1 Kings 4:20-28

1 Kings 4:20-28

[20] Judah  and Israel  were many,  as the sand  which is by the sea  in multitude,  eating  and drinking,  and making merry.  [21] And Solomon  reigned  over all kingdoms  from the river  unto the land  of the Philistines,  and unto the border  of Egypt:  they brought  presents,  and served  Solomon  all the days  of his life.  [22] And Solomon's  provision  for one  day  was thirty  measures  of fine flour,  and threescore  measures  of meal,  [23] Ten  fat  oxen,  and twenty  oxen  out of the pastures,  and an hundred  sheep,  beside harts,  and roebucks,  and fallowdeer,  and fatted  fowl.  [24] For he had dominion  over all the region on this side  the river,  from Tiphsah  even to Azzah,  over all the kings  on this side  the river:  and he had peace  round about  him. [25] And Judah  and Israel  dwelt  safely,  every man  under his vine  and under his fig tree,  from Dan  even to Beersheba,  all the days  of Solomon.  [26] And Solomon  had forty  thousand  stalls  of horses  for his chariots,  and twelve  thousand  horsemen.  [27] And those officers  provided victual  for king  Solomon,  and for all that came  unto king  Solomon's  table,  every man  in his month:  they lacked  nothing.  [28] Barley  also and straw  for the horses  and dromedaries  brought  they unto the place  where the officers were, every man  according to his charge. 

What does 1 Kings 4:20-28 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

One explanation of the writer"s unusual reference to Judah and Israel ( 1 Kings 4:20) is that when he wrote Kings the nation had split, so perhaps the writer was using the designation that was common in his day. However, years before the formal division took place, northern and southern factions had already developed (cf. 1 Samuel 11:8; 1 Samuel 15:4; 1 Samuel 17:52; 1 Kings 1:35; et al.). Solomon"s kingdom was very populous (cf. Genesis 22:17) and peaceful ( 1 Kings 4:25; cf. Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10).
Usually when a great king died, the nations subject to his leadership would withhold taxes and rebel against his successor. This forced the new king to attack those nations to establish his sovereignty over them. However, Solomon did not have to do this. God gave him a peaceful reign in which he could concentrate on building projects. [1]
"To live in safety, in reliance on God (LXX elpizo, "hope"), echoes Deuteronomy 12:10. God alone can provide this ( Psalm 4:8; Proverbs 1:33; Deuteronomy 33:12; Deuteronomy 33:28)." [2]
Even though Solomon controlled the land area promised to Abraham"s descendants in Genesis 15:18-20, his control did not fulfill these promises completely in his day. The city of Tiphsah ( 1 Kings 4:24) stood on the banks of the Euphrates River. The territory described did not lie within the geographic borders of Israel. [1] Israel"s geographic extent was only about150 miles long, from Dan to Beersheba ( 1 Kings 4:25).
The figure of4 ,000 stalls of horses ( 2 Chronicles 9:25) appears to be the correct one, rather than40 ,000 ( 1 Kings 4:26). Horses and chariots were military machines at this time. These were Solomon"s weapons.
"At Megiddo, excavations have revealed stables for some450 horses, as well as fortifications and the governor"s residence. Similar Solomonic constructions are likewise attested at Hazor, Taanach, Eglon, and Gezer." [4]