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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 4:1-19

Here we have, I. Solomon upon his throne (1 Kgs. 4:1): So king Solomon was king, that is, he was confirmed and established king over all Israel, and not, as his successors, only over two tribes. He was a king, that is, he did the work and duty of a king, with the wisdom God had given him. Those preserve the name and honour of their place that mind the business of it and make conscience of it. II. The great officers of his court, in the choice of whom, no doubt, his wisdom much appeared. It is... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 4:20-28

Such a kingdom, and such a court, surely never any prince had, as Solomon's are here described to be. I. Such a kingdom. Never did the crown of Israel shine so brightly as it did when Solomon wore it, never in his father's days, never in the days of any of his successors; nor was that kingdom ever so glorious a type of the kingdom of the Messiah as it was then. The account here given of it is such as fully answers the prophecies which we have concerning it in Ps. 72:1-20, which is a psalm for... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 4:29-34

Solomon's wisdom was more his glory than his wealth, and here we have a general account of it. I. The fountain of his wisdom: God gave it him, 1 Kgs. 4:29. He owns it himself. Prov. 2:6; The Lord giveth wisdom. He gives the powers of reason (Job 38:36), preserves and improves them. The ordinary advances of them are owing to his providence, the sanctification of them to his grace, and this extraordinary pitch at which they arrived in Solomon to a special grant of his favour to him in answer to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 4:1

So King Solomon was king over all Israel. As David his father was not at first, only over Judah, and as Solomon's successors were not, after the division of the kingdom under his son Rehoboam; though this seems to have a particular respect to what is related in the preceding chapter concerning the wisdom of Solomon, for which he was so famous, that he reigned by the consent of all, and in the hearts of all the people of Israel. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 4:2

And these were the princes which he had ,.... That were in office about him, in the highest posts of honour and trust: Azariah the son of Zadok the priest : or rather his grandson, since Ahimaaz was the son of Zadok, and Azariah the son of Ahimaaz, 1 Chronicles 6:8 ; though another Zadok may be meant, and his son not a priest but a prince, as the word may be rendered, and was Solomon's prime minister of state, and the rather, since he is mentioned first. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 4:3

Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes ,.... Their father Shisha, the same with Sheva, was scribe only in David's time; and he being dead very probably, both his sons were continued in the office as secretaries of state, Solomon having more business for such an office, see 2 Samuel 20:25 ; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder ; who was in the same office in the times of David, and now held it under Solomon, 2 Samuel 8:16 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 4:4

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host ,.... General of the army in the room of Joab, 1 Kings 2:35 ; and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests ; so they were when Solomon came to the throne; but Abiathar was deposed by him after some time, though he might retain the name afterwards, and be employed, as Ben Gersom thinks, in case of necessity, in the room of Zadok, or, however, be employed as a common priest at Jerusalem, upon a reconciliation with Solomon; though Kimchi... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 4:5

And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers ,.... The twelve officers who provided food for Solomon's household after mentioned: and Zabud the son of Nathan ; another of the sons of Nathan the prophet: for he being a principal instrument of settling Solomon on the throne, had interest enough to promote his sons to the chief places of honour and trust: and this here was principal officer, and the king's friend ; a chief minister about him, very intimate with him, that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 4:6

And Abiathar was over the household ,.... Steward of the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute , over those that collected the tribute, as the Targum, whether from the people of Israel or other nations, or both; this man was in the same post in David's time, 2 Samuel 20:24 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 4:7

And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel ,.... Not with respect to the twelve tribes of Israel, for it does not appear that they had each of them a tribe under them, but some particular places in a tribe; but with respect to the twelve months of the year, in which each took his turn: which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision ; furnished food of all sorts out of the country in which they presided for the space of one month... read more

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