1 Kings 4:21-28

II. THE WONDERMENT OF THIS REIGN 4:21-34

With 1 Kings 4:21 (1 Kings 5:1 in the Hebrew) the author takes up the thought introduced in 1 Kings 4:20, viz., that Solomon ruled over a vast and happy people. The disconnected details recorded in this section serve to underscore the fact that the age of Solomon was the golden age of Israel. Here the author discusses (1) the extent and power of Solomon's kingdom (1 Kings 4:21-28); and (2) Solomon's profound wisdom and fame (1 Kings 4:29-34).

A. THE EXTENT AND POWER OF SOLOMON'S KINGDOM 4:21-28

TRANSLATION

(21) And Solomon became the ruler over all the kingdoms from the river to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt. They continued to bring presents and to serve Solomon all the days of his life. (22) Now the provision of Solomon for one day was thirty kors of fine flour and sixty kors of meal, (23) ten fat cattle, twenty cattle of the field, a hundred sheep besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and cribbed geese.[147] (24) For he ruled over all the land beyond the river from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings beyond the river; and he had peace on all sides round about him. (25) And Judah and Israel dwelt securely, each man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. (26) And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. (27) And these officers supplied provisions for Solomon and for all who came unto King Solomon's table, each man in his month; they did not lack a thing. (28) Also barley and straw for the horses, and steeds, they brought unto the place where they were, each man according to his assessment.

[147] The Hebrew word is of uncertain meaning. The translation proposed by Gray has been adapted here.

COMMENTS

Solomon's empire was vast, extending from the river, i.e., the Euphrates in the north, to the land of the Philistines, i.e., the Mediterranean shore on the west, to the border of Egypt on the south. The border of Egypt is generally regarded as the Wadi al-Arish, or River of Egypt which lies in the desert between Philistia and Egypt. The promise of Genesis 15:18 had now been fulfilled. This verse demonstrates that those millenialists who affirm that the land promise of Genesis 15 was never fulfilled are totally wrong. All these lands rendered tribute to Solomon and were under his domain all the days of his life (1 Kings 4:21).

The daily consumption of the royal household is next related so as to demonstrate the grandeur and luxury of Solomon's court. Each day approximately 340 bushels of fine flour and 155 bushels of meal were consumed (1 Kings 4:23).[148] Thirty head of beef, a hundred sheep, as well as wild game, were required daily at the royal tables (1 Kings 4:24). The stall-fed oxen were probably for the palace table, while these from the pasture were for the palace guards and inferior servants. It has been estimated that such a quantity of bread and meat would feed at least fourteen thousand persons and some estimates run as high as thirty-five thousand. Because of what is known of the extravagances in the royal courts of antiquity, even liberal scholars are forced to admit that the figures presented here may be sober history and not wild exaggeration.[149]

[148] Authorities differ as to how many bushels were in the kor measure. Estimates range from a high of eleven bushels to a low of 5.16 bushels. This lower equivalency has been used in the computation here. See Sellers, IDB, RZ, p. 835. Scott (BAR, III, 345-58) gives the equivalency as 6.25 bushels to a kor.

[149] Montgomery cites examples from the Persian and Egyptian court, (ICC, p. 128). According to Gray (OTL, p. 137) these instances indicate that this is no exaggeration here and may be an excerpt from official records.

Solomon's court provisions were commensurate with the size of his kingdom. He had control of the entire region of Beyond-the-River. This is a technical geographical designation for the region west of the Euphrates river. The northern most point in the empire was Tiphsah, a town on the west bank of the middle course of the Euphrates at its most important crossing-place. The southern most point was Azzah, i.e., Gaza, the last town in Palestine on the frontier of Egypt. All the kings in the Beyond-the-River region rendered tribute to Solomon. The author probably has in mind the kings of Syria conquered by David (2 Samuel 8:6) and of the Philistines (2 Samuel 8:1). But despite the wide extent of his kingdom, there was peace everywhere (1 Kings 4:24).[150] From Dan, at the headwaters of the Jordan, to Beersheba, on the edge of the southern wilderness every man sat under his vine and under his fig tree (1 Kings 4:25). This proverbial expression denotes rest and the undisturbed enjoyment of the fruits of the earth.

[150] Gray (OTL, p. 136) contends that this statement contradicts 1 Kings 11:23 which speaks of the Arameans revolting after the death of David. The present passage, however, is only asserting that the reign of Solomon was predominately peaceful. It may mean no more then than Israel did not itself suffer from the ravages of war.

In the note about Solomon's cavalry and chariotry, the author continues to paint the picture of the pomp and power of Israel's greatest king. At the same time the allusion to this multiplication of horses is an indication that Solomon was beginning to violate the law of God with respect to kings (cf. Deuteronomy 17:16). That the figure forty thousand for the number of stalls is a scribal error is indicated by two considerations: (1) In the parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 9:25 the figure given is four thousand; and (2) this lower figure is more in line with the number of chariots (fourteen hundred) possessed by Solomon (1 Kings 10:26). It was customary in the Near East to yoke two horses to each chariot. A third horse was usually provided for each chariot in case of an accident. Thus four thousand horses for his chariot force would be more than ample. In addition the king kept twelve hundred cavalry horses. This great number of horses and horsemen threw an extra burden on each of the twelve district governors mentioned in 1 Kings 4:7-19 (1 Kings 4:27). These officers faithfully brought barley, the food of the horses, and straw to the various depots throughout the land where the animals were kept (1 Kings 4:28). The dromedaries of the KJV are really the swift horses used by the king's messengers.