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1 Kings 4

Solomon’s ordered kingdom, public peace, and far-reaching wisdom display the abundance of his reign, with God named as wisdom’s source.

Solomon rules over all Israel with a court of priests, scribes, military leaders, and an overseer of forced labor. Twelve district officers supply his household, each taking one month of the year. The narrator describes a vast realm receiving tribute, with people living in peace and a court requiring huge amounts of food. The account then turns to God’s gift of wisdom, which shapes Solomon’s speech and knowledge and draws hearers from many nations.

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1King Solomon was king over all Israel.
2These were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest;
3Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder;
4Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
5Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan was chief minister, the king’s friend;
6Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to forced labor.
7Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household. Each man had to make provision for a month in the year.
8These are their names: Ben Hur, in the hill country of Ephraim;
9Ben Deker, in Makaz, in Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Beth Hanan;
10Ben Hesed, in Arubboth (Socoh and all the land of Hepher belonged to him);
11Ben Abinadab, in all the height of Dor (he had Taphath, Solomon’s daughter, as wife);
12Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam;
13Ben Geber, in Ramoth Gilead (the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, belonged to him; and the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars, belonged to him);
14Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim;
15Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he also took Basemath the daughter of Solomon as wife);
18Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin;
19Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer who was in the land.
20Judah and Israel were numerous as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry.
21Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.
23ten head of fat cattle, twenty head of cattle out of the pastures, and one hundred sheep, in addition to deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl.
24For he had dominion over all on this side of the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side of the River; and he had peace on all sides around him.
25Judah and Israel lived safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
26Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
28They also brought barley and straw for the horses and swift steeds to the place where the officers were, each man according to his duty.
29God gave Solomon abundant wisdom, understanding, and breadth of mind like the sand that is on the seashore.
30Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.
31For he was wiser than all men—wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the nations all around.
32He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered one thousand five.
33He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that grows out of the wall; he also spoke of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish.
34People of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, sent by all kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
1 Kings 4:21The reach of Solomon’s rule explains the tribute flowing into his kingdom and the scale of his royal household.
1 Kings 4:29God is named as the source of Solomon’s wisdom before the account describes its range and international fame.
1 Kings 4:25The picture of each man beneath his vine and fig tree brings royal peace into the lives of the people.
Where this chapter reaches

Genesis shares the language of descendants as numerous as seaside sand and the promise of land reaching toward Egypt and the River. Joshua supplies many of the same places and conquered territories, while 2 Samuel names several officials who also appear in Solomon’s administration.

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After reading the whole chapter

What stands out when you read the people’s security beside the court’s daily provisions?

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How does Solomon’s knowledge of plants and animals shape your understanding of God-given wisdom?

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Questions people ask about 1 Kings 4

What does sitting under a vine and fig tree mean in 1 Kings 4?

Verse 25 pictures people living in safety on their own land, enjoying the crops that sustain them. The phrase appears alongside peace on every side and the span from Dan to Beersheba. It describes the security and prosperity of Judah and Israel under Solomon’s rule.

Why did Solomon have twelve officers?

The twelve officers organized supplies for Solomon’s household, with each responsible for one month of the year. Their duties also included fodder for the horses. The chapter names their districts and reports that nothing was lacking, showing the administrative work behind the court’s enormous daily needs.

What kind of wisdom did God give Solomon?

The chapter describes wisdom, understanding, and breadth of mind as gifts from God. Solomon’s knowledge ranged across trees and animals, and his speech included thousands of proverbs and songs. His wisdom surpassed renowned figures and drew people sent by kings from many nations to hear him.

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1 Kings · 22 chapters
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).