36 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST KINGS 4 As in the preceding chapter we have a proof of the wisdom and understanding which the Lord gave to Solomon, as promised, so in this an account is given of the riches and honour he was possessed of; of him, as king over all Israel, and of his princes, 1 Kings 4:1; of the providers of food for his household in the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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,...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
An instance of the wisdom God granted to Solomon we had in the close of the foregoing chapter. In this we have an account of his wealth and prosperity, the other branch of the promise there made him. We have here, I. The magnificence of his court, his ministers of state (ver. 1-6), and the purveyors of his household (ver. 7-19), and their office,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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:...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And these [are] their names,.... Or rather the names of their fathers; for of many of them not their own names but their fathers' names are given, as being well known: the son of Hur, in Mount Ephraim; a fruitful country in the tribe of Ephraim, from whence this officer was to furnish the king with provisions for one month in the year.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
The son of Dekar in Makaz,.... A place in the tribe of Dan, on the borders of it: and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elonbethhanan; all in the same tribe, see Joshua 19:41.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
The son of Hesed in Aruboth,.... Which seems to have been in the tribe of Judah by the places that follow: to him [pertained] Sochoh; there were two places of this name in that tribe, Joshua 15:35; and all the land of Hepher: there was an Hepher in the land of Canaan, which was a royal city in the times of the Canaanites, Joshua 12:17; and there...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
The son of Abinadab in all the region of Dor,.... The same with Dor and her towns, belonged to the half tribe of Manasseh, on this side Jordan, Joshua 17:11; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife; not when he was first put into this office, when, in all probability, Solomon had not a daughter marriageable; but behaving well in it, in...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Baana the son of Ahilud, [to him pertained] Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean,.... All which were places in the tribe of Manasseh, Joshua 17:11; which [is] by Zartanah beneath Jezreel; so described, to distinguish it, as is thought, from Zaretan in Joshua 3:16; and the country this officer presided over reached also from Bethshean to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
The son of Geber in Ramothgilead,.... A city in the tribe of Gad, and was a city of refuge, Joshua 20:8; to him [pertained] the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which [are] in Gilead; of which see Numbers 32:41; to him [also pertained] the region of Argob, which [is] in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls, and brasen bars; called by...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Ahinadab the son of Iddo [had] Mahanaim. Another city on the other side Jordan, where both Ishbosheth and David sometimes dwelt, 2 Samuel 2:8; this and the places adjacent must be very fruitful, since this officer was to furnish the king with provisions for a month once a year from hence,
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Ahimaaz [was] in Naphtali,.... Out of that tribe he made a monthly provision annually: he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife; another daughter of Solomon's, in course of time; [See comments on 1 Kings 4:11].
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Baanah the son of Hushai [was] in Asher,.... In the tribe of Asher; a very plentiful tribe, particularly for oil; this officer was perhaps the son of Hushai, the Archite, David's friend, and, it may be, promoted for his sake: and in Aloth; which signifies ascensions, mountains went upon by steps; near to this place was an high mountain, called the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah in Issachar. In the tribe of Issachar; he had the whole tribe at his command to make a monthly provision out of for the king once a year, as had the preceding officer and the following one.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Shimei the son of Elah in Benjamin. So described, to distinguish him from that Shimei that cursed David, who was of the same tribe; [See comments on 2 Samuel 16:5].