1 Kings 4:1-5:18

Memory Verse: 5:5

Questions

Introduction

Outline

I. Solomon's Officials and Governors (4:1-19)

* See a wood engraving by Gustave Dore (1832-1883) to the right depicting King Solomon. Dore's drawings were in Bibles that are now in public domain. This one was scanned in by creationism.org.

>1. Compare Solomon's court to David's. (1-6; 2 Samuel 8:15-18, 20:23-26)

* 1 Kings 4:1-6 "So King Solomon ruled over all Israel. And these were his chief officials: Azariah son of Zadok--the priest; Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha--secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud--recorder; Benaiah son of Jehoiada--commander in chief; Zadok and Abiathar--priests; Azariah son of Nathan--in charge of the district officers; Zabud son of Nathan--a priest and personal adviser to the king; Ahishar--in charge of the palace; Adoniram son of Abda--in charge of forced labor."

* 2 Samuel 8:15-18 "David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people. Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was secretary; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David's sons were royal advisers."

* 2 Samuel 20:23-26 "Joab was over Israel's entire army; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; Adoniram was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; Sheva was secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; and Ira the Jairite was David's priest."

* 1 Chronicles 27 records the kings officials, oversees, army officals, and the elders of the tribes of Israel.

>What differences and similarities do you see?

* "over all Israel" -Both David and Solomon ruled over all Israel as kings just as Saul had.

* "chief officials" -They reported directly to Solomon and was in charge of everyone in their order/office.

* "the priests...secretaries... recorder... commander in chief... priests... in charge of the discric officers... a priest and personal adviser to the king... in charge of the palace... in charge of forced labor" -Solomon had nine officers for nine offices.

* "doing what was just and right for all his people" -David is given this distiction. Solomon was not.

* "over the army... recorder... priests... secretary... over the Kerethites and Pelethites... royal advisers" -David had six officers in charge of six offices with the exception of his sons who together gave advice..

* "in charge of the palace" -The first Old Testament reference to an office mentioned frequently in 1 and 2 Kings (1 Kings 16:9, 18:3; 2 Kings 18:18, 37, 19:2). It is likely that this official was administrator of the palace and steward of the king's properies.

* Solomon had forced labor and David did not. Solomon had someone in charge of his palace and David did not. Solomon had someone over the district officers to collect food for himself and his palace and David did not. These three differences shows a vast contact between Solomon who was lead astray from the LORD and David who love and feared the Lord. Solomon is selfish and cruel in his leadership. David lived for what was best for the kingdom.

* Solomon was wise. However, his wisdom did not extend to personally applying wisdom to his life and rule over his kingdom. Solomon became the victim of the sinful nature in all us. David loved and feared the Lord. However, he two sinned with his officers wife and killing that office. Both men eventually repented. Still, the consiequences of their sin affected not only themselves, but also their family and the kingdom.

>2. What seems to be the only purpose of the twelve district governors? (7-19, 26-28)

* 1 Kings 4:7-19 "Solomon also had twelve district governors over all Israel, who supplied provisions for the king and the royal household. Each one had to provide supplies for one month in the year. These are their names: Ben-Hur--in the hill country of Ephraim; Ben-Deker--in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh and Elon Bethhanan; Ben-Hesed--in Arubboth (Socoh and all the land of Hepher were his); Ben-Abinadab--in Naphoth Dor (he was married to Taphath daughter of Solomon); Baana son of Ahilud--in Taanach and Megiddo, and in all of Beth Shan next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth Shan to Abel Meholah across to Jokmeam; Ben-Geber--in Ramoth Gilead (the settlements of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead were his, as well as the district of Argob in Bashan and its sixty large walled cities with bronze gate bars); Ahinadab son of Iddo--in Mahanaim; Ahimaaz--in Naphtali (he had married Basemath daughter of Solomon); Baana son of Hushai--in Asher and in Aloth; Jehoshaphat son of Paruah--in Issachar; Shimei son of Ela--in Benjamin; Geber son of Uri--in Gilead (the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and the country of Og king of Bashan). He was the only governor over the district."

* 1 Kings 4:26-28 "Solomon had four thousand stalls for chariot horses, and twelve thousand horses. The district officers, each in his month, supplied provisions for King Solomon and all who came to the king's table. They saw to it that nothing was lacking. They also brought to the proper place their quotas of barley and straw for the chariot horses and the other horses."

* "Solomon... had twelve district governors" -The 12 districts were not identical to tribal territories, possibly because the tribes varied greatly in agricultural productivity. But Solomon's administrative decision violated traditional tribal boundaries and probably stirred up ancient tribal loyalties, eventually contributing to the disruption of the united kingdom.

* "who supplied provisions for the king..." -The non-biblical governors sole purpose was for the king and his household. The Lord God warned Israel if they were to get a king as they wanted he would do such things that would in no way benefit them. Thus the old saying, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely".

* Part of the human nature that misses the perfection that God intended and wanted for us is selfish acts at the expense of others. Time and time again anyone and everyone falls pray to their fallen nature of this self worship.

>How is 1 Samuel 8:11-20 fulfilled?

* 1 Samuel 8:11-20 "He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day." 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles."

* "make them serve... in front of him" -Solomon did this for self preservation and edification.

* "others to plow his fields... harvest" -Solomon used force labor to provide food for himself and his palace.

* "take" -Solomon used his power to legally steal others God given land and children.

* "take a tenth" -Taxes to empower the government did not exist before Solomon.

* "you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen... the LORD" -The people grew to hate Solomon and the seat of kingship he had created. The Lord did not respond to them as the kingdom divided when Solomon dies and most of the kings that followed him were worse than Solomon.

II. Peace on All Sides (4:20-28)

>3. What was the state of the people in Israel and Judah? (20, 25)

* 1 Kings 4:20 "The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy."

* 1 Kings 4:25 "During Solomon's lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, each man under his own vine and fig tree."

* 2 Chronicles 1:14-17 records Solomon's wealth.

* "as numerous as the sand on the seashore" -The Lord God told Abraham that his offspring would be as numerous as the sand of the seashore. This was physically fulfilled in Solomon's reign. However, the promise was more so in terms of people who had faith in the Lord as Abraham did.

* "they ate... drank... happy" -Prosperity as the Lord promised Israel.

* "lived in safety" -Peace as the Lord promised Israel.

* "under his own vine and fig tree" -Self sustainability as the Lord promised Israel.

>What was Solomon relationship with the surrounding kingdoms? (21-24)

* 1 Kings 4:21-24 "And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought tribute and were Solomon's subjects all his life. Solomon's daily provisions were thirty cors of fine flour and sixty cors of meal, ten head of stall-fed cattle, twenty of pasture-fed cattle and a hundred sheep and goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks and choice fowl. For he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the River, from Tiphsah to Gaza, and had peace on all sides.""

* "from the River... boarder of Egypt" -The boarders of Solomon's empire extended to the limits originally promised to Abraham. However, rebellion was brewing in Edom (11:14-21) and Damascus (11:23-25).

* "Tiphsah" -A city on the west bank of the Euphrates River.

* "Gaza" -The southernmost city of the Philistines on the Mediterranean coast.

* "these countries brought tribute... subjects" -Nations giving tribute was to ensure that they would not be attacked, defeated, killed, and enslaved. Solomon and other kings of Israel were not being a positive influence to the nations has God had intended and instructed for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

* The Lord God enabled Solomon to be extremely wealthy and prosperous. Horses and chariots were a measure of extravagance in those days. Solomon had many of both (14). He also made silver, cedar, and gold common (15). Thus his wealth flowed to the people of Israel through commerce.

Before this shower of wealth and status were all the battles won by his father. God, through David who was after the Lord's heart, enabled Solomon to have peace. This in turn provided a stable growing economy. All this was arranged by the Lord God as he had promised David.

What did Solomon and Israel do with the environment provided and arranged by the Lord? They did not do what the Lord wanted. They did not advance and share the wisdom and knowledge of the Lord with the nations. Instead of helping outward the rusted and corroded inward.

I am not envious of Solomon and his wealth. The Chronicler(s) does not mention Solomon's eventual path into selfish sinful endeavors that is common among the wealthy. That is recorded elsewhere.

Finally, after seeking self centered pleasures and sin, in his later life book Ecclesiastes Solomon wrote, "Meaningless, meaningless, utterly meaningless." Solomon was not happy in his wealth and sin (Eccl. 2:1, 6:2, 12:1).

>How is 1 Chronicles 22:8-10 fulfilled?

* 1 Chronicles 22:8-10 "But this word of the LORD came to me: 'You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.'"

* "man of peace and rest"

* "I will give him rest on every side"

* "I will grant"

* "He will be my son, and I will be his father" -This is a reference not only to Solomon but more-so to Jesus. For Jesus' throne is forever. Solomon's throne split in two when he died because of all his sins.

III. Solomon's Wisdom (4:29-34)

>4. What was the source of Solomon's wisdom? (29)

* 1 Kings 4:29 "God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore."

* 1 Kings 4:29-34 is unique. 1 and 2 Chronicles has much to say about Solomon, but not in the words in this passage.

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>How did his wisdom compare with other wisdom? (30-31)

* 1 Kings 4:30-31 "Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than any other man, including Ethan the Ezrahite--wiser than Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations."

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>5. How did Solomon use his God given wisdom? (32-33)

* 1 Kings 4:32-33 "He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish."

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>What was the result? (34)

* 1 Kings 4:34 "Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon's wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom."

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>6. What are some of the gifts Jesus gives to his people? (1 Cor. 12:8-11)

* 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 "To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines."

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>Why does he give us these gifts? (1 Cor. 12:7)

* 1 Corinthians 12:7 "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."

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IV. I Intend To Build A Temple (5:1-18)

* See a drawing by Willem Goeree (1635-1711) to the right depicting King Solomon beginning the plans to build the temple. Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu.

>7. Who sent a message to Solomon?

* 1 Kings 5:1 "When Hiram king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king to succeed his father David, he sent his envoys to Solomon, because he had always been on friendly terms with David."

* 2 Chronicles 2:1-18 also records the exchange between Solomon and Hiram king of Tyre.

* "Hiram king of Tyre" -Hiram ruled over Tyre from rouffly 978 to 944 B.C. He may have also served as co-regent with his father Abibaal as early as 903 B.C. Before Solomon was born, Hiram provided timber and workmen for the building of David's palace (2 Sammuel :11)

* "always been on friendly terms with David" -Hiram supplied David with lumber to build his palace. The buisiness was good. Hiram knew that David had started the work needed to build a temple. He was hoping that Solomon would keep his father's direction to finish it. He knew Solomon needed lumber and Israel did not have it. He also knew that Solomon needed craftmen and did not have them. Hiram was a buisinessman.

* "Hiram... sent his envoys to Solomon" -1 Chronicles does not include Hiram's initial "olive branch" sent to Solomon. Nor were the definate many exchanges that took place between the two kings during the many many years of buisiness and commercial trade.

>How did he reply?

* 1 Kings 5:3-6 ""You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD put his enemies under his feet. But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster. I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God, as the LORD told my father David, when he said, 'Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.' So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians."

* "he could not build a temple" -1 Chronicles chapters 22 thru 26 and 28 concern the preparations David made for the temple building project.

* "rest" -Described here as "no adversary or disaster." God's promises to his people (Ex 33:14; Deut. 25:19; Joshua 1:13,15) and to David (2 Sam. 7:11) have now been fulfilled, so that the Israelites are free to concentrate their strength and resources on building their Great King's royal house.

* "Name" -Signifies God's revealed character or self-revelation as a person.

* "So give orders" -A more detailed account of Solomon's request is found in 2 Chron. 2:3-10.

* "cedars of Lebanon" -Widely used in the ancient Near East in the construction of royal houses and temples.

* "no one so skilled" -The book of Kings states Solomon's request for a master craftsman late in the narrative (1 Kings 7:13). To carry out the parallel between Oholiab and Huram-Abi, the Chronicler(s) includes it in the initial correspondance. Furthermore, in 2 Chronicles 2:7, 13-14 the list of Huram-Abi's skills is expanded and matches that of Bezalel and Oholiab. (Kings is concerned only with casting bronze.)

* Solomon announced his continuing commitment to build a magnificent temple to the Lord God of Israel as his father David had instructed him and had started (3,4). He also announced his plans to build a large palace as his father had done (2 Chron. 2:1).

Solomon needed large cedar logs to build these buildings, a resource that Israel did not have. He sent a message to Hiram king of Tyre stating his desire to aquire cedar from the vast forest on mount Lebanon (6).

Solomon's request contained the confession, "But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? Who then am I to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him? (2 Chron. 2:6)" The words "contain him" is in most English translations of the Bible. Simply put Solomon's God inspired wisdom was stating the truth that even the heavens are too small a place for the Lord God to live in.

Some may state that this is evidence that God's Spirit cannot dwell in a human let alone in the person of Jesus Christ. However, Solomon continued his confession, "...except as a place to make offerings." The temple was never meant to contain nor imprison all of the essence of God. It was made for humans to present offerings and inquire of the Lord just as God instructed Moses.

Similar to this, Jesus who is God in the flesh is the exact representative of God so that humans may physically interact with God. So was the case of the Lord God with Adam and Eve who "walked with the Lord God in the cool of the evening." So was the case of one of the three visitors going to Abraham. So was the case with Jacob who wrestled with God one night. So is it with Job and God in the wirl-wind, Moses in the cleft of the rock, all the prophets, and many more.

Now the Spirit of Jesus is in me, not that all of God is contained in me. Rather, all that is God is part of my being. God is always accessible to me and always always accessing me.

* See a wood engraving by Gustave Dore (1832-1883) to the right depicting the cutting down of cedars for the construction of the temple. Dore's drawings were in Bibles that are now in public domain. This one was scanned in by creationism.org.

>What can we learn about Solomon's heart at this time of his reign?

* 2 Chronicles chapters 2 thru 4 concern Solomon building the temple.

* Solomon did all that was needed to keep to the direction given by his father.

* Solomon's heart and mind was right at this time.

* Solomon started out with good intentions. Yet already can been seen tendancies that would eventually lead him far from God and righteousness.

>8. How did Solomon's message affect Hiram? (7)

* 1 Kings 5:7 "When Hiram heard Solomon's message, he was greatly pleased and said, "Praise be to the LORD today, for he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation."

* "Praise be to the LORD" -In polytheistic cultures it was common practice for the people of one nation to recognize the deities of another nation and even to ascribe certain powers to them.

* Hiram, king of Tyre was pleased with Solomon's request so much so that he praised the Lord, the God of Israel (7). Tyre's chief deity was Melqart, also spelled Melkart or Melkarth, the Phoenician god. He was also called the Tyrian Baal.

Hiram didn't say that the Lord was his God. So he wasn't converted from his pagan deities and idol worship to Judaism. He was only glad that Solomon was wise and friendly with Tyre, acknowledging the existence of Solomon's God, the Lord.

Many reasons exist why people seek some form of religion. Many came to Jesus when He walked the earth for many reasons. The same is today. I am not their judge, I only acknowledge that others are different than me. Some will be like Hiram acknowledging Jesus while holding onto superstition and pagan beliefs.

How about me? Why do I confess the name of the Lord Jesus? Am I happy and joyful merely because something good has come my way? Or does my faith in Jesus have root in wanting more than just a casual relationship with him? Is my passion for him hot or lukewarm?

Jesus said many are called but few follow. He told the apostles after all left him after feeding the 5,000, "Are you not the twelve I have chosen?" meaning they remain because he chose them. I remain only because of the grace and mercy of Jesus. I exist in Christ with faith, hope, and love. Only these three remain in the end.

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>What was his reply to Solomon?

* 1 Kings 5:8-9 "So Hiram sent word to Solomon: "I have received the message you sent me and will do all you want in providing the cedar and pine logs. My men will haul them down from Lebanon to the sea, and I will float them in rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate them and you can take them away. And you are to grant my wish by providing food for my royal household."

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>9. Being that the Israelites were not lumberjacks, how was Solomon's wisdom used to get wood the temple? (10-12)

* 1 Kings 5:10-12 "In this way Hiram kept Solomon supplied with all the cedar and pine logs he wanted, and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat as food for his household, in addition to twenty thousand baths this for Hiram year after year. The LORD gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised him. There were peaceful relations between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty."

* The payment here differs from that reported in 2 Chronicles 2:10, but the texts speak of two different payments: In Kings the payment is an annual sum delivered to the royal household of Hiram, while Chronicles speaks of one payment to the woodsmen. The goods paid are also not identical; the oil specified in Kings is of a finer quality.

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>10. How many men were needed? (13-16)

* 1 Kings 5:13-16 "King Solomon conscripted laborers from all Israel--thirty thousand men. He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor. Solomon had seventy thousand carriers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hills, as well as thirty-three hundred foremen who supervised the project and directed the workmen."

* "conscripted laborers from all Israel" -Resentment among the people toward this sort of forced labor eventually led to a civil uprising and the division of Solomon's kingdom immediately after his death. (1 Kings 9:15, 12:1-18; 2 Samuel 20:24)

The Chronicler(s) specifies that this levy of forced laborers was from aliens resident in the land, not neccissarily including Israelites. This is not stated in the parallel passage in Kings, though 1 Kings 9:20-22 confirms that alien labor was used.

* "3,300 foremen" -The number given in 2 Chronicles 2:18 is 3,600. However, some manuscripts of the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the OT) also have 3,600 in Chronicles 2:18. The Chronicler(s) may have been following a differnt text of Kings from the present Masoretic (traditional Hebrew) text at this point in writing Chronicles. It is also probable that during the extensive time of building the temple to amount of foremen varied just as current massive labor forces of large companies constatly change for many reasons.

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>Why would a foundation be needed for the temple? (17-18; and 2 Chron. 3:1-4)

* 1 Kings 5:17-18 "At the king's command they removed from the quarry large blocks of quality stone to provide a foundation of dressed stone for the temple. The craftsmen of Solomon and Hiram and the men of Gebal cut and prepared the timber and stone for the building of the temple."

* 2 Chronicles 3:1-4 "Then Solomon began to build the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David. It was on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, the place provided by David. He began building on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign. The foundation Solomon laid for building the temple of God was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide (using the cubit of the old standard). The portico at the front of the temple was twenty cubits long across the width of the building and twenty cubits high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold."

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>Is that foundation still there today?

* Yes.

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