Verses 22-28
The Prosperity, Safety And Security Of Solomon’s Reign (1 Kings 4:22-28 ).
There were few periods in Israel’s history when they enjoyed unbroken peace with no enemies coming over the horizon to spoil them, but Solomon’s long reign was one of them. For the common people there was not even a whiff of danger. Such battles as there were occurred far away. And so they prospered and felt secure. And that prosperity was reflected in the quantity of supplies constantly provided to the king for his wide household, the level of which demonstrated the greatness of their king. When they considered what Solomon had brought to the kingship they must have felt that the golden age was almost upon them. And they may well have felt that providing for his table was a price worth paying.
Analysis.
a And Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fatted fowl (1 Kings 4:23).
b For he had dominion over all the region on this side of the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River, and he had peace on all sides round about him (1 Kings 4:24).
c And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon (1 Kings 4:25).
b And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen (1 Kings 4:26).
a And those officers provided victuals for king Solomon, and for all who came to king Solomon’s table, every man in his month. They let nothing be lacking. Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds brought they to the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge (1 Kings 4:27-28).
Note that in ‘a’ we have details of the provisions for Solomon’s household, and in the parallel we have confirmation of those provisions to the household and a description of the details of the provisions for Solomon’s horses. In ‘b’ we learn of his complete dominion and control over the whole land and its kings from the Euphrates to Gaza, and in the parallel we learn of the source of that peace in his mighty armaments. Centrally in ‘c’ we have the idealistic picture of every man throughout the whole of Israel and Judah dwelling freely and without fear in possession of their own personal land. In centuries to come it would be that hope and dream that would keep men looking forward to the coming of the everlasting king, when all would enjoy such a situation permanently.
‘ And Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty measures (kors) of fine flour, and threescore measures (kors) of meal, ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fatted fowl.’
The size and prosperity of Solomon’s magnificent court comes out in the daily provisions required to keep them. There is no reason to doubt that these details come from official records. There was nothing limited about the extent or variety of their diet. It reflected one continual festival. But there is nothing grossly excessive about the details either. They are in fact directly comparable with the range of supplies for other royal courts in the ancient Near East as far apart as Mari and Egypt. The ‘kor’ was a large dry measure of around 220 litres/1 Kings 6:3 imperial bushels, (the equivalent of a ‘homer’ which was about 220 litres or 48 gallons).
Note the fattened oxen for the king’s own table in contrast to the oxen out of the pastures for the lesser participants. We are not sure what kind of ‘fowl’ were in mind, possibly geese or hens, or even more exotic birds which were seen as titbits.
‘ For he had dominion over all the region on this side of the River (or ‘of Beyond-the River’), from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River, and he had peace on all sides round about him.’
“Dominion” was either as Overlord, or by peace treaty in which he was a dominant partner. ‘Beyond the River’ was looking at it from the Mesopotamian aspect, i.e. ‘south of the River’. Tiphsah (Thapsacus) was ‘the ford’ at the Euphrates crossing, forming the north east boundary of the province. It was placed strategically on the great east-west trade route. Gaza represented the south western boundary. The idea is possibly that there was not an enemy in sight, the later troubles being conveniently sidelined, or alternately that he controlled (and benefited from) ‘all who passed through’ his area.
‘ And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon.’
This was ever seen by Israel as a description of ideal conditions when every man was free and possessed his own fruitful land (compare Micah 4:4), and it would have been looked back on enviously by future centuries. It was a picture cited semi-mockingly by Sennacherib’s henchmen to the Jerusalem of Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:31), possibly suggesting that his intelligence service were well aware that it was a favourite way in Israel/Judah of describing the ideal life. This was their idea of what life should be like, a picture of freedom and security and pleasant living (compare Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10, and see Deuteronomy 8:8). In reality there would, of course, be many in the kingdom not enjoying such freedom, (there are always the poor among us), and large numbers of these ‘free citizens’ would themselves be required to participate in the building of the Temple as we shall shortly learn (something no doubt justified on religious grounds). But it does express how most in Israel probably saw themselves at the time, especially before Solomon began work on his grandiose schemes. ‘From Dan (in the north) to Beersheba (in the Negev)’ is a common description of Israel/Judah as a whole (e.g. Judges 20:1; 1 Samuel 3:20; etc.).
‘ And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.’
Israel’s safety from attack was guaranteed by their military power. Solomon had stalls containing forty ‘thousands’ (eleph, military units) of horses for his chariots, and twelve military units of horsemen (chariot drivers). The Chronicler conveys the same idea when he speaks of ‘four thousand’ which signifies ‘forty hundreds (military units)’ (2 Chronicles 9:25). The size of a military unit of chariots would necessarily be much less than a military unit, say, of chariot drivers or footmen.
The numbers are not in any way excessive however we take them. Three or four centuries before Solomon, the king of the small, but wealthy, state of Ugarit was described as negotiating for 2,000 horses on just one single occasion, no doubt in addition to what he already possessed. It is not therefore surprising that Solomon should have full stables. The charioteers would not be standing by all the time. They would spend part of their time at home, living in their home cities and seeing to their fields, being called upon when necessary. We can compare for this the situation in Ugarit, where the literature contains lists of towns together with the names of the charioteers living in them, waiting to be called on when needed.
‘ And those officers provided victuals for king Solomon, and for all who came to king Solomon’s table, every man in his month. They let nothing be lacking.’
The tax officers appointed by Solomon faithfully carried out their responsibilities, providing victuals for Solomon and all who came to his table, and ensuring that no lack of provision ever occurred. Every good thing was provided.
‘ Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds brought they to the place where they were, every man according to his charge.’
The tax officers also fulfilled the responsibility with which they had been charged and ensured that that there was sufficient barley and straw for the horses, and ‘swift steeds’ (horses for the use of messengers?), although the latter may signify ‘horses alongside’, i.e. trainee chariot horses.
The prosperity of the kingdom always depends on faithful servants, often unsung, for we are all called on by our Lord Jesus Christ to ‘feed my sheep’. It is as we faithfully fulfil this task that the Kingly Rule of God will advance and spread. But let us once fail in this responsibility and the kingdom will suffer. That is why in His parable our Lord Jesus Christ constantly urged on us the need to be ‘faithful servants’ (e.g. Luke 12:35-48; Luke 19:12-27).
Be the first to react on this!
