1 Kings 4:20

1 Kings 4:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
• New International Version (NIV)The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing.

Context of 1 Kings 4:20

18Shimei, son of Ela, was in charge of Benjamin. 19Geber, son of Uri, was in charge of Gilead, the territory of King Sihon the Amorite and King Og of Bashan. (There was only one governor in that territory.) The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They ate and drank and lived happily. 21Solomon ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the country of the Philistines and as far as the Egyptian border. These kingdoms paid taxes and were subject to Solomon as long as he lived. 22Solomon’s food supply for one day was 180 bushels of flour, 360 bushels of coarse flour,

1 Kings 4:20 word by word

יְהוּדָ֤ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ רַבִּ֔ים כַּח֥וֹל אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַיָּ֖ם לָרֹ֑ב אֹכְלִ֥ים וְשֹׁתִ֖ים וּשְׂמֵחִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• and Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• manyרַבrab · manyH7227
• as the sandחוֹלchôl · sandH2344
• by the seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
• in multitudeרֹבrôb · abundanceH7230
• eatingאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• and drinkingשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• and making merryשָׂמֵחַώâmêach · gladH8056

Cross-references for 1 Kings 4:20

• 1 Kings 3:8I’m among your people whom you have chosen. They are too numerous to count or record.
• Genesis 13:16I will also give you as many descendants as the dust of the earth. If anyone could count the dust of the earth, then he could also count your descendants.
• Genesis 15:5He took Abram outside and said, “Now look up at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He also said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”
• Genesis 22:17I will certainly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of their enemies’ cities.
• Proverbs 14:28A large population is an honor for a king, but without people a ruler is ruined.
• 1 Samuel 30:16The Egyptian led him ⌞to them⌟. They were spread out all over the land, eating, and drinking. They were celebrating because they had taken so much loot from Philistine territory and from the land of Judah.
• 1 Chronicles 12:39They ate and drank with David for three days because their relatives ⌞in Judah⌟ had provided enough for them.
• Job 1:18While he was still speaking, another ⌞messenger⌟ came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine at their oldest brother’s home
• Psalms 72:3May the mountains bring peace to the people and the hills bring righteousness.
• Ecclesiastes 2:24There is nothing better for people to do than to eat, drink, and find satisfaction in their work. I saw that even this comes from the hand of God.
• Isaiah 22:13Instead, you will rejoice, celebrate, slaughter cattle, and butcher sheep. You will eat meat, drink wine, and say, “Let’s eat and drink because tomorrow we’re going to die.”
• Micah 4:4They will sit under their grapevines and their fig trees, and no one will make them afraid. The Lord of Armies has spoken.
• Zechariah 3:10On that day,” declares the Lord of Armies, “each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree.”
• Zechariah 9:15The Lord of Armies will defend them. They will destroy and trample the stones used in slings. They will drink and shout as if they were drunk. They will be filled like a sacrificial bowl ⌞used for sprinkling⌟ the corners of the altar.
• Acts 2:46The believers had a single purpose and went to the temple every day. They were joyful and humble as they ate at each other’s homes and shared their food.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 4:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Eating and drinking, and making merry - They were very comfortable, very rich, very merry, and very corrupt. And this full feeding and dissipation led to a total corruption of manners.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20There is some doubt about the proper arrangement of the remainder of this chapter. The best alteration, if we alter the Hebrew order at all, would be to place 1 Kings 4:20-21 after 1 Kings 4:25. Many … - See 1 Kings 3:8 note; and compare Psalm 127:1-5, which is traditionally ascribed to Solomon, and which celebrates the populousness and security of Israel in his day.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-28Verses 20-28 Never did the crown of Israel shine so bright, as when Solomon wore it. He had peace on all sides. Herein, his kingdom was a type of the Messiah's; for to Him it is promised that he shall have the heathen for his inheritance, and that princes shall worship him. The spiritual peace, and joy, and holy security, of all the faithful subjects of the Lord Jesus, were typified by that of Israel. The kingdom of God is not, as Solomon's was, meat and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-21God promised Abraham land (Genesis 15:18–21; 17:8; 22:17). This promise came true with Solomon's blessing. The lands that David and Solomon (2 Chronicles 8:3) conquered stayed loyal to Solomon. They sent him tribute money and served him throughout his long reign.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 4:20

• Rulers
• Solomon
• Tax

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Judah
• the sea, the Great Sea, the western sea
• Region
• Solomon
• Abishag
• Deer
• Genealogy
• Horse
• Kings, Books of

Commentaries on 1 Kings 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings