John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
Read attributed excerpt →1 Kings Chapter 4
What is 1 Kings 4 about?
From Solomon's glory and Temple dedication through the kingdom's division and the ministry of Elijah. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.
Text — American Standard Version (1901)
American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1And king Solomon was king over all Israel.
2And these were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest;
3Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder;
4and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
5and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud the son of Nathan was chief minister, [and] the king`s friend;
6and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to taskwork.
7And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided victuals for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year.
8And these are their names: Ben-hur, in the hill-country of Ephraim;
9Ben-deker, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan;
10Ben-hesed, in Arubboth (to him [pertained] Socoh, and all the land of Hepher);
11Ben-abinadab, in all the height of Dor (he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife);
12Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam;
13Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead (to him [pertained] the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; [even] to him [pertained] the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brazen bars);
14Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim;
15Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he also took Basemath the daughter of Solomon to wife);
16Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth;
17Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar;
18Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin;
19Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan; and [he was] the only officer that was in the land.
20Judah and Israel were many as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry.
21And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought tribute, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
22And Solomon`s provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,
23ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fatted fowl.
24For he had dominion over all [the region] on this side the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River: and he had peace on all sides round about him.
25And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon.
26And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
27And those officers provided victuals for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon`s table, every man in his month; they let nothing be lacking.
28Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds brought they unto the place where [the officers] were, every man according to his charge.
29And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore.
30And Solomon`s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
31For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the nations round about.
32And he spake three thousand proverbs; and his songs were a thousand and five.
33And he spake of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall; he spake also of beasts, and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fishes.
34And there came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.
What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
Read attributed excerpt →Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
Read attributed excerpt →Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 1
Read attributed excerpt →Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 2
Read attributed excerpt →Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
Read attributed excerpt →Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · on verse 1
Read attributed excerpt →Related study paths
Sources and verification
- Scripture text: American Standard Version (1901), public domain.
- Commentary excerpts are attributed to their named historical source and are not presented as a BibleWord.ai doctrinal position.