1 Kings 4:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar;

NIV: Jehoshaphat son of Paruah—in Issachar;

NASB: Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah in Issachar;

CSB: Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar;

NLT: Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar.

KJV: Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar:

NKJV: Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar;

First Kings 4:7–19 lists the leaders and geographical areas of the twelve districts that feed Solomon's court. Azariah, possibly Solomon's nephew, manages them (1 Kings 4:5). Two of the officers marry Solomon's daughters. One is the son of David's good friend Hushai (2 Samuel 15:32–37). The districts don't exactly follow the tribes' borders. Solomon may have divided them by the fertility of the regions. Or, he may have tried to get the tribes to work together. God's blessings on Solomon (1 Kings 3:10–13) ensure the nation is peaceful and fertile (1 Kings 4:20–34).

First Kings 4 summarizes how God's gift of wisdom to Solomon (1 Kings 3:5–13) blesses the nation. The king establishes able officials, and divides the nation into twelve districts, each of which provides a month's worth of provisions for the court. Under Solomon's reign, the population grows, the people are happy and secure, the borders are safe, and other nations send tribute to Israel to keep the peace. Solomon's fame as the wisest person in the world spreads in every direction. The peace and great wealth allow Solomon to concentrate on his greatest task: building the temple (1 Kings 5—6).

First Kings 4, and 1 Kings 3:16–28, describe how Solomon's wisdom blesses the people of Israel. The court officials rule well. The land is fertile enough to provide food for Solomon's people and horses. The nation is at peace. Solomon even has time to record his wisdom in proverbs and songs. God's blessings prepare the nation to build the temple, uniting the political capital with the altar and the ark of God's presence. In Solomon's later years, however, he'll indulge in such foolish idolatry that God will remove most of these blessings from his son (1 Kings 11—12).

This was originally the first half of a combined text. First Kings records the end of David's reign and the rule of Solomon. After this, the kingdom is split in two. The northern nation of Israel no longer submits to the king of the southern nation, called Judah. The prophet Elijah first appears in this book. The kings mostly fail to honor the Lord. They participate in idolatry and other sins. This will eventually result in their conquest and exile, as depicted throughout the books of Chronicles.

Accessed 10/9/2026 1:29:50 PM