1 Kings Chapter 4

Solomon’s Administration
A. Solomon’s cabinet and governors.

1. (1 Kings 4:1-6) Solomon’s officials.

“So King Solomon was king over all Israel. And these were his officials: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest, Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, over the army, Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, Azariah the son of Nathan, over the officers, Zabud the son of Nathan, a priest and the king’s friend, Ahishar, over the household, and Adoniram the son of Abda, over the labor force.”

Solomon’s rise to authority over all Israel is marked by the establishment of a carefully structured administration. The list of officials reflects not only the size of the kingdom but also the wisdom of Solomon in surrounding himself with qualified and trustworthy men. Each name represents a deliberate appointment meant to stabilize the realm and ensure that the king’s commands were executed faithfully throughout the land.

a. “And these were his officials”: The narrative immediately reveals the fruit of Solomon’s God-given wisdom. Just as the case of the two mothers displayed his judicial discernment, this chapter demonstrates his administrative skill. Solomon understood that a kingdom cannot thrive under a one-man show. He selected, trained, empowered, and supervised leaders. His wisdom was not abstract, it produced order, delegation, and competence at every level of government.

Solomon was a leader of leaders. A godly man in authority recognizes limitations and therefore delegates responsibility, authority, and oversight to capable individuals. Wise leaders do not hoard tasks, they multiply effectiveness by placing the right people in the right positions. Solomon’s appointments show a leader who could discern character, capability, and fit, and who understood that the strength of a kingdom depends heavily on the competence of its administrators.

b. “The priest… scribes… the recorder”: Solomon’s government reflected a highly organized structure similar in principle to well-governed nations today. Priests dealt with spiritual matters, scribes handled documentation and royal correspondence, the recorder functioned as something like a chief of protocol or high secretary, the military had its own commander, and domestic affairs were handled by trusted overseers. Each office played a crucial role in keeping the kingdom functioning smoothly.

Solomon’s leadership reveals a mind that understood God’s own nature as a God of order. Scripture consistently shows that God works through structure and design, and Solomon imitated this approach by building a government that operated efficiently and with clarity.

Jehoshaphat, who had previously served under David, continued as the recorder and served in an elevated diplomatic capacity. His role was closer to what we would call a Secretary of State, managing protocol, communication, and high-level coordination.

The mention of Abiathar as a priest raises a textual question since Solomon exiled him earlier. Yet Solomon could remove him from active service without stripping him of his priestly identity. His title remained because priesthood, under the law, was not something a king could simply cancel. Solomon respected the boundaries of authority that God had established.

2. (1 Kings 4:7-19) Solomon’s governors.

“And Solomon had twelve governors over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household, each one made provision for one month of the year. These are their names, Ben Hur, in the mountains of Ephraim, Ben Deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Beth Hanan, Ben Hesed, in Arubboth, to him belonged Sochoh and all the land of Hepher, Ben Abinadab, in all the regions of Dor, he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as wife, Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach, Megiddo, and all Beth Shean, which is beside Zaretan below Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah, as far as the other side of Jokneam, Ben Geber, in Ramoth Gilead, to him belonged the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, in Gilead, to him also belonged the region of Argob in Bashan, sixty large cities with walls and bronze gate bars, Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim, Ahimaaz, in Naphtali, he also took Basemath the daughter of Solomon as wife, Baanah the son of Hushai, in Asher and Aloth, Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar, Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin, Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Bashan. He was the only governor who was in the land.”

This section lists the twelve governors whom Solomon appointed to administer the kingdom’s resources. Their primary duty was supplying food for the king’s household, each governor responsible for one month of provision annually. The regions listed cover an extensive and prosperous territory, demonstrating the size, organization, and strength of Israel under Solomon’s reign. Several of these governors married Solomon’s daughters, which further secured political loyalty and strengthened unity throughout the kingdom.

a. “Twelve governors over all Israel”: These men were responsible for organizing and collecting the resources necessary to sustain the royal court. Instead of drawing district lines according to the ancient tribal borders, Solomon reorganized the nation by region, terrain, and practical boundaries. This reveals an innovative mind and a king willing to restructure old systems for greater efficiency.

Solomon’s leadership was creative. In the past, a king may have selected governors strictly based on tribal divisions, but Solomon broke from tradition and designed a system better suited for the demands of a growing and centralized government. His approach shows that wisdom does not cling to tradition merely for tradition’s sake. He recognized that new challenges require new methods, and he was unafraid to adjust the administrative map of Israel to reflect geographical and economic realities.

The absence of Judah in this list has led many to conclude that Judah remained a separate district that either retained its previous structure or may have been exempted from certain taxes. Judah’s proximity to Jerusalem likely made its governance simpler and required no reorganization.

b. “Each one made provision for one month of the year”: Taxes in ancient Israel were often paid in produce, grain, livestock, and agricultural goods. These monthly responsibilities ensured that the king’s household, which would have included servants, officials, visiting dignitaries, military officers, and the entire royal court, was never lacking.

Solomon’s leadership was not oppressive. By dividing the responsibility evenly among twelve districts, no single region bore the burden continuously. Each governor handled only one twelfth of the yearly requirement. This system prevented burnout, spread the national load fairly, and ensured that no governor felt crushed under unreasonable expectations. It reflects a balanced approach to taxation and administration, creating stability without overreach.

This structure demonstrates Solomon’s wisdom in governance, combining organization, fairness, innovation, and strategic marriages that solidified loyalty throughout the kingdom. The administration under Solomon reveals a kingdom operating with order and prosperity, reflecting the blessing granted to Solomon by God.

B. The prosperity of Solomon and Israel.

1. (1 Kings 4:20-21) Peace and prosperity.

“Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing. So Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.”

The Holy Spirit describes the reign of Solomon in terms that reflect unparalleled national flourishing. Israel’s population multiplied abundantly, fulfilling God’s covenant promises, and the people enjoyed a rare season of peace, security, and prosperity. The nation experienced stability from the far reaches of the Euphrates down to Egypt’s border, with neighboring states voluntarily bringing tribute and recognizing Solomon’s authority. This was not simply the result of political strategy, it was the outworking of God’s blessing upon the Davidic throne.

a. “Numerous as the sand by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing”: This phrase intentionally echoes God’s covenant promise to Abraham in Genesis 22:17, where He said, “I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore.” Under Solomon, that promise became visibly fulfilled. The nation grew in population and in joy, living in days of security, prosperity, and contentment.

This was Israel’s golden age. The people enjoyed not only material abundance but the freedom to celebrate and rest without fear. Leisure, feasting, and rejoicing were the fruit of living under divinely granted peace.

b. “So Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt”: The boundary “the River” refers to the Euphrates, the northern marker of Israel’s promised territory in passages like Genesis 15:18. Under Solomon, Israel reached its broadest geographic influence in Old Testament history.

Solomon himself was not a warrior king. The peace he enjoyed was secured through David’s military victories and through the providential weakening of neighboring nations. David conquered threats and established dominance, and Solomon inherited that stability and expanded diplomatic influence rather than military borders. His reign shows the blessing that can follow the faithful labor of the previous generation.

2. (1 Kings 4:22-23) Solomon’s daily provision.

“Now Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty kors of fine flour, sixty kors of meal, ten fatted oxen, twenty oxen from the pastures, and one hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fatted fowl.”

The daily provision required to sustain Solomon’s court demonstrates the size, strength, and prosperity of the kingdom. It reflects the administrative effectiveness of the twelve governors, the wealth flowing into Jerusalem, and the scale of the royal household and administration.

a. “Ten fatted oxen”: This tremendous amount of food was not consumed by Solomon alone. It sustained his entire household, including servants, administrators, dignitaries, guards, foreign guests, and all those associated with the royal court. The fatted oxen were grain-fed cattle reserved for significant consumption, distinguished from pasture oxen.

Scholars estimate that the sheer volume of daily food listed here could feed between fifteen thousand and thirty-six thousand people. This emphasizes the size and complexity of Solomon’s administration and the prosperity necessary to maintain such a court.

b. “Thirty kors of fine flour”: A kor is roughly 220 liters, meaning thirty kors is approximately thirty fifty-five-gallon drums of fine flour delivered every day. This scale of grain consumption reflects a kingdom overflowing with resources. The supply chain required to maintain such provision shows careful organization and abundant agricultural production.

c. “One hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fatted fowl”: The list highlights variety rather than extravagance. This was not an emphasis on luxury for luxury’s sake, but evidence of a kingdom functioning at full strength. Livestock was plentiful, hunting reserves were stable, and resources were abundant.

Maclaren’s observation captures the point: Christianity may or may not bring a man earthly wealth, but it enables him to enjoy the good things God provides with gratitude and righteousness. Prosperity without God becomes idolatry, but prosperity with God becomes blessing. Under Solomon, the abundance of provision reflected the favor of the Lord upon His people.

This snapshot of daily provisions shows a kingdom at peace, flourishing under God’s blessing, and enjoying the fruit of wise administration and divine favor.

3. (1 Kings 4:24-28) The political stability of Solomon’s kingdom.

“For he had dominion over all the region on this side of the River from Tiphsah even to Gaza, namely over all the kings on this side of the River, and he had peace on every side all around him. And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, each man under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan as far as Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. And these governors, each man in his month, provided food for King Solomon and for all who came to King Solomon’s table. There was no lack in their supply. They also brought barley and straw to the proper place, for the horses and steeds, each man according to his charge.”

This passage highlights the unprecedented security, prosperity, and administrative excellence that marked Solomon’s reign. Israel enjoyed peaceful borders, economic abundance, agricultural stability, and national unity. It was a snapshot of what the kingdom could be when led under divine blessing and when Israel was faithful to the Lord.

a. “Each man under his vine and his fig tree”: This phrase became a well-known Jewish proverb symbolizing peace, security, and prosperity. It appears throughout Scripture to describe a life free from fear and oppression (Isaiah 36:16, Micah 4:4, Zechariah 3:10). The image reflects a man taking rest beside the fruit of his labor, signifying both safety from danger and enjoyment of God’s provision. The fact that this was true “from Dan as far as Beersheba” means the entire nation, from its northernmost point to its southern border, experienced this blessing.

b. “Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots”: The size of Solomon’s cavalry demonstrates the immense military strength of Israel at that time. However, 2 Chronicles 9:25 records the number as four thousand chariots rather than forty thousand stalls. Given scribal practices, the smaller number is likely original and the larger number the result of a copyist error in transmission.

Yet even with the corrected number, Solomon clearly assembled a massive cavalry force. This strength, however, reveals a troubling reality. In Deuteronomy 17:16, God warned future kings, “But he shall not multiply horses to himself.” Horses were symbols of military might and self-reliance. For Israel, multiplying horses demonstrated increasing dependence on military power rather than on the Lord.

Whether the number was four thousand or forty thousand, Solomon crossed the line God established. He did not take this command seriously, and this became one of the first cracks in the foundation of his later spiritual decline.

c. “Each man according to his charge”: This phrase describes the orderly system of provision established under Solomon. Each governor fulfilled his assigned duties, ensuring that the royal household and stables were always fully supplied. Their reliability and organization reflected both Solomon’s administrative skill and the prosperity of the kingdom.

Spurgeon drew rich spiritual application from these words. He noted that just as Solomon’s officers each had a specific responsibility, so every believer in the kingdom of Christ has a God-appointed task. No Christian is meant to be idle or ornamental. We are called to labor, to serve, and to burn brightly for Christ.

He emphasized that sacrificial giving and faithful service should be carried out in proportion to what God has entrusted to each believer. A poor servant girl may give a small coin, yet it may be a greater sacrifice than the wealthy giving much more. The standard is not comparison with others but faithfulness “according to his charge.”

Spurgeon concluded with a powerful declaration that all of life belongs to Jesus Christ. Every breath, every hour, every ability, every circumstance is to be placed in His hands. Whether in honor or dishonor, in strength or weakness, in life or death, our charge is to serve Christ with complete devotion. Everything for Jesus, every man according to his charge.

This passage therefore presents both the beauty of Solomon’s peaceful reign and the sobering reminder that even in seasons of blessing, obedience to God’s commands must never be neglected.

C. Solomon’s wisdom.

1. (1 Kings 4:29-31) Solomon is famous for his God-given wisdom.

“And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. Thus Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations.”

This passage describes the height of Solomon’s God-given wisdom. The Lord answered Solomon’s request in 1 Kings 3 and poured out supernatural discernment, breadth of mind, depth of understanding, and a capacity to perceive matters with clarity far beyond normal human ability. The phrase “largeness of heart” indicates intellectual breadth, emotional depth, and spiritual capacity. Solomon’s mind and heart were broadened by God to absorb, analyze, and apply truth in ways that surpassed all surrounding cultures.

a. “God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding”: In the golden years of Solomon’s reign, he walked in the fullness of what God had granted him. He judged righteously, administrated wisely, and governed the nation with remarkable insight. Yet his wisdom did not guarantee faithfulness. Later in his life, Solomon drifted from the Lord and compromised with idolatry (1 Kings 11:1-11). This shows that spiritual gifts, even God-given wisdom, do not replace the need for obedience and ongoing devotion.

The tragedy of Solomon is that a man so richly endowed by God could fall so deeply when he ceased to apply the very wisdom he possessed. His early years display what God can do through a surrendered man. His later years show what happens when the heart drifts from wholehearted devotion.

b. “His fame was in all the surrounding nations”: Solomon’s renown extended far beyond Israel. He became internationally recognized in the ancient world, admired by kings, philosophers, and leaders. This prominence fulfilled the covenant promises God made to Israel in the law.

God declared in Deuteronomy 28:1,
“Now it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth.”

He promised in Deuteronomy 28:10,
“And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of thee.”

Under Solomon, these blessings visibly unfolded. Other nations saw Israel’s prosperity, wisdom, and order, and they recognized God’s favor resting upon the king. Yet it is important to note that these blessings flowed not merely from Solomon’s obedience but from David’s. David’s devotion shaped the foundation upon which Solomon stood. God honored Solomon for David’s sake, blessing the son because of the faithfulness of the father.

Israel’s golden age was therefore, in many ways, the fruit of David’s covenant loyalty and wholehearted pursuit of God.

c. “He was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman”: The biblical writers mention Ethan and Heman to emphasize the scope of Solomon’s wisdom. Ethan authored Psalm 89, and Heman wrote Psalm 88. Both were known in Israel for depth, insight, and poetic skill. If Solomon surpassed even these revered men, then his wisdom was extraordinary indeed.

The other two names, Chalcol and Darda, are known only from this passage, but their inclusion suggests they were celebrated sages of their time. Solomon outshone them all.

The wisdom God gave Solomon elevated Israel, strengthened the nation, and made the king’s name known across the world. It was a testimony to what God can do with a man whose heart, at that time, was surrendered to Him.

2. (1 Kings 4:32-34) Solomon’s broad knowledge of science and nature.

“He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springeth out of the wall, he spoke also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.”

These verses show that the wisdom God gave Solomon was not limited to moral instruction or political judgment. His understanding extended into the natural world, the sciences of his day, and the full spectrum of life in God’s creation. Solomon was a student of Scripture, a philosopher, a scientist, a poet, and a keen observer of the natural order. His intellect was extraordinary, not merely because he learned much, but because God enlarged his mind to comprehend what others could not.

a. “He spoke three thousand proverbs”:
A large portion of Solomon’s Spirit-inspired wisdom forms the core of the Book of Proverbs. These sayings are not merely clever statements but divine instruction for life, covering morality, relationships, work ethic, speech, marriage, finances, and human conduct. Solomon’s proverbs contain condensed truth, each statement revealing deep insight into how life operates under God’s order.

b. “His songs were one thousand and five”:
Solomon was a prolific songwriter, though his music never reached the spiritual depth of David’s psalms. David was “the sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Samuel 23:1), and his songs reflected a deep, intimate walk with God. Solomon’s many songs show breadth of creativity but not the same devotional closeness. This difference highlights Solomon’s weaker relationship with God when compared to his father David, even at the height of his wisdom.

c. “He spoke of trees… of beasts… of fowl… of creeping things… of fishes”:
Solomon’s wisdom included a comprehensive understanding of the natural world. He studied trees from the tallest cedars of Lebanon to the small hyssop that grows in the cracks of stone walls. He carefully observed animals, birds, insects, and marine life. His wisdom was applied to both human behavior and the created order.

Dilday notes that ancient botanical rankings placed the cedar at the top and hyssop at the bottom, showing that Solomon’s study covered the full range of plant life. His knowledge was not superficial, it was thorough and all-encompassing.

Wiseman points out that other ancient kings boasted of creating zoological and botanical gardens in their capitals, and Solomon appears to have done the same. His knowledge was not theoretical only but involved active observation, collection, and study. He sought to understand God’s creation, recognizing the wisdom of the Creator woven into the world around him.

i. “Ancient rankings put the cedar tree at the top… hyssop at the lowest”:
This shows Solomon’s study was exhaustive, covering the full botanical spectrum.

ii. “The creation of zoological and botanical gardens…”
This demonstrates both scientific curiosity and royal achievement in Solomon’s day.

iii. The old rabbinic story about Solomon and the serpent:
The rabbis delighted in illustrating Solomon’s wisdom with imaginative tales. In this story, a man and a serpent dispute over treasure, and Solomon demonstrates fairness in judgment by insisting both parties be on equal footing before presenting their case. When the serpent quotes the verse about bruising the heel of man, Solomon reminds the man of God’s command to crush the serpent’s head — and justice is swiftly administered.

While these stories are not Scripture, they reflect how deeply Israel associated Solomon with discernment, fairness, and divine wisdom.