1 kings 3 and 4

Read 1 Kings 3 and 4 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions:

1 Kin 2:41-3:2 {p} Shimei’s execution + Solomon’s kingdom established + marriage to Pharaoh’s daughter
1 Kin 3:3-14 {s} The LORD visits Solomon in a dream; he asks for wisdom/ it is granted
1 Kin 3:15 {p} Solomon offered burnt + peace offerings before the ark in Jerusalem
1 Kin 3:16-23 {p} Two women come before Solomon; to judge between the dead and living child
1 Kin 3:24-27 {s} Solomon’s wise judgment determines the real mother
1 Kin 3:28 {p} All Israel heard of the king’s wise judgment and feared him
1 Kin 4:1 {s} So King Solomon was king over all Israel
1 Kin 4:2 {s} And these were his officials: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest
1 Kin 4:3a {s} Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes
1 Kin 4:3b {s} Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder
1 Kin 4:4a {s} Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, over the army
1 Kin 4:4b {s} Zadok and Abiathar, the priests
1 Kin 4:5a {s} Azariah the son of Nathan, over the officers
1 Kin 4:5b {s} Zabud the son of Nathan was chief minister and the king’s friend
1 Kin 4:6a {s} Ahishar, over the household
1 Kin 4:6b {s} and Adoniram the son of Abda, over the labor force
1 Kin 4:7 {s} Solomon had twelve governors who provided food for the king’s household
1 Kin 4:8 {s} These are their names: Ben-Hur, in the mountains of Ephraim
1 Kin 4:9 {s} Ben-Deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Beth Hanan
1 Kin 4:10 {s} Ben-Hesed, in Arubboth; to him belonged Sochoh and all the land of Hepher
1 Kin 4:11 {s} Ben-Abinadab, in the regions of Dor; he married Taphath the daughter of Solomon
1 Kin 4:12 {s} Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach, Megiddo, and all Beth Shean
1 Kin 4:13 {s} Ben-Geber, in Ramoth Gilead + the towns of Jair in Gilead + Argob in Bashan – 60 fortified cites
1 Kin 4:14 {s} Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim
1 Kin 4:15 {s} Ahimaaz, in Naphtali; he also took Basemath the daughter of Solomon as wife
1 Kin 4:16 {s} Baanah the son of Hushai, in Asher and Aloth
1 Kin 4:17 {s} Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar
1 Kin 4:18 {s} Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin
1 Kin 4:19-21 {p} Geber in Gilead, over all the others/ Solomon ruled from the Euphrates to the border of Egypt
1 Kin 4:22-25 {s} Solomon’s daily provision / his dominion / Judah and Israel dwelt safely all his days
1 Kin 4:26-28 {s} Solomon’s 40,000 horses + 12,000 chariots/ his governors provided food with no lack
1 Kin 4:29-34 {s} God gave Solomon great wisdom, so that there was none wiser than he in all the earth

The strong themes:

1 Kin 2:28-3:2 {s+s+p} Authority transferred from those who flaunted the king’s mercy, to those who submitted themselves to his will, thus Solomon’s kingdom established
1 Kin 3:3-15 {s+p} The LORD grants Solomon wisdom + he worshiped the LORD with gratitude for His gift
1 Kin 3:16-23 {p} Two women came before Solomon to judge between the dead and living child
1 Kin 3:24-28 {s+p} Solomon’s wise judgment determined the real mother; all Israel heard it and feared him
1 Kin 4:1-21 {sx22+p} Solomon was king over all Israel, even from Egypt to the Euphrates; his officials + governors

Most of these two chapters form a unique reverse parallelism (like a chiastic structure, but without the central axis):

1a) 1 Kin 3:3-28 {s+p+p+s+p} Solomon asked for wisdom to judge between good and evil + God gave it to him;

1a) 1 Kin 3:3a, And Solomon loved the LORD;

1b) 1 Kin 3b-15 {s+p} Solomon asked wisdom of the LORD to judge between good and evil;

1a) 1 Kin 3b-5a, He walked in David’s statutes/ but sacrificed at high places + YHVH appeared to him in a dream;

1) 1 Kin 3b, Walking in the statutes of his father David,
2) 1 Kin 3:3b-5a, Except he sacrificed at the high places +at Gibeon YHVH appeared to Solomon in a dream;

1b) 1 Kin 3:5b, And God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?”

central axis) 1 Kin 3:6-9, Solomon asked for wisdom, for YHVH’s people were great but he was small;

2b) 1 Kin 3:10-13, The answer pleased YHVH and He gave him wisdom, also riches and honor;

2a) 1 Kin 3:14-15 {s+p} Walk in My ways/ Solomon awoke + he sacrificed before the ark in Jerusalem;

1) 1 Kin 3:14 {s} Walk in My ways + keep My statutes + commandments, as David/ I will lengthen your days;
2) 1 Kin 3:15 {p} Solomon awoke from the dream + he sacrificed before the ark at Jerusalem;

2b) 1 Kin 3:16-27 {p+s} The wise judgment of Solomon: two women and their dispute over the living child;

2a) 1 Kin 3:28 {p} All Israel heard of the king’s wise judgment and feared him;

1b) 1 Kin 4:1-6 {sx10} So King Solomon was king over all Israel/ his officials who ruled under him;

1a) 1 Kin 4:7 {s} Solomon had twelve governors who provided food for the king + his household;

1) 1 Kin 4:7a, And Solomon had twelve governors over all Israel;
2) 1 Kin 4:7b {s} Who provided food for the king + his household; each according to their month;

1b) 1 Kin 4:8-10 {sx3} These are their names + their regions: Ben-Hur, Ben-Deker, Ben-Hesed;
1c) 1 Kin 4:11 {s} Ben-Abinadab in Dor/ his wife was Taphath the daughter of Solomon;
1d) 1 Kin 4:12 {s} Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach, Megiddo, and all Beth Shean;
central axis) 1 Kin 4:13 {s} Ben-Geber, in Ramoth Gilead + Jair in Gilead + Argob in Bashan: 60 fortified cites;
2d) 1 Kin 4:14 {s} Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim;
2c) 1 Kin 4:15 {s} Ahimaaz in Naphtali/ his wife was Basemath the daughter of Solomon;
2b) 1 Kin 4:16-18 {sx3} Baanah in Asher, Jehoshaphat in Issachar, Shimei in Benjamin;

2a) 1 Kin 4:19-28 {p+s+s} Geber was governor over all the others + the great provision for the king’s household;

1) 1 Kin 4:19, Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, was governor over all the others in the land;
2) 1 Kin 4:20-28 {p+s+s} The great provision for Solomon + his table which the governors provided by month;

1a) 1 Kin 4:20, Judah + Israel were a great multitude, eating + drinking + rejoicing;
1b) 1 Kin 4:21 {p} Solomon reigned from the Euphrates to the border of Egypt all the days of his life;
central axis) 1 Kin 4:22, The abundant daily provision for Solomon + his table;
2b) 1 Kin 4:24, For he had dominion from the River to Gaza; he had peace on every side;
2a) 1 Kin 4:25 {s} Judah + Israel dwelt safely, each man under his vine + fig tree, from Dan to Beersheba;

1a) 1 Kin 4:26, Solomon had 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariots + 12,000 horsemen;
1b) 1 Kin 4:27a, And these governors, each man in his month;
central axis) 1 Kin 4:27b, Provided food for King Solomon + his table;
2b) 1 Kin 4:27c, There was no lack in their supply;
2a) 1 Kin 4:28 {s} They brought barley + straw for the horses, each man according to his charge;

2b) 1 Kin 4:20-28 {p+s+s} Solomon reigned from the Euphrates to Egypt/ the abundance of his tribute;

2a) 1 Kin 4:29-34 {s} God gave Solomon great wisdom, so that there was none wiser than he in all the earth.

The element of the 2b pair is shared and overlaps with the final chiastic structure for the 1b pair. The 1b.2a.2 pair is formed of two chiastic structures, whose central axis’ themselves pair, to repeat the topic of that element.

What I learned from the structure: Solomon loved the LORD and although the narrative does not say this outright, he feared Him as well. He was wise enough to understand what a great responsibility was on his shoulders, to govern the people of the great God justly, and that he was not up to the task. A body who is wise enough to ask for wisdom to judge justly, at least has the fear of the LORD, the beginning of wisdom.

Its matching element, is that the people feared Solomon their king, when they saw how great was his wisdom to judge justly. This isn’t fear as in terror of a tyrant whose lawlessness and abuse of power could destroy you at any second. This was the same kind of fear that we have for the LORD: reverence and respect for His word and His commandments.

Before the dream, he walked in David’s statutes, and sacrificed on the high places. After the dream, in which the LORD encouraged him to walk in His statutes and commandments, Solomon went back to Jerusalem, and sacrificed before the ark of the covenant. He corrected his course, in other words, after having received instruction from the LORD.

The reign of Solomon was greater in glory and magnificence than the reign of David. David conquered all the kingdoms from Egypt to the Euphrates; Solomon did not conquer but received their tribute, which was vast. Solomon is a type of Messiah, just as David was a type of Messiah. Solomon’s reign prophesies of the coming golden age under Messiah, after He has subdued His enemies under Him. The great multitude of Judah and Israel will dwell in safety and peace and abundance under his own vine and his own fig tree, eating and drinking and rejoicing, with nothing to make him afraid. Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! ♥