Lesson 713: I KINGS CHAPTER 4

"Having Wisdom is One Thing- but Using It?”

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I KINGS CHAPTER 4

1 So king Solomon was king over all Israel. 2 And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest, 3 Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder. 4 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests: 5 and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king’s friend: 6 and Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute. 7 And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision. 8 And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim: 9 the son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-bethhanan: 10 the son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher: 11 the son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife: 12 Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam: 13 the son of Geber, in Ramoth-gilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen bars: 14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim: 15 Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife: 16 Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth: 17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar: 18 Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin: 19 Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead, in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer which was in the land. Solomon’s dominion 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 on all sides round about him. 25 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. 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. Solomon is famous for wisdom 29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. 30 And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about. 32 And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. 33 And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. 34 And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.

Lesson No. 713  "Having Wisdom is One Thing- but Using It?”

I Kings Chapter 4                                                     03/10/2024

1) Verse 1 says that King Solomon was king over ALL Israel- what does that mean? The next 5 verses describe Solomon’s princes (officers) and through them he ran the kingdom.

2) The 11 officers included: verse 2- son of a priest (councilor?), verse 3- 2 scribes and 1 recorder, verse 4- 1 general and 2 priests, verse 5- 1 over the other officers and 1 principle officer, verse 6- 1 over the kings household and 1 over the tribute.  Really good organization; is God ‘organized’?

3) This also teaches us much about leading in God’s church- pray about servants and their giftings and roles in the church leadership, appoint and anoint, train, and lead the leaders (disciple leaders).  Why not 12?  Perhaps Solomon completed the king’s court for 12?

4) Then Solomon had a 12 officers or governors, one for each of the 12 tribes (verses 7-19).  Why do we need to know the names of these governors?  What was their principle job?  What was the work load.  Was this fair, just, and wise?  This would amount to a 12% tax rate!

5) Verses 20 and 21 speak to God’s blessings on Solomon and Israel.  What was the reason for this?  Does God bless us like this today?  Is his blessing tied to anything in our control?  (You bet!  Blessings- both kinds.)

6) Chapter 4 then describes Solomon’s ‘daily household provisions’ (verse 22-23).  Why did he needed tons of food each day?

7) Verses 24 and 25 speak of Solomon’s dominion- has God given us a ‘dominion’?  Has he given all safety and everyone a vine and fig tree?  What does this mean?

8) Now the garage!  40,000 stalls of horses for chariots and 12,000 horsemen plus feed and grain for the horsemen- Solomon’s ‘table’ is quite large!  But what did God say about too many horses and chariots?  Deut 17: 14-20

9) Now Solomon’s full of wisdom because God gave him wisdom and understanding, and largeness of heart (merciful) in verse 29, more than all the other wise men (verses 30-31). Other than leading and judging properly , what else was he known for? (verses 32-34) But was is lacking in all of this about Solomon? Was Solomon a scientist too?

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4