1 Kings 4:5

1 Kings 4:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king’s friend:
• New International Version (NIV)Azariah son of Nathan—in charge of the district governors; Zabud son of Nathan—a priest and adviser to the king;
• English Standard Version (ESV)Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan was priest and king's friend;
• New King James Version (NKJV)Azariah the son of Nathan, over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan, a priest and the king’s friend;

Context of 1 Kings 4:5

3Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were scribes. Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, was the royal historian. 4Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was commander of the army. Zadok and Abiathar were priests. Azariah, son of Nathan, was in charge of the district governors. Zabud, son of Nathan, was the king’s adviser. 6Ahishar was in charge of the palace. Adoniram, son of Abda, was in charge of forced labor. 7Solomon appointed 12 district governors in Israel. They were to provide food for the king and his palace. Each one had to supply food for one month every year.

1 Kings 4:5 word by word

וַעֲזַרְיָ֥הוּ בֶן־נָתָ֖ן עַל־הַנִּצָּבִ֑ים וְזָב֧וּד בֶּן־נָתָ֛ן כֹּהֵ֖ן רֵעֶ֥ה הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Azariahעֲזַרְיָ֫הוּ‛ăzaryâh ‛ăzaryâhû · AzariahH5838
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Nathanנָתָןnâthân · NathanH5416
• over the officersנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
• and Zabudזָבוּדzâbûd · ZabudH2071
• principal officerכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• friendרֵעֶהrê‛eh · friendH7463

Cross-references for 1 Kings 4:5

• 1 Kings 1:10But he didn’t invite the prophet Nathan, Benaiah, the fighting men, or his brother Solomon.
• 2 Samuel 7:2So the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Look, I’m living in a house made of cedar, while the ark of God remains in the tent.”
• 2 Samuel 12:1So the Lord sent Nathan to David. Nathan came to him and said, “There were two men in a certain city. One was rich, and the other was poor.
• 1 Kings 4:7Solomon appointed 12 district governors in Israel. They were to provide food for the king and his palace. Each one had to supply food for one month every year.
• 2 Samuel 8:18Jehoiada’s son Benaiah was commander of the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And David’s sons were priests.
• 2 Samuel 20:26And Ira, a descendant of Jair, was a priest to David.
• 2 Samuel 15:37So Hushai, David’s friend, went to the city as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.
• 2 Samuel 16:16When David’s friend Hushai from Archi’s family came to Absalom, he said, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
• 2 Samuel 19:37Please let me go back so that I can die in my city near the grave of my father and mother. But here is Chimham. Let him go across with you. And do for him what you think is right.”
• 1 Chronicles 27:33Ahithophel was the king’s adviser. Hushai, a descendant of Archi, was the king’s friend.
• Proverbs 22:11Whoever loves a pure heart and whoever speaks graciously has a king as his friend.
• John 13:23One disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, was near him at the table.
• John 15:14You are my friends if you obey my commandments.
• James 2:23The Scripture passage came true. It says, “Abraham believed God, and that faith was regarded as the basis of Abraham’s approval by God.” So Abraham was called God’s friend.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 4:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Azariah - was over the officers - He had the superintendence of the twelve officers mentioned below; see 1 Kings 4:7. Zabud - was principal officer - Perhaps what we call premier, or prime minister. The king's friend - His chief favourite - his confidant.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5The son of Nathan - It is uncertain whether the Nathan of this verse is the prophet or the son of David 2 Samuel 5:14. While on the one hand the position of “king‘s friend” is more likely to have been held by a contemporary, which the prophet‘s son would have been, than by one so much younger as the son of a younger brother; on the other hand the title “cohen” seems to point to a member of the royal family. (See the next note.) Azariah who was “over the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5Two of Nathan's sons were also part of Solomon's inner circle. Azariah managed the twelve district governors, while Zabud was a trusted adviser, a role Hushai held under David (2 Samuel 15:37).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. over the officers--that is, the provincial governors enumerated in 1Ki 4:17-19. principal officer, and the king's friend--perhaps president of the privy council, and Solomon's confidential friend or favorite. This high functionary had probably been reared along with Solomon. That he should heap those honors on the sons of Nathan was most natural, considering the close intimacy of the father with the late king, and the deep obligations under which…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 4:5

• Azariah
• Cabinet
• King
• Minister, Civil
• Officer
• Solomon
• Zabud

In the dictionaries

• Azariah
• Nathan
• Deputy
• King
• Region
• Solomon
• Zabud
• Abiathar
• Abishag
• Ahimaaz

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