19 Geber H1398 the son H1121 of Uri H221 was in the country H776 of Gilead, H1568 in the country H776 of Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 and of Og H5747 king H4428 of Bashan; H1316 and he was the only H259 officer H5333 which was in the land. H776
And Israel H3478 sent H7971 messengers H4397 unto Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 saying, H559 Let me pass H5674 through thy land: H776 we will not turn H5186 into the fields, H7704 or into the vineyards; H3754 we will not drink H8354 of the waters H4325 of the well: H875 but we will go along H3212 by the king's H4428 high way, H1870 until we be past H5674 thy borders. H1366 And Sihon H5511 would not suffer H5414 Israel H3478 to pass H5674 through his border: H1366 but Sihon H5511 gathered H622 all his people H5971 together, H622 and went out H3318 against H7125 Israel H3478 into the wilderness: H4057 and he came H935 to Jahaz, H3096 and fought H3898 against Israel. H3478 And Israel H3478 smote H5221 him with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 and possessed H3423 his land H776 from Arnon H769 unto Jabbok, H2999 even unto the children H1121 of Ammon: H5983 for the border H1366 of the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 was strong. H5794 And Israel H3478 took H3947 all these cities: H5892 and Israel H3478 dwelt H3427 in all the cities H5892 of the Amorites, H567 in Heshbon, H2809 and in all the villages H1323 thereof. For Heshbon H2809 was the city H5892 of Sihon H5511 the king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 who had fought H3898 against the former H7223 king H4428 of Moab, H4124 and taken H3947 all his land H776 out of his hand, H3027 even unto Arnon. H769 Wherefore they that speak in proverbs H4911 say, H559 Come H935 into Heshbon, H2809 let the city H5892 of Sihon H5511 be built H1129 and prepared: H3559 For there is a fire H784 gone out H3318 of Heshbon, H2809 a flame H3852 from the city H7151 of Sihon: H5511 it hath consumed H398 Ar H6144 of Moab, H4124 and the lords of the high places H1181 of Arnon. H769 Woe H188 to thee, Moab! H4124 thou art undone, H6 O people H5971 of Chemosh: H3645 he hath given H5414 his sons H1121 that escaped, H6412 and his daughters, H1323 into captivity H7622 unto Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites. H567 We have shot H3384 at them; Heshbon H2809 is perished H6 even unto Dibon, H1769 and we have laid them waste H8074 even unto Nophah, H5302 which reacheth unto Medeba. H4311 Thus Israel H3478 dwelt H3427 in the land H776 of the Amorites. H567 And Moses H4872 sent H7971 to spy out H7270 Jaazer, H3270 and they took H3920 the villages H1323 thereof, and drove out H3423 H3423 the Amorites H567 that were there. And they turned H6437 and went up H5927 by the way H1870 of Bashan: H1316 and Og H5747 the king H4428 of Bashan H1316 went out H3318 against H7125 them, he, and all his people, H5971 to the battle H4421 at Edrei. H154 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Fear H3372 him not: for I have delivered H5414 him into thy hand, H3027 and all his people, H5971 and his land; H776 and thou shalt do H6213 to him as thou didst H6213 unto Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 which dwelt H3427 at Heshbon. H2809 So they smote H5221 him, and his sons, H1121 and all his people, H5971 until there was none H1115 left H7604 him alive: H8300 and they possessed H3423 his land. H776
From Aroer, H6177 that is upon the bank H8193 of the river H5158 Arnon, H769 and the city H5892 that is in the midst H8432 of the river, H5158 and all the plain H4334 of Medeba H4311 unto Dibon; H1769 And all the cities H5892 of Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 which reigned H4427 in Heshbon, H2809 unto the border H1366 of the children H1121 of Ammon; H5983 And Gilead, H1568 and the border H1366 of the Geshurites H1651 and Maachathites, H4602 and all mount H2022 Hermon, H2768 and all Bashan H1316 unto Salcah; H5548 All the kingdom H4468 of Og H5747 in Bashan, H1316 which reigned H4427 in Ashtaroth H6252 and in Edrei, H154 who remained H7604 of the remnant H3499 of the giants: H7497 for these did Moses H4872 smite, H5221 and cast them out. H3423
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Kings 4
Commentary on 1 Kings 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 4
1Ki 4:1-6. Solomon's Princes.
1. 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.
2. these were the princes—or chief officers, as is evident from two of them marrying Solomon's daughters.
Azariah the son of Zadok the priest—rather, "the prince," as the Hebrew word frequently signifies (Ge 41:45; Ex 2:16; 2Sa 8:18); so that from the precedency given to his person in the list, he seems to have been prime minister, the highest in office next the king.
3. scribes—that is, secretaries of state. Under David, there had been only one [2Sa 8:17; 20:25]. The employment of three functionaries in this department indicates either improved regulations by the division of labor, or a great increase of business, occasioned by the growing prosperity of the kingdom, or a more extensive correspondence with foreign countries.
recorder—that is, historiographer, or annalist—an office of great importance in Oriental courts, and the duties of which consisted in chronicling the occurrences of every day.
4. Benaiah … was over the host—formerly captain of the guard. He had succeeded Joab as commander of the forces.
Zadok and Abiathar were the priests—Only the first discharged the sacred functions; the latter had been banished to his country seat and retained nothing more than the name of high priest.
5. over the officers—that is, the provincial governors enumerated in 1Ki 4:17-19.
principal officer, and the king's friend—perhaps president of the privy council, and Solomon's confidential friend or favorite. This high functionary had probably been reared along with Solomon. That he should heap those honors on the sons of Nathan was most natural, considering the close intimacy of the father with the late king, and the deep obligations under which Solomon personally lay to the prophet.
6. Ahishar was over the household—steward or chamberlain of the palace.
Adoniram—or Adoram (2Sa 20:24; 1Ki 12:18), or Hadoram (2Ch 10:18),
was over the tribute—not the collection of money or goods, but the levy of compulsory laborers (compare 1Ki 5:13, 14).
1Ki 4:7-21. His Twelve Officers.
7. Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel—The royal revenues were raised according to the ancient, and still, in many parts, existing usage of the East, not in money payments, but in the produce of the soil. There would be always a considerable difficulty in the collection and transmission of these tithes (1Sa 8:15). Therefore, to facilitate the work, Solomon appointed twelve officers, who had each the charge of a tribe or particular district of country, from which, in monthly rotation, the supplies for the maintenance of the king's household were drawn, having first been deposited in "the store cities" which were erected for their reception (1Ki 9:19; 2Ch 8:4, 6).
8. The son of Hur—or, as the Margin has it, Benhur, Bendekar. In the rural parts of Syria, and among the Arabs, it is still common to designate persons not by their own names, but as the sons of their fathers.
21. Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river—All the petty kingdoms between the Euphrates and the Mediterranean were tributary to him. Similar is the statement in 1Ki 4:24.
22, 23. Solomon's provision for one day—not for the king's table only, but for all connected with the court, including, besides the royal establishment, those of his royal consorts, his principal officers, his bodyguards, his foreign visitors, &c. The quantity of fine floor used is estimated at two hundred forty bushels; that of meal or common flour at four hundred eighty. The number of cattle required for consumption, besides poultry and several kinds of game (which were abundant on the mountains) did not exceed in proportion what is needed in other courts of the East.
24. from Tiphsah—that is, Thapsacus, a large and flourishing town on the west bank of the Euphrates, the name of which was derived from a celebrated ford near it, the lowest on that river.
even to Azzah—that is, Gaza, on the southwestern extremity, not far from the Mediterranean.
25. every man under his vine and … fig tree—This is a common and beautiful metaphor for peace and security (Mic 4:4; Zec 3:10), founded on the practice, still common in modern Syria, of training these fruit trees up the walls and stairs of houses, so as to make a shady arbor, beneath which the people sit and relax.
26. forty thousand stalls—for the royal mews (see on 2Ch 9:25).
28. Barley … and straw—Straw is not used for litter, but barley mixed with chopped straw is the usual fodder of horses.
dromedaries—one-humped camels, distinguished for their great fleetness.
1Ki 4:29-34. His Wisdom.
29. God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart—that is, high powers of mind, great capacity for receieving, as well as aptitude for communicating knowledge.
30. Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country—that is, the Arabians, Chaldeans, and Persians (Ge 25:6).
all the wisdom of Egypt—Egypt was renowned as the seat of learning and sciences, and the existing monuments, which so clearly describe the ancient state of society and the arts, show the high culture of the Egyptian people.
31. wiser than all men—that is, all his contemporaries, either at home or abroad.
than Ethan—or Jeduthun, of the family of Merari (1Ch 6:44).
Heman—(1Ch 15:17-19)—the chief of the temple musicians and the king's seers (1Ch 25:5); the other two are not known.
the sons of Mahol—either another name for Zerah (1Ch 2:6); or taking it as a common noun, signifying a dance, a chorus, "the sons of Mahol" signify persons eminently skilled in poetry and music.
32. he spake three thousand proverbs—embodying his moral sentiments and sage observations on human life and character.
songs … a thousand and five—Psalm 72, 127, 132, and the Song of Songs are his.
33. he spake of trees, from the cedar … to the hyssop—all plants, from the greatest to the least. The Spirit of God has seen fit to preserve comparatively few memorials of the fruits of his gigantic mind. The greater part of those here ascribed to him have long since fallen a prey to the ravages of time, or perished in the Babylonish captivity, probably because they were not inspired.