33 And he spake H1696 of trees, H6086 from the cedar tree H730 that is in Lebanon H3844 even unto the hyssop H231 that springeth out H3318 of the wall: H7023 he spake H1696 also of beasts, H929 and of fowl, H5775 and of creeping things, H7431 and of fishes. H1709
And God H430 said, H559 Let the waters H4325 bring forth abundantly H8317 the moving creature H8318 that hath H5315 life, H2416 and fowl H5775 that may fly H5774 above H5921 the earth H776 in the open H6440 firmament H7549 of heaven. H8064 And God H430 created H1254 great H1419 whales, H8577 and every living H2416 creature H5315 that moveth, H7430 which the waters H4325 brought forth abundantly, H8317 after their kind, H4327 and every winged H3671 fowl H5775 after his kind: H4327 and God H430 saw H7200 that it was good. H2896 And God H430 blessed H1288 them, saying, H559 Be fruitful, H6509 and multiply, H7235 and fill H4390 the waters H4325 in the seas, H3220 and let fowl H5775 multiply H7235 in the earth. H776 And the evening H6153 and the morning H1242 were the fifth H2549 day. H3117 And God H430 said, H559 Let the earth H776 bring forth H3318 the living H2416 creature H5315 after his kind, H4327 cattle, H929 and creeping thing, H7431 and beast H2416 of the earth H776 after his kind: H4327 and it was so. And God H430 made H6213 the beast H2416 of the earth H776 after his kind, H4327 and cattle H929 after their kind, H4327 and every thing that creepeth H7431 upon the earth H127 after his kind: H4327 and God H430 saw H7200 that it was good. H2896
And ye shall take H3947 a bunch H92 of hyssop, H231 and dip H2881 it in the blood H1818 that is in the bason, H5592 and strike H5060 the lintel H4947 and the two H8147 side posts H4201 with the blood H1818 that is in the bason; H5592 and none H376 of you shall go out H3318 at the door H6607 of his house H1004 until the morning. H1242
And a clean H2889 person H376 shall take H3947 hyssop, H231 and dip H2881 it in the water, H4325 and sprinkle H5137 it upon the tent, H168 and upon all the vessels, H3627 and upon the persons H5315 that were there, and upon him that touched H5060 a bone, H6106 or one slain, H2491 or one dead, H4191 or a grave: H6913
As the valleys H5158 are they spread forth, H5186 as gardens H1593 by the river's side, H5104 as the trees of lign aloes H174 which the LORD H3068 hath planted, H5193 and as cedar trees H730 beside the waters. H4325
By H3027 thy messengers H4397 thou hast reproached H2778 the Lord, H136 and hast said, H559 With the multitude H7230 of my chariots H7393 H7393 I am come up H5927 to the height H4791 of the mountains, H2022 to the sides H3411 of Lebanon, H3844 and will cut down H3772 the tall H6967 cedar trees H730 thereof, and the choice H4004 fir trees H1265 thereof: and I will enter H935 into the lodgings H4411 of his borders, H7093 and into the forest H3293 of his Carmel. H3760
The righteous H6662 shall flourish H6524 like the palm tree: H8558 he shall grow H7685 like a cedar H730 in Lebanon. H3844
For G1063 when G5259 Moses G3475 had spoken G2980 every G3956 precept G1785 to all G3956 the people G2992 according G2596 to the law, G3551 he took G2983 the blood G129 of calves G3448 and G2532 of goats, G5131 with G3326 water, G5204 and G2532 scarlet G2847 wool, G2053 and G2532 hyssop, G5301 and sprinkled G4472 both G5037 the book, G975 G846 and G2532 all G3956 the people, G2992
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.