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SOLOMON REIGNED. — His dominion is described as extending on the south to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt, including what we call Arabia (see Psalms 72:10, and comp. 1 Kings 10:15); on the east to “the river” Euphrates, as far north as Tiphsah (the Greek Thapsacus); on the we... [ Continue Reading ]
MEASURES. — The “measure” (_cor_) is variously estimated (from 86 to 42 gallons). In any case the quantity is very large, and, like the other notices of provisions supplied, indicates a vast number, probably several thousands, belonging to the royal household, court, and body-guard. The “harts, roeb... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THIS SIDE THE RIVER. — This translation, although it expresses the true reference, viz., to the country west of the Euphrates, is literally incorrect. The words mean, “on the further side of the river,” considered from the point of view of Babylon (see the use in the later books, or in Ezra 4:6;... [ Continue Reading ]
AZZAH is the well-known Philistine city, Gaza.... [ Continue Reading ]
FORTY THOUSAND. — By comparison with the parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 9:25, and with the notice in 1 Kings 10:26 (one thousand four hundred), it seems clear that for “forty thousand” “four thousand” should be read. They were kept in various “chariot cities,” as well as at Jerusalem. This multipl... [ Continue Reading ]
DROMEDARIES — properly (see Margin), _swift beasts;_ probably the horses of the royal messengers, as distinguished from the war horses.... [ Continue Reading ]
WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING... AND LARGENESS OF HEART. — In this passage, “understanding,” which is high intellectual power, and “largeness of heart,” which is clearly capacity of knowledge, boundless as “the sand on the sea-shore,” are both distinguished from the higher gift of wisdom, to which they a... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WISDOM OF ALL THE CHILDREN OF THE EAST. — The phrase “children of the east” is apparently used (see Genesis 29:1; Judges 6:3; Judges 6:33; Judges 7:12; Judges 8:10) for the tribes of the country lying between the country of Israel and Mesopotamia. Of these “men of the east,” Job is expressly sai... [ Continue Reading ]
(30-34) The whole passage implies a general growth of wisdom, a largeness of knowledge, and an outburst of literature, of which, as usual with great men, Solomon is at once the child and the leader.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WAS WISER. — The wisdom of “Heman, Ethan, Chalcol, and Darda,” then rivals of Solomon’s fame, is now only known to us from this passage. In the genealogy of 1 Chronicles 2:6, “Ethan, Heman, Chalcol, and Dara” (or “Darda”) are found as sons of Zerah, the son of Judah; and the coincidence is remark... [ Continue Reading ]
PROVERBS. — The word “proverb” (_mashal_)_,_ from a root signifying “comparison,” has the various meanings of (_a_) parable or allegory, (_b_) proverb in the modern sense, (_c_) riddle or enigmatical poem, (_d_) figurative and antithetical poetry, like the “parable” of Balaam. The Book of Proverbs b... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SPAKE OF TREES. — Of this verse there have been many interpretations. Josephus (_Ant. viii._ c._2_, § 5) supposes Solomon’s utterances on these natural products to have been allegorical and symbolic, although he declares that he described them and their properties “like a philosopher.” Rabbinical... [ Continue Reading ]