1KI 4

1 Kings 4:3

WEB

Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder;

BSB

Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;

KJV

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

Matthew Henry

Verses 1–19

1 Kings 4:1–19

Here we have,

I. Solomon upon his throne (Kg1 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 observable, 1. That several of them are the same that were in his father's time. Zadok and Abiathar were then priests (Sa2 20:25), so they were now; only then Abiathar had the precedency, now Zadok. Jehoshaphat was then recorder, or keeper of the great seal, so he was now. Benaiah, in his father's time, was a principal man in military affairs, and so he was now. Shisha was his father's scribe, and his sons were his, Kg1 4:3. Solomon, though a wise man, would not affect to be wiser than his father in this matter. When sons come to inherit their father's wealth, honour, and power, it is a piece of respect to their memory, caeteris paribus - where it can properly be done, to employ those whom they employed, and trust those whom they trusted. Many pride themselves in being the reverse of their good parents. 2. The rest were priests' sons. His prime-minister of state was Azariah the son of Zadok the priest. Two others of the first rank were the sons of Nathan the prophet, Kg1 4:5. In preferring them he testified the grateful respect he had for their good father, whom he loved in the name of a prophet.

III. The purveyors for his household, whose business it was to send in provisions from several parts of the country, for the king's tables and cellars (Kg1 4:7) and for his stables (Kg1 4:27, Kg1 4:28), that thus, 1. His house might always be well furnished at the best hand. Let great men learn hence good house-keeping, to be generous in spending according to their ability, but prudent in providing. It is the character of the virtuous woman that she bringeth her food from afar (Pro 31:14), not far-fetched and dear-bought, but the contrary, every thing bought where it is cheapest. 2. That thus he himself, and those who immediately attended him, might be eased of a great deal of care, and the more closely apply themselves to the business of the state, not troubled about much serving, provision for that being got ready to their hand. 3. That thus all the parts of the kingdom might be equally benefited by the taking off of the commodities that were the productions of their country and the circulating of the coin. Industry would hereby be encouraged, and consequently wealth increased, even in those tribes that lay most remote from the court. The providence of God extends itself to all places of his dominions (Psa 103:22); so should the prudence and care of princes. 4. The dividing of this trust into so many hands was prudent, that no man might be continually burdened with the care of it nor grow exorbitantly rich with the profit of it, but that Solomon might have those, in every district, who, having a dependence upon the court, would be serviceable to him and his interest as there was occasion. These commissioners of the victualling-office, not for the army or navy (Solomon was engaged in no war), but for the household, are here named, several of them only by their surnames, as great men commonly call their servants: Ben-hur, Ben-dekar, etc., though several of them have also their proper names prefixed. Two of them married Solomon's daughters, Ben-Abinadab (Kg1 4:11) and Ahimaaz (Kg1 4:15), and no disparagement to them to marry men of business. Better match with the officers of their father's court that were Israelites than with the sons of princes that were strangers to the covenant of promise. The son of Geber was in Ramoth-Gilead (Kg1 4:19), and Geber himself was in the country of Sihon and Og, which included that and Mahanaim, Kg1 4:14. He is therefore said to be the only officer in that land, because the other two, mentioned Kg1 4:13, Kg1 4:14, depended on him, and were subordinate to him.

Cross-references: 1Kgs 4:1 · 2Sam 20:25 · 1Kgs 4:3 · 1Kgs 4:5 · 1Kgs 4:7 · 1Kgs 4:27 · 1Kgs 4:28 · Prov 31:14 · Ps 103:22 · 1Kgs 4:11 · 1Kgs 4:15 · 1Kgs 4:19 · 1Kgs 4:14 · 1Kgs 4:13

Hebrew interlinear

H456

אֱלִיחֹרֶףʼĔlîychôreph/el-ee-kho'-ref/

n-pr-m — Elichoreph

Derivation: from 410 and 2779; God of autumn;

Elichoreph, an Israelite

KJV: Elihoreph.

אֱלִיחֹ֫רֶף

n.pr.m — Elihoreph

אֱלִיחֹ֫רֶף n.pr.m. (Autumn God?) one of Solomon’s scribes 1 K 4:3.

H281

אֲחִיָּהʼĂchîyâh/akh-ee-yaw/

n-pr-m — Achijah

Derivation: or (prolonged) אֲחִיָּהוּ ; from 251 and 3050; brother (i.e. worshipper) of Jah;

Achijah, the name of nine Israelites

KJV: Ahiah, Ahijah.

אֲחִיָּ֫הוּ

n.pr.m — Ahi

אֲחִיָּ֫הוּ, אֲחִיָה (always, exc. where other form noted), אֲחִי n.pr.m. (brother of Yah(u))

1. a priest

2. a scribe

3. a prophet

4. father of king Baasha

5. grandson of Hezron

6. son of Ehud, of Benj.

7. one of Dvd’s heroes

8. a Levite, Dvd’s time

9. a chief man under Nehem.

10. a Gadite

11. a man of Asher

H1121

בֵּןbên/bane/

n-m — son

Derivation: from 1129;

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)

KJV: afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ( ) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, (young) bullock, (young) calf, × came up in, child, colt, × common, × corn, daughter, × of first, firstborn, foal, very fruitful, postage, × in, kid, lamb, ( ) man, meet, mighty, nephew, old, ( ) people, rebel, robber, × servant born, × soldier, son, spark, steward, stranger, × surely, them of, tumultuous one, valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

בֵּן

n.m — son

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

1. son, male child, born of a woman

2. children (male and female)

3. youth, young men

4. the young of animals

5. of plant shoots

6. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

7.

a. member of a guild, order or class

b. of animals son of (the) herd

8. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

9. n. relat. of age

בְּנוֹ

n.pr.m — his son

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

H7894

שִׁישָׁאShîyshâʼ/shee-shaw'/

n-pr-m — Shisha

Derivation: from the same as 7893; whiteness;

Shisha, an Israelite

KJV: Shisha.

שִׁישָׁא

n.pr.m — Shisha

שִׁישָׁא n.pr.m. Solomon’s time, 1 K 4:3

H5608

סָפַרçâphar/saw-far'/

v n-m — score, inscribe, enumerate, recount, celebrate

Derivation: a primitive root;

properly, to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe, and also to enumerate; intensively, to recount, i.e. celebrate

KJV: commune, (ac-) count; declare, number, penknife, reckon, scribe, shew forth, speak, talk, tell (out), writer.

סָפַר

vb — count

סָפַר 107 vb. count, Pi. recount, relate

Qal 27

1. count things, to learn their number

2. number = take account of, carefully observe and consider, reckon

Niph. be counted, numbered

Pi. 67 recount, rehearse, declare

Pu. be recounted, related, rehearsed

סֹפֵר

n.m — enumerator

סֹפֵר, סוֹפֵר n.m. enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe

H3092

יְהוֹשָׁפָטYᵉhôwshâphâṭ/yeh-ho-shaw-fawt'/

n-pr-m n-pr-loc — Jehoshaphat

Derivation: from 3068 and 8199; Jehovah-judged;

Jehoshaphat, the name of six Israelites; also of a valley near Jerusalem

KJV: Jehoshaphat. Compare 3146.

יְהוֹשָׁפָט

n.pr.m — Jehoshaphat. Compare

יְהוֹשָׁפָט, יוֹשָׁפָט n.pr.m. (י׳ hath judged)

1. king of Judah, son of Asa

2. father of Jehu king of Israel

3. chronicler under David & Solomon, son of Ahilud

4. one of Sol.’s 12 officers who provided victuals for the royal household

5. one of David’s heroes

6. a priest & trumpeter in David’s time

7. in n.pr.loc., symbolical name of a valley near Jerusalem, place of ultimate judgment.

H286

אֲחִילוּדʼĂchîylûwd/akh-ee-lood'/

n-pr-m — Achilud

Derivation: from 251 and 3205; brother of one born;

Achilud, an Israelite

KJV: Ahilud.

אֲחִילוּד

n.pr.m — Ahilud

אֲחִילוּד n.pr.m. (child’s brother (?))

1. father of Jehoshaphat, David’s chronicler

2. father of Baana, officer of Solomon

H2142

זָכַרzâkar/zaw-kar'/

v — mark, remember, mention, be male

Derivation: a primitive root; also as denominative from 2145

properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; to be male

KJV: × burn (incense), × earnestly, be male, (make) mention (of), be mindful, recount, record(-er), remember, make to be remembered, bring (call, come, keep, put) to (in) remembrance, × still, think on, × well.

זָכַר

vb — remember

זָכַר vb. remember

Qal

I. Human subj.

1. remember, recall, call to mind, usu. as affecting present feeling, thought or action

2. remember persons (human subj.)

3. remember י׳

4. remember

5. think of or on, call to mind something present or future

6. remember a day, to observe, commemorate it

7. remember, with implied mention of, obj.

II. Subj. י׳ (אלהִם)

1. remember persons

2.

a. remember the distress of his servants

b. their devotion

3.

a. remember his own covenant (with them)

b. his mercy

c. extenuating circumstances

4. remember sins, idolatries

Niph.

1. be brought to remembrance, remembered, thought of, usu. c. neg.

2. neg. be not remembered = no longer exist, of name of Israel, as nation

3. be remembered, of particular days, in order to be observed, commemorated

Hiph.

1. cause to remember, remind

2. cause to be remembered, keep in remembrance

3. mention

4. record, only pt.

5. of sacrifice, make a memorial

Bible49 app

Get translation compare, commentary, and interlinear study — offline, on iPhone and Mac.

See Bible49