Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 1 Kings · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII.
Verſ. 2. ANd theſe were the Princes which he had.] That is, theſe were his chiefe Nobles and ſuch as were in higheſt places about him whilſt he ſate in the throne of Iſrael; eſpecially, in the firſt beginning of his reigne, for though there are two here mentioned, to wit the ſonne of Abinadab, verſ. 11. and Ahimaaz, verſ, 15. that married the two daughters of Solomon, Taphah and Bazmach, yet that may be becauſe they did ſome yeares after marry them; for when Solomon came to the crowne, we read not of any child he had born, but only Rehoboam, and much leſſe could he have any daughter mariageable.
Azariah the ſon of Zadok the prieſt.] Azariah the ſon, that is, the grand child of Zadok (for he was the ſon of Ahimaaz the ſon of Zadok, 1 Chro. 6.8.9.) is here ſaid to have been the prieſt, that is, Solomons prieſt, becauſe it ſeems he was continually imployed for him (as our Princes houſhold Chaplaines are for them) in thoſe things that concerned the worſhip and ſervice of God. Or it may be meant of the ſon of ſome other Zadok; for the word here tranſlated Prieſt, may alſo be tranſlated chiefe Officer, as is expreſſed in the margin of our Bibles.
Verſ. 3. Elihoreph and Ahiah, the ſonnes of Shiſha, Scribes.] We read but of one Scribe, or Secretary of State that David had, 2 Sam. 20.25. but Solomon had two; which ſhewes, that the dominion and royaltie of Solomons Kingdome was greater than his fathers, and ſo therewith the ſtate affaires muſt needs increaſe.
Jehoſhaphat the ſonne of Ahilud the Recorder.] He held therefore the ſame place ſtill which he had in Davids time. 2 Sam. 20.24.
Verſ. 4. And Zadok and Abiathar the Priests.] That is, they were the two chiefe of the two families of the prieſts, (according to Davids diviſion, 1 Chro. 24.3, 4.) for Abiathar did not ceaſe to be a prieſt, though he were reſtrained from the execution of his office, and confined to his owne houſe in Anathoth. And beſides, that he had been the chiefe among them, is ſufficient to make him be reckoned here amongſt thoſe that were in eminent place whether in Church or Common-wealth, in the firſt yeares of Solomons reigne.
Verſ. 5. And Azariah the ſonne of Nathan was over the officers, &c.] Some conceive that theſe were the ſonnes of Nathan the ſonne of David, but the moſt hold, that they were the ſons of Nathan the prophet, preferred by Solomon, partly out of a gratefull reſpect which he bare to their father, partly becauſe he had had his education with them under the tutouridge of Nathan their father, as the Hebrews hold.
Verſ. 10. To him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher.] A tract of land in the tribe of Judah, ſo called, from Hepher the ſonne of Aſher of the poſterity of Hezron, 1 Chron. 4.6.
Verſ. 11. The ſonne of Abinadab in all the region of Dor.] Which was Manaſſes portion, Joſh. 17.11. as was alſo Taanach and Bethſhean and Megiddo, mentioned verſ. 12.
Verſ. 12. Even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam.] Which was in the borders of Zebulon: Joſh. 19.11.
Verſ. 19. Geber the ſonne of Uri was in the countrey of Gilead, &c.] That is, in all the reſt of the countrey of Gilead, and in the countrey which belonged to the kingdomes of Sihon and Og without Jordan: to wit, beſides that before mentioned, verſ. 13. which was the charge of the ſonne of Geber: and becauſe it was ſo great a circuit of land which was allotted to him, therefore it is ſaid in the cloſe of this verſe, and he was the only officer that was in the land, that is, there was no other officer to gather up proviſion for the Kings houſhold in this land before mentioned, but he only.
Verſ. 20. Judah and Iſrael were many, as the ſand, &c.] And herein was Solomons kingdome a type of Chriſts, whoſe people by the confluence of the Gentiles, ſhould become innumerable like the ſand of the ſea-ſhore; but eſpecially in that which follows, concerning the comfortable condition, wherein the people lived under Solomons reigne, eating and drinking, and making merry: for this did notably ſhadow forth the joyfull eſtate of Chriſtians, partly in this world, but eſpecially in heaven, the kingdome of God is not meat and drink, but righteouſneſſe, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghoſt, Rom. 14.7. though they be often afflicted, yet they rejoyce in tribulation, Rom. 5.3. the pardon of their ſinnes, the light of Gods countenance, and the hope of an incorruptible crown of glory, is ſufficient to make them rejoyce in affliction, even with joy unſpeakable, and full of glory; and much more then ſhall their joy be great, when all tears ſhall be wiped from their eyes, and they ſhall ſit down with Abraham, and Iſaac, and Jacob, in the kingdome of heaven, Matt. 8.11.
Verſ. 21. And Solomon reigned over all kingdomes, from the river unto the land of the Philiſtines, and unto the border of Egypt.] That is, from the river Euphrates (which becauſe it lay northeaſt of the land of Canaan, is the onelyonly limit here mentioned of Solomons kingdome, on thoſe two quarters) unto the land of the Philiſtines (which was the weſtern bounds, as lying all along by the Mediterranean ſea) and unto the border of Egypt, where was the river Sihor, Joſh. 13.3. which was the ſouth bounds; and thus was that promiſe made to Abraham fulfilled, Gen. 15.18. Unto thy ſeed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt, unto the great river, the river Euphrates; and in this exceeding glory of his kingdome, was Solomon alſo a type of Chriſt, concerning whoſe royalty and kingdome, ſo many glorious things are ſpoken, as where it is ſaid, Epheſ. 1.21, 22. that he raiſed him from the dead, and ſet him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, farre above all principality and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not onelyonly in this world, but alſo in that which is to come. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church: and Philip. 2 9, 10, 11, Wherefore God alſo hath highly exalted him, and given him a name, which is above every name. That at the name of Jeſus, every knee ſhould bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. And that ev…ry tongue ſhould confeſſe, that Jeſus Chriſt is Lord, to the glory of God the Father: and again, Pſal. 2.8. Ask of me, and I ſhall give thee, the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy poſſeſſion.
Verſ. 24. And he had peace on all ſides round about him.] And herein vas Solomon alſo a type of Chriſt, the Prince of peace, Eſa. 9.6. whence is that, Luke 2.14. Glory to God in the higheſt, and on earth peace, good will towards m…n: John 14.27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the word giveth, give I unto you.
Verſ. 25. And Judah and Iſrael dwelt ſafely, every man under his vine, and under his figtree, &c.] That is, not onelyonly in the fenced cities, but alſo in the open countrey, they lived without fear of enemies, following their husbandry, and enjoying with much cheerfulneſſe, choice, and plenty of Gods good bleſſings.
Verſ. 26. And Solomon had fourty thouſand ſtalles of horſes for his chariots.] In 2. Chron. 9.25. it is four thouſand, but the word in the Originall (here tranſlated ſtalles) doth ſignifie both ſtables, wherein many horſes are kept together, and alſo the ſtalles, or ſever'd petitions, for each horſe in thoſe ſtables, and ſo it is taken here: whereas in the 2. Chron. 9.25. by ſtalles is meant ſtables containing at leaſt ten ſtalles, or ſeverall partitions for horſes a piece, for ſo in four thouſand ſtables, there might ſtand fourty thouſand horſes in their ſeverall ſtalles, as is here expreſſed: indeed a farre leſſe number would have ſufficed for fourteen hundred chariots, and we reade of no more that Solomon had, 2. Chron. 1.14. and Solomon gathered chariots and horſemen, and he had a thouſand and four hundred chariots, &c. but firſt, thoſe horſes that were fit for ſervice in the chariots, might alſo be imployed in his carriages for the building of the temple, &c. and ſecondly, herein lay his magnificence, that he had ſuch choice and ſtore of horſes; and as herein it ſeems he tranſgreſſed the commandment of God, Deut. 17.16. He ſhall not multiply horſes: himſelf, nor cauſe the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he ſhould multiply horſes: ſo it is likely that hereby he overburthened his people, and gave too juſt an occaſion to that complaint of the Iſraelites, chap. 12.4. Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous ſervice of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will ſerve thee.
Verſ. 29. And God gave Solomon wiſedome and underſtanding, exceeding much, and largeneſſe of heart, even as the ſand, &c.] That is, the Lord gave him ſuch a vaſt capacity, an extraordinary meaſure of underſtanding, judgement, memory, that the knowledge which he had, ſeemed even infinite, nor was there any thing almoſt which he was not able to reach, and comprehend: ſee the note, chap. 3.12.
Verſ. 3…. And Solomons wiſedome exclled the wiſdome of all the children of the eaſt countrey, and all the wiſedome of Egypt.] By the children of the eaſt, is meant the Arabians, or Chaldeans, who were at this time famous for their learning: eſpecially for Philoſophy, Aſtronomy, and other the liberall ſciences, as were alſo the Egyptians, whence is that concerning Moſes, Acts 7.22. And Moſes was learned in all the wiſedome of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds; and hereby it appears therefore that Solomon excelled in this kind of learning
Verſ. 31. For he was wiſer then all men; then Ethan the Ezrahite, and Hen…n, &c.] Who it ſeems were the famous men, for learning and wiſdome, in theſe tines amongſt the Iſraelites; for theſe I conceive, are the ſame that are mentioned amongſt the poſteritie of Judah, the ſonnes of Zerah, 1. Chron. 2.6. and that therefore …than is here called the Ezrahite: it ſeems by were famous alſo, for their poetry, if theſe were that Ethan and Heman, mentioned in the titles of the 88. and and 89. Pſalmes.
Verſ. 32. And he ſpake three thouſand proverbs, &c.] So it is ſaid in next verſes, th…t he ſpake of trees, &c. and that he ſpake alſo of beaſts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fiſhes, and that there came of all people to heare the wiſdome of Solomon, whereby it is evident, that though he were a king of ſo great majeſtie and glory, yet he read lectures of naturall and morall Philoſophy, and of Divinitie too▪ for the inſtruction of thoſe that would come to heare him.
Verſ. 34. And there came of all people to heare the wiſedome of Solomon from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wiſedome.] That i…, from all the kings, which were any thing near about him.