1 Reis 4
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
1 Reis 4
NJB (MT versing) Solomon's Officials Solomon's Administration Solomon's Organization of His Kingdom Solomon's Officials Solomon's High Officials 4:1-6 4:1-6 4:1-6 4:1-6 4:1-2a 4:2b-6 (2b-6) Solomon's Administration 4:7-19 4:7-19 4:7-19 4:7-19 4:7-19 Solomon's Power, Wealth and Wisdom Prosperity and Wisdom of Solomon's Reign Solomon's Prosperous Reign NJB Reorders Chapters 4 & 5 4:20 4:20-21 4:20-21 4:20-21 4:21 4:22-28 4:22-28 4:22-28 4:22-23 4:24-25 4:26-28 4:29-34 4:29-34 4:29-34 4:29-34 Etc.
1 Reis 4:1-6
4:1 Notice how in verse 1 it says "all Israel," but in vv. 20,25 "Judah" and "Israel" are listed separately. This possibly means that from the very beginning of his reign all the covenant people supported him (i.e., unlike his father). 4:2 "the son of Zadok" He is a grandson, not a son. Azariah is called "the priest," but in v. 4 both Abiathar (who was exiled to Anathoth) and Zadon are mentioned as priests. This is a historical flashback. 4:3 NASB, NRSV, TEV, NJB, LXX "secretaries" NKJV, JPSOA, Peshitta "scribes" "secretary of state" These persons (BDB 708) could be muster officer secretary scribe (see SPECIAL TOPIC: SCRIBES) How this office is related to "recorder" (BDB 269, KB 269, Hiphil PARTICIPLE) is uncertain. The basic meaning of the root is "remember," "to announce," or "reports," therefore, possibly a royal herald (Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, p. 132). 4:5 The word "priest" (BDB 463) usually refers to those who serve the altar. Here, it may refer to a herald who did some priestly functions (the Rotherham's Emphasized Bible, p. 355, based on the Hebrew Lexicon of Gesenius). The only other place this word refers to a non-priest is 2 Sam. 8:18; 1 Chr. 18:17. ▣ "was the king's friend" This is another office at court (cf. 2 Sam. 15:37). For a good brief discussion of the possible ways to understand this office, see Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, pp. 122-123. 4:6 "the men subject to forced labor" This program of forced labor caused many tensions in Israel (cf. 1 Sam. 8:12-17). Solomon's aggressive building programs required many workers, so each tribe had to provide so many for a certain period.
1 Reis 4:7-19
4:7 This shows Solomon's administrative wisdom. Each of these divisions had to provide all the king's food for one month (cf. vv. 27-28). Even food for his army and military animals. It is interesting to note that these twelve administrative districts do not conform to tribal divisions (i.e., Joshua 12-19). The motive is uncertain. to weaken tribal divisions to equally divide the heavy responsibility 4:11 "(. . .the daughter of Solomon was his wife)" These twelve division leaders were powerful and influential men. This same note appears in v. 15. This highlights the fact that these lists in this chapter were from different periods of Solomon's reign. This phrase must have been after Solomon's daughters became of marriageable age. 4:19 NASB, NKJV, JPSOA "who was in the land" "in the Land of Judah" "over the whole land" "in the country" REB, Peshitta "in the land" The MT has "in the Land." The LXX adds "of Judah." There is no administrator for Judah listed. Modern scholars speculate that "Land" is used in a specialized sense of the central province (i.e., Assyrian usage).
1 Reis 4:20
4:20 "Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore" This was one of the promises to Abraham. See full note at 1 Kgs. 3:8.
1 Reis 4:21
4:21 "the River" This refers to the head waters of the Euphrates in Syria. ▣ "the border of Egypt" This refers to "the brook of Egypt," which was a dry wadi called "Wadi el-arish."
1 Reis 4:22-28
4:22 NASB, NKJV, REB, JPSOA, LXX "kors" "cors" "bushels" NJB, Peshitta "measures" This (BDB 499) can refer to a dry or liquid measure of about 10 bushels (NASB margin note). NET footnote says, "6 bushels," p. 559. SPECIAL TOPIC: ANE WEIGHTS AND VOLUMES 4:23 NASB, NKJV, NRSV, REB, Peshitta "fattened fowl" "poultry" "fattened poultry" "choice birds, grain fed" There has been much speculation as to what type of grain-fed bird (BDB 141, KB 154, found only here). geese capon hen cuckoo (Arabic root) swan guinea-hen Most modern scholars choose #4 because of the Hebrew root and the ancient note by Pliny that it was the sweetest of meat (Nat. His. 10.11.27). 4:24 "peace on all sides" Solomon had peace, not conflict. His nation was secured and blessed by YHWH. 4:25 "every man under his vine and his fig tree" This is an idiom of peace, abundance, and security (cf. Isa. 36:16; Micah 4:4; Zech. 3:10). ▣ "from Dan even to Beersheba" This was a common designation of the whole land by using the northern city of Dan and the southern city of Beersheba (cf. Jdgs. 20:1; 1 Sam. 3:20; 2 Sam. 3:10; 17:11; 24:2,15; 1 Chr. 21:21). 4:26 NASB, NKJV, NRSV, TEV, REB, JPSOA, Peshitta "40,000 stalls" NET, NJB, LXX "4,000 stalls" One of the prohibitions directed to the future king of God's people was "do not multiply horses" (Deut. 17:16) because Israel should trust in YHWH not its military might. The number of horse stalls differs in 2 Chr. 9:25 ‒ 4,000 stalls in 2 Chr. 1:14 ‒ 1,400 two-horse chariots in the MT ‒ 40,000 stalls ▣ "chariots" See SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARIOTS.
1 Reis 4:29-34
4:29-34 This paragraph lauds Solomon's wisdom (see NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 1276-1284), riches, and power. His wisdom (i.e., God-given, not studies or educated) is characterized as like the sand on the seashore greater than all sons of the east (possibly Eden) Egypt singers of Israel (v. 31) writer of 3,000 proverbs (only a small portion recorded in Scripture) writer of 1,005 songs/psalms, this is a very specific number which gives credence to the claim many leaders from the surrounding nations came to hear him SPECIAL TOPIC: WISDOM LITERATURE SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW POETRY 4:33 "cedar that is in Lebanon" These were tall, beautiful, strong trees often lauded in the OT. See NIDOTTE, vol. 1, pp. 510-511.