Chronological Bible Study – May 31
What I Noticed Today (1 Kings 3-4)
1 Kings 3
In verse 1, Solomon made an alliance with Egypt by marrying one of the pharaoh’s daughters.
Note: This was a political alliance that secured peace with Egypt, but as we shall see, it came with its own set of problems (see 1 Kings 11:1-8).
In verses 2-15, Solomon and the people were sacrificing to the Lord at the high places (altars) because the temple to the Lord had not yet been built.
- Solomon went to Gibeon to sacrifice to the Lord and made 1,000 burnt offerings at the altar.
Note: The large quantity of offerings indicates that Solomon didn’t offer these sacrifices by himself.
- The Lord appeared to Solomon and asked, “What should I give you?”
- Solomon asked for nothing for himself, only wisdom to lead the people. God gave him wisdom and promised him worldly riches as well.
- Solomon went to the Ark of the Lord in Jerusalem and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.
In verses 16-28, an example of Solomon’s wisdom is detailed:
- Two harlots appeared before Solomon, both claiming they had given birth. One woman woke up to find her baby dead but realized the other woman had switched her dead baby with the live one.
- Solomon proposed the baby be cut in half with half given to each mother.
- The true mother said no, spare the child, give her to the other woman. The other woman said, no, cut the child in half.
- Solomon, realizing the true mother had wanted to spare her child, gave the child to her.
1 Kings 4
1 Kings 4 provides the structure of Solomon’s government.
In verses 1-6, Solomon lists the high officials in his court: Azariah as high priest, Elihoreph and Ahijah as secretaries, Jehoshaphat as historian, Benaiah as commander of the army, Zadok and Abiathar as priests, Azariah in charge of the deputies (officers), Zabud a priest and advisor to Solomon, Ahishar in charge of the palace, and Adoniram in charge of forced labor.
Note: This represents a dramatic shift away from the tribal leader structure to a centralized government structure for the nation Israel.
In verses 7-19, Solomon established 12 districts throughout the land, and each district was responsible for supplying the king’s needs for one month.
In verses 20-28, the monthly provision for Solomon’s court is detailed.
Note: Scholars estimate the amounts listed in 1 Kings 4:22-26 was enough to feed 20,000 people.
Note: 1 Kings 4:26 mentions the horses and chariots Solomon had acquired. David had not used chariots. Because they were expensive and required significant training, it is quite possible that they were not Israelite charioteers. As for the horses, Deuteronomy 17:16 explicitly prohibits the king from accumulating herds of horses or from going to Egypt to procure them.
In verses 29-34, Solomon’s wisdom is proclaimed a second time. His wisdom was greater than all the people of the east, and his reputation extended to all the surrounding nations.
- Solomon wrote 3,000 proverbs and 1,500 songs (Psalms).
- People came from all over to hear his wisdom.
Some thoughts for additional consideration:
- The people were enjoying peace and prosperity under Solomon (v. 4:20: “they were eating, drinking, and rejoicing”). No doubt, this was a welcome change from the years of wars and famine that they had endured during Saul and David’s reign.
- Solomon’s government represented a significant shift in structure. The people went from tribal alliances under Saul and David, doing battle with each other almost as often as they battled outsiders, to a more centralized, unified structured government under Solomon.
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.