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BOOK 11 OF 66 · HISTORY · KING JAMES BIBLE

1 Kings 4

1 Kings book home•Chapter 4 of 22•34 verses
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REVIEWED OVERVIEW

1 Kings 4 Overview

The chapter lists Solomon’s chief officials and twelve regional officers who provision the royal household. It describes a broad, peaceful kingdom, abundant supply, and people dwelling securely. Solomon’s wisdom exceeds that of renowned eastern and Egyptian sages; he speaks thousands of proverbs and songs and studies plants and animals. People from many nations come to hear him.

1 KingsBook
4Chapter
34Verses
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Before you read 1 Kings 4

Coming from

Chapter 3 established Solomon’s God-given judicial wisdom in one difficult case.

In this chapter

The focus widens from a courtroom judgment to the administration and intellectual breadth of the whole kingdom.

Leads into

Chapter 5 uses this peace and organization to begin temple preparations with Hiram king of Tyre.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The administrative lists matter because they show how a large centralized kingdom actually functioned. The ‘vine and fig tree’ language describes settled security. Solomon’s thousands of proverbs and songs explain his literary fame, but the chapter does not say all of them are preserved in Scripture.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Solomon’s wisdom affects administration as well as legal decisions.

Truth 2

The period gives Israel unusual national peace after the instability of Judges and Samuel.

Truth 3

Wisdom includes observation of the natural world, not only politics or religion.

Truth 4

International visitors are already coming to hear Solomon before the queen of Sheba appears.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Genesis 15:18 helps frame the broad territorial language of Solomon’s rule.

Connection 2

First Kings 10 develops the international fame introduced here.

Connection 3

Proverbs 1:1 identifies many biblical proverbs with Solomon, while Ecclesiastes presents a son of David ruling in Jerusalem.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Do not assume the scale of royal provision is automatically an ideal economic model.

Keep this clear 2

National peace under the Mosaic covenant is not the same subject as receiving eternal life.

Keep this clear 3

Do not claim the Bible contains every proverb and song Solomon ever produced.

Read 1 Kings 4 watching for…

The different kinds of officials named.

How the twelve districts provision the court.

The geographical reach of the kingdom.

The picture of ordinary security.

The range of subjects included in Solomon’s wisdom.

TWBC REVIEW STANDARD

Plain language. Scripture first. Fact distinguished from inference. No filler. No fake certainty. Designed to help you read the Bible itself.

Chapter outline3 sections
1-19Solomon’s princes and officers are listed20-28Judah and Israel prosper, and Solomon’s kingdom is supplied29-34God gives Solomon great wisdom and fame
1

So king Solomon was king over all Israel.

2

And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest,

3

Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.

4

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:

5

And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king's friend:

6

And Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.

7

And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision.

8

And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim:

9

The son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elonbethhanan:

10

The son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher:

11

The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife:

12

Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam:

13

The son of Geber, in Ramothgilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen bars:

14

Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:

15

Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife:

16

Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth:

17

Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar:

18

Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin:

19

Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead, in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer which was in the land.

20

Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.

21

And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.

22

And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,

23

Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.

24

For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.

25

And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.

26

And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

27

And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing.

28

Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.

29

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.

30

And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

31

For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.

32

And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.

33

And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.

34

And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.

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1 Kings 4:10

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