Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Kings 4

SO king Solomon was king over all Israel .

This is spoken with respect to his Successors, who were Kings onely over a part, and that the smallest part of it. Or, in reference to the times of Division and Rebellion under David; when part went after David, and part after Ishbosheth; or part after Absalom, or Zeba, or Adonijah: but now all Israel were united under Solomon, and adhered to him, not onely a part of them; especially since the death of Adonijah and Ioab (who may be suspected to have watched an opportunity of revolting), and the confinement of Abiathar, and of Shimei (if not his death also) who could now have little or no interest or opportunity of setting up a party against Solomon (their principals being taken away, to whom they were but accessaries); nor in probability, any design to attempt it.

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

i. e. The chief Rulers or Officers belonging to him.

Or, the Grand-son, by comparing this with 1 Chron. 6. 8, 9.

Either Zadok the Priest, 1 Chron. 6. 8, 9. or some other of that name.

So he was the second Priest, or the Priest that attended upon Solomon's person in Holy Offices and Administrations. But when this Sacred Writer professeth to give an account of Solomon's Princes, Why should he put the second Priest, or Solomon's Domestick Priest, in the first place? Or, why should he be mentioned distinctly from his Father, who was generally present with Solomon, and could easily, either by himself, or some other fit person or persons appointed by him, manage all the Kings Sacred concerns? Or, why is he named before his Father? Others therefore render this Hebrew word, Prince, as it is used, Gen. 41. 45. and 47. 22, 26. Exod. 2. 16. 2 Sam. 8. 18. So he was either the chief in Dignity, the first Prince, and the highest Officer in the State next to the King: or the chief Minister of State, by whom the great Affairs of State were managed and prepared for the Kings consideration, &c.

Marginal references: Or, the chief officer.

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

i. e. Secretaries of State. He chose two, whereas David had but one: either, because he observed some inconveniencies in trusting all those matters in one hand: or, because he had now much more employment than David had, this being a time of great Peace and Prosperity, and his Empire enlarged, and his correspondencies with Foreign Princes more frequent.

Of which see on 2 Sam. 8. 16.

Marginal references: Or, secretaries.; Or, remembrancer.

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

i. e. The High-Priests, to wit, successively, first Abiathar, and then Zadok. Quest. Why is Abiathar named when he was deposed? Ans. First, Because it is ordinary for persons to retain the Names and Titles of those places which in reallity they have lost. Secondly, Because though he was deposed from the High-Priesthood, yet he was a Priest and the Chief of one of the Priestly Families: and as Zadok was joyntly named with Abiathar when Abiathar alone was the High-Priest, as 2 Sam. 8. 17. and 20. 25▪ so now Zadok and Abiathar are joyned, although the High-Priesthood was rested in Zadok alone. Thirdly, Possibly Abiathar, though he was deposed from the Supreme Priesthood, yet upon his serious repentance, and by the intercession of his Friends, was restored to the execution of the Priestly Office, and put into that place which Zadok enjoyed when Abiathar was High-Priest. Fourthly, Some say that here is mention made of all Solomon's Chief Officers, both such as now were, and such as had been, and such as were afterwards, as they gather from v. 11. and 15. where two persons are named who Married two of Solomon's Daughters, which could not be till many Years after this time.

5 And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers : and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer , and the kings friend .

Or, Overseers, or Surveyors, to wit, over those twelve Officers named ver. 7, &c. where this Hebrew word is used, who were all subject, and to give up their accounts to him. Though the word signifies any Governors or Commanders of the higher sort, as 1 King. 5. 16. 2 Chron. 8. 10.

The Prophet, who had been so highly instrumental in Solomon's Establishment in the Throne.

Possibly, President of the Kings Council. The Hebrew word is Cohen, which ver. 2. is rendred Priest, whence some read this place thus: Zabud the son of Nathan the Priest, or the Minister (as the word properly signifies, and that Title well enough agrees to a Prophet, or the Prince: for the Prophet Nathan was a man considerable both for his quality, and for his honour and esteem with the King), was the kings friend.

Either his special favourite, both for his Fathers sake and for his own, having, it seems, been brought up with him: or, his confident, with whom he used to communicate his most secret counsels

6 And Abishar was over the houshold : and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute .

Steward of the Kings Houshold.

To wit, the personal Tribute, or the Levy of men, as appears by comparing this with chap. 5. 13, 14. it being very sit that there should be some one person to whom the chief conduct or inspection of that great business was committed.

Marginal references: Chap. 5. 14.; Or, levy.

8 And these are their names: the son of Hur in mount Ephraim.

This and others of them are denominated from their Fathers, because they were known and famous in their generation.

Marginal references: Or, Ben-h[illegible: 1+ letters].

9 The son of Dekar in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elon-Beth-hanan .

Or, Elon, the house or dwelling place of Hanan; and Hanan may be a mans name, and this place may be so differenced from other Elons. Or, the plain (for so the Hebrew word signifies) of Beth-hanan.

Marginal references: Or, Bendeka[illegible: 1+ letters].

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

There were two Sochohs, but both near together. See Ios. 15. 35, 48.

In Iudah. See 1 Chron. 4. 6.

Marginal references: Or, Ben-hesed.

11 The son of Abinadab in all the region of Dor , which had Taphath the daughter of Solo-mon to wife.

In Manasseh within Iordan, where also were Tamach, Megiddo, and Bethshean, v. 12.

Marginal references: Or, Ben-a[illegible: 1+ letters] nadab.

12 Baana the son of Ahilud, to him pertained Taanach, and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel , from Beth-shean to Abel-Meholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jockneam.

Which was in Issachar. And this seems added to distinguish it from that Zartanah, Ios. 3. 16.

13 The son of Geber in Ramoth Gilead , 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 brazen bars .

Ramoth in the Land of Gilead, Deut. 4. 43. Ios. 20. 8. 1 King. 22. 3. so called to difference it from Ramoth in Issachar, 1 Chr. 6. 73.

In Manasseh beyond Iordan. See Numb. 32. 41. Deut. 3. 14.

This is added by way of distinction from those Towns of Iair. For being without Iordan, they were liable to the attempts of their Enemies.

Marginal references: Or, Ben-[illegible: 1 word].

14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim .

The City and Territory of Mahanaim: of which see Gen. 32. 2. Ios. 13. 26. But this seems too narrow a compass for one of these great Officers, and unequal to the rest: although these portions seem not to be distributed into equal portions of Land, but into larger or lesser parts, according to their fertility or barrenness. And this seems to have been a very fruitful place. See 2 Sam. 17. 27. Or, to Mahanaim. So he may understand all the space from the parts last mentioned to Mahanaim, which was in the Tribe of Gad.

Marginal references: Or, to [illegible: 1+ letters] naim.

18 Shimei the son of Elah , in Benjamin.

Which he adds to distinguish him from that cursed and cursing Shimei, 2 Sam. 16. 5.

19 Geber the son of Uri was in the countrey of Gilead , in the countrey of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Bashan: and he was the onely officer which was in the land .

i. e. In the remaining part of that Land of Gilead, which was mentioned above, v. 19.

Or rather, in that land, for the Hebrew points intimate that the emphatical Article is there understood, to wit, in all Gilead, excepting the parcels mentioned before, in all the Territories of Sihon and Og; which because they were of large extent, and yet all committed to this one man, it is here noted concerning him as his priviledge above the rest, whose Jurisdictions were of a narrower extent.

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.

Euphrates: for so far David, having conquered the Syrians, extended his Empire, which Solomon also maintained in that extent. And so Gods promise concerning the giving of the whole Land, as far as Euphrates, to the Israelites, was fulfilled. And, if the Israelites had multiplied so much that the Land of Canaan would not suffice them, having Gods grant of all the Land as far as Euphrates, they might have seized upon it whensoever occasion required.

Which is to be understood inclusively; for it is unreasonable to think that the Philistines were not within Solomon's dominion.

Unto the River Sihor, which was the border between Egypt and Canaan, Ios. 13. 3. Compare Gen. 15. 18.

By Tribute, or other ways, as he needed and required.

22 ¶ And Solomons provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and three score measures of meal ,

Heb. Cors: each of which contained ten Ephah's, Exod. 16. 36. So this Provision was sufficient for near three thousand persons.

Of a courser sort for common use, and for the inferior sort.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters]eb. bread.; Heb. Cor[illegible: 1+ letters].

23 Ten fat oxen , and twenty oxen out of the pastures , and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and ro-bucks, and fallow▪ deer, and fatted fowl.

Fatted in stalls.

Well fleshed, tender and good, though not so fa[illegible: 1+ letters] as the former.

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.

Either that Tiphsah, 2 King. 15. 16. which was in the Kingdom of Israel within Iordan. Or, rather, another place of that name upon the river now mentioned, to wit, Eu [illegible: 1+ letters]ates, even that eminent City which is mentioned by Ptolemy, and Strabo, and Pliny, called Thapsarum. And this best agrees with the following Azzah, which was the border of Canaan in the South and West, Gen. 10. 19. Deut. 2. 23. as Tiphsab was in the North and East. And so his Dominion is described by both its borders.

Who owned subjection, and payed Tribute to 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.

Enjoying the fruit of his own labours with safety and comfort. Under these two Trees, which were most used and cultivated by the Israelites, he understands all other Fruitbearing Trees, and all other comforts, by a Synecdoche. And they are brought in as sitting or dwelling under these Trees, partly for recreation or delight in the shade; and partly, for the comfort or advantage of the Fruit; and withal, to note their great security, not onely in their strong Cities, but even in the Country, where the Vines and Figtrees grew, which were most open to the incursions of their Enemies.

Marginal references: Heb. confidently.; [illegible: 1 word]. 4. 4.

26 ¶ And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his charets , and twelve thousand horsemen .

In 2 Chron. 9. 25. it is but four thousand. Ans. First, Some acknowledge an error of the Transcriber, writing arbal[illegible: 1+ letters]m, forty, for arbah, four, which was an easie mistake. And such mistakes in some Copies, in these lesser matters, God might permit, for the trial and exercise of our Faith, without any prejudice to the Authority of the Sacred Scriptures in the great Doctrines of Faith and good life. Secondly, It is not exactly the same Hebrew word which is here and there, though we Translate both stalls; and therefore there may well be allowed some difference in the signification, the one signifying properly stables, of which there were 4000, the other stalls or partitions for each Horse, which were 40000. Which great number seems directly forbidden, Deut. 17. 16. except Solomon had some particular dispensation from God, which might be, though it be not Recorded.

Both for his Military Charets, which seem to be those 1400, 1 King. 10. 26. and for divers other uses, as about his great and various Buildings, and Merchandises, and other occasions, which might require some thousands of other Charets.

Appointed partly for the defence and preservation of his People in peace; and partly, for attendance upon his Person, and for the Splendor of his Government. Compare chap. 10. 26. But the words may be otherwise rendred, and 12000 horses, for Parash manifestly signifies both an horse and horsemen. And these might be a better [illegible: 1+ letters]ort of Horses than most of those which were designed for the Charets. Or thus, and for (which Particle is easily understood and bortowed from the foregoing clause) 12000 horsemen: and so he means that the 40000 Horses were in part appointed for his Charets, and in part for his 12000 Horsemen.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters] Chr. 9. 25.

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

Named above, v. 7, &c.

Or rather, they suffered nothing to be lacking to any man that came thither, but plentifully provided all things necessary.

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.

Or, Mules, by comparing this with 2 Chron. 9. 24. or, Post-Horses: which are particularly mentioned and distinguished from the other Horses, because they took a more exact and particular care about them. Howsoever, it is agreed that these were swift Beasts, which is evident from Esth. 8. 10, 14. Mich. 1. 13.

Marginal references: Or, m[illegible: 1+ letters]es, or, swift beasts.

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

i. e. Either, First, Magnanimity, or generosity and greatness of spirit, whereby he was disposed and emboldened to undertake great things. But this seems not so well to suit with the following resemblance. Or rather, Secondly, Vastness of understanding, a most comprehensive knowledge of all things both Divine and humane: for this Wisdom is the thing for which he is here commended, both in the foregoing and following words.

Which cannot be numbred nor measured; and which, though it be so vast and comprehensive, yet consists of the smallest parts, and so it may note that Solomon's Wisdom was both vast, reaching to all things; and most accurate, searching and discerning every small thing.

30 And Solomons wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east countrey , and all the wisdom of Egypt .

The Caldaeans, Persians, and Arabians, who all lay Eastward from Canaan, and who were famous in ancient times for their Wisdom and Learning, as appears both from Sacred and Prophane Writers.

i. e. The Egyptians, whose Fame was then great for their Sk[illegible: 1+ letters]ll in the Arts and Sciences, which made them despise the Grecians as Children in knowledge. See Act. 7. 22.

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.

Either of his Nation: or, of his time: or, of all times and Nations, whether of the East or any other Countrey, excepting onely the first and second Adam.

Israelites of eminent Wisdom, probably the same mentioned, 1 Chron. 2. 6. and 15. 19. and 25. 4. Psal. 88. title and 89. title.

Of whom see 1 Chron. 2. 6.

Obj. All these four were the Sons of Zerah, 1. Chron. 2. 6. or of Ezrah, as others call him. Ans. Either, the same Man had two names, Zerah and Mahol, which was common amongst the Iews; and he might be called Mahol from his office or employment; for that signifies a Dance, or a Pipe; and he was expert in Musical Instruments, and so were his Sons, 1 Chron. 15. 17, 18, 19. who possibly may here be called by a vulgar Ebraism[illegible: 1+ letters], Sons of the Musical Instrument, from their dexterity in handling it, as upon another account we read of the daughters of musick, Eccles. 12. 4.

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

i. e. Short, and deep, and useful Sentences, whereof a great and the best part are contained in the Books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.

Whereof the chief and most Divine are in the Canticles.

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.

i. e. Of all Plants, of their nature and qualities: all which Discourses are lost, without any impeachment of the perfection of the Holy Scriptures; which were not Inspired and Written to teach men Philosophy or Physick, but onely to make men Wise to Salvation. See Ioh. 20. 31. 2 Tim. 3. 16, 17.

i. e. From the greatest to the least.

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

To wit, from all the Neighbouring Kings; universal Particles being frequently understood in a restrained sense; and such restriction is grounded upon the following words, where this is limited to such as heard of Solomon's Wisdom.