Every man under his vine - They were no longer obliged to dwell in fortified cities for fear of their enemies; they spread themselves over all the country, which they everywhere cultivated; and had always the privilege of eating the fruits of their own labors. This is the meaning of the phrase. read more
Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses - and twelve thousand horsemen - In 2 Chronicles 9:25 , instead of forty thousand stalls, we read four thousand; and even this number might be quite sufficient to hold horses for twelve thousand horsemen; for stalls and stables may be here synonymous. In 1 Kings 10:26 ; it is said he had one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; and this is the reading in 2 Chronicles 1:14 . In 2 Chronicles 9:25 ,... read more
And dromedaries - The word רכש rechesh , which we translate thus, is rendered beasts, or beasts of burden, by the Vulgate; mares by the Syriac and Arabic; chariots by the Septuagint; and race-horses by the Chaldee. The original word seems to signify a very swift kind of horse, and race-horse or post-horse is probably its true meaning. To communicate with so many distant provinces, Solomon had need of many animals of this kind. read more
The Golden Age. It has been cynically said that men always place the golden age in the past or in the future. Possibly they are not so far wrong after all. For, if our historian is true, there has been such a period in the history of the world. And if the Holy Gospel is true, there will be such a period hereafter. The reign of Solomon was the Augustan, the golden age, of Israel. The reign of Jesus, of which Solomon's empire was a foreshadowing, will be the golden age of the world. Let... read more
A Prosperous Reign. This chapter presents a general view of the prosperity of Solomon's reign, much of which was owing to the extraordinary, glory of the reign of David. Such a rule as David's sowed seeds of blessing m the land which it was Solomon's privilege to reap. David united the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, and Solomon came into quiet possession of the completed commonwealth. David laid the foundation, Solomon developed the fabric and adorned it. Each succeeding generation inherits... read more
And Solomon reigned [Heb. was reigning ] over all kingdoms [Heb. the kingdoms . That is, as suzerain, as is explained presently. So that Psalms 72:10 , Psalms 72:11 had its fulfilment] from the river [ i.e; the Euphrates, the river of that region: so called Genesis 31:21 ; Exodus 23:1-33 :81; 2 Samuel 10:16 . In Genesis 15:18 it is called "the great river, the river Euphrates." Similarly Joshua 1:4 ] unto [not in the Hebrew. It is found in the parallel... read more
And Solomon's provision [marg. bread, but לֶחֶם , strictly signifies any kind of food] for one day was thirty measures [Heb. cots. The כֹר was both a liquid and a dry measure ( Hebrews 5:11 ) and was the equivalent to the homer ( Ezekiel 45:14 ), but its precise capacity is doubtful. According to Josephus, it contained eighty-six gallons; according to the Rabbins, forty-four] of fine flour and threescore measures of meal . [Thenius calculates that this amount of flour would... read more
Ten fat [Heb. fatted, i.e; for table] oxen, and twenty fat oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts and roebucks [or gazelles] and fallowdeer [ Roebucks. The name Yahmur is still current in Palestine in this sense], and fatted fowl [This word ( בַּרְבֻּדִים ) occurs nowhere else. The meaning most in favour is geese .] read more
For [the connexion seems to be: Solomon could well support such lavish expenditure, because] he had dominion over all the region on this side [ בְּעֵבֶר strictly means, on the other side, beyond ( עָבַר , transiit ) . But here it must obviously mean on the west side, for Solomon's rule did not extend east of the Euphrates. The use of this word in this sense ( Joshua 5:1 ; Joshua 9:1 ; Joshua 12:7 ; 1 Chronicles 26:30 ; Ezra 8:36 ; Nehemiah 2:7 ) is generally... read more
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Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 4:22
Solomon's provision for one day: - Of fine flour 30 measures, or cors. Of meal 60 ditto. Stall-fed oxen 10 Ditto from the pasture 20 Sheep 100; with harts, roebucks, fallow deer, and fat fowls. The כר cor was the same as the homer , and contained nearly seventy-six gallons, wine measure, according to Bishop Cumberland. Sheep - צאן tson , comprehending both sheep and goats. Harts - מאיל meaiyal , the deer. Roebucks - צבי tsebi , the gazal, antelope, or wild goat.... read more