1 Kings 4
Lutheran reading notes
In 1 Kings chapter 4, the account continues the story of the united and divided monarchy of Israel. Lutheran interpretation frequently highlights how these events reveal both human sinfulness and God’s faithful promises. The chapter demonstrates the tension between human failure and God’s ongoing grace working through history.
1
So king Solomon was king over all Israel.
1 Kings 4:1 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
2
And these {were} the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest, {priest: or, chief officer}
1 Kings 4:2 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
3
Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder. {scribes: or, secretaries} {recorder: or, remembrancer}
1 Kings 4:3 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
4
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada {was} over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar {were} the priests:
1 Kings 4:4 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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:
1 Kings 4:5 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
6
And Ahishar {was} over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda {was} over the tribute. {tribute: or, levy}
1 Kings 4:6 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Kings 4:7 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
8
And these {are} their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim: {The son...: or, Benhur}
1 Kings 4:8 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
9
The son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elonbethhanan: {The son...: or, Bendekar}
1 Kings 4:9 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
10
The son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him {pertained} Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher: {The son...: or, Benhesed}
1 Kings 4:10 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
11
The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife: {The son...: or, Benabinadab}
1 Kings 4:11 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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:
1 Kings 4:12 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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: {The son...: or, Bengeber}
1 Kings 4:13 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
14
Ahinadab the son of Iddo {had} Mahanaim: {Mahanaim: or, to Mahanaim}
1 Kings 4:14 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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:
1 Kings 4:16 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
17
Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar:
1 Kings 4:17 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
18
Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin:
1 Kings 4:18 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Kings 4:19 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
20
Judah and Israel {were} many, as the sand which {is} by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
1 Kings 4:20 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Kings 4:21 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
22
And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, {provision: Heb. bread} {measures: Heb. cors}
1 Kings 4:22 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
23
Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.
1 Kings 4:23 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Kings 4:24 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {safely: Heb. confidently}
1 Kings 4:25 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
26
And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
1 Kings 4:26 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Kings 4:27 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {dromedaries: or, mules, or, swift beasts}
1 Kings 4:28 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
29
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that {is} on the sea shore.
1 Kings 4:29 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
30
And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
1 Kings 4:30 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Kings 4:31 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
32
And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
1 Kings 4:32 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Kings 4:33 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Kings 4:34 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.