1 Kings 4:11 kjv
The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife:
1 Kings 4:11 nkjv
Ben-Abinadab, in all the regions of Dor; he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as wife;
1 Kings 4:11 niv
Ben-Abinadab?in Naphoth Dor (he was married to Taphath daughter of Solomon);
1 Kings 4:11 esv
Ben-abinadab, in all Naphath-dor (he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as his wife);
1 Kings 4:11 nlt
Ben-abinadab, in all of Naphoth-dor. (He was married to Taphath, one of Solomon's daughters.)
1 Kings 4 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 4:7 | Solomon had twelve officers... for the king and his household. | General administration of Solomon. |
| 1 Ki 4:19 | One officer in the land. | Another example of a district officer. |
| 1 Ki 4:22 | Solomon’s provision for one day... | Illustrates the massive needs of Solomon’s court. |
| 1 Ki 4:27 | Those officers provided provision for King Solomon... | Officers' primary responsibility. |
| 1 Ki 3:1 | Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt... and took Pharaoh’s daughter. | Example of Solomon's royal marriage for alliance. |
| 1 Ki 11:1 | But King Solomon loved many foreign women... Pharaoh’s daughter, Moabites, Ammonites... | Broad overview of Solomon’s marital policies. |
| 1 Ki 11:3 | He had seven hundred wives... three hundred concubines... | Scale of Solomon's marital connections. |
| Neh 13:26 | Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? | Later biblical critique of Solomon's foreign wives. |
| 2 Chr 8:11 | Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David... | Solomon's royal arrangements for his wife. |
| Gen 41:45 | Pharaoh gave him Asenath the daughter of Potiphera priest of On to wife. | Example of political marriage alliance for consolidation. |
| Judg 14:3 | Why take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? | Israelites' concern over foreign marriages, generally. |
| 1 Sam 18:27 | David went forth... and brought them, and gave them to the king for Michal his daughter. | Marriage used to secure royal position. |
| 2 Ki 8:18 | For the daughter of Ahab was his wife... | Royal intermarriage causing spiritual issues. |
| Ezra 9:1 | The holy race have mixed themselves with the people... | Condemnation of intermarriage for spiritual purity. |
| Deut 17:17 | Neither shall he multiply wives to himself... | Law for kings not to multiply wives. |
| 1 Ki 3:16 | Then came there two women... before the king. | Solomon's display of wisdom in judgment. |
| 1 Ki 4:20 | Judah and Israel were many, as the sand... eating and drinking and making merry. | Describes prosperity and security under Solomon. |
| 1 Ki 10:4 | When the Queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom... there was no more spirit in her. | Testimonial to the grandeur and order of Solomon's kingdom. |
| 2 Sam 7:12 | I will raise up thy seed after thee... and I will establish his kingdom. | Prophetic promise of a secure lineage for David's kingdom. |
| 1 Ki 12:4 | Thy father made our yoke grievous... | Foreshadowing of burdens leading to kingdom division. |
1 Kings 4 verses
1 Kings 4 11 Meaning
This verse identifies Ben-Abinadab as one of Solomon's twelve district governors, specifically over the region of Dor. It further highlights a strategic royal marriage, noting that Taphath, a daughter of King Solomon, was given to him as his wife. This detail underscores Solomon's elaborate administrative structure and his method of consolidating power through strategic family alliances.
1 Kings 4 11 Context
This verse is situated within a detailed account of King Solomon's reign, specifically focusing on the administrative structure and unparalleled prosperity of his kingdom. Chapter 4 provides a list of his chief officials (verses 1-6) and then delineates the twelve district governors (verses 7-19) appointed over all Israel. These governors were responsible for provisioning the immense royal household for one month out of the year, rotating duties to ensure continuous supply. The historical context reflects a period of unprecedented peace and centralized power for Israel, during which Solomon established a highly organized bureaucracy and employed political marriages to strengthen his rule and integrate different regions and leaders into the national framework. The mention of Dor, a key coastal city, signifies its strategic importance within Solomon's administrative scheme.
1 Kings 4 11 Word analysis
- Ben-Abinadab (בֶּן־אֲבִינָדָב, Ben-Avinadav): "Son of Abinadab." This is a patronymic, a common way of identifying individuals in ancient Israel. It specifies a particular individual among Solomon's many officials. The precise identity or specific prior background of his father, Abinadab, is not explicitly stated in Scripture in a way that provides further significant direct context, yet his son's high position indicates he was a recognized figure in Israel.
- in all the region of Dor (בְּכָל־חֶבֶל דֹּור, be'khol-chevel Dor):
- Region (חֶבֶל, chevel): This Hebrew term can mean a "cord," "lot," or a "region/district" (as surveyed by a measuring cord). Here, it denotes a precisely demarcated administrative territory or a geopolitical subdivision.
- Dor (דּוֹר, Dor): An ancient coastal city located south of Mount Carmel, it was a significant port and commercial center. Its strategic location made control over this region vital for Solomon’s economic interests and regional security. This highlights the sophisticated nature of Solomon's kingdom which encompassed areas beyond traditional Israelite tribal lands.
- he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as his wife (לְוֹ טָפַת בַּת־שְׁלֹמֹה הָיְתָה לְוֹ לְאִשָּׁה, lo Tafat bat-Shlomo hayeta lo le'ishsha):
- Taphath (טָפַת, Tafat): This is a Hebrew personal name, possibly meaning "ornament" or "a drop." Taphath is one of only two daughters of Solomon explicitly named in the biblical text (the other being Basemath, mentioned in 1 Kings 4:15 as wife of Ahimaaz).
- daughter of Solomon (בַּת־שְׁלֹמֹה, bat-Shlomo): This signifies her royal lineage and status. Royal marriages were not primarily for romance but served as strategic political instruments in the Ancient Near East. They were used to cement alliances, reward loyal officials, ensure fidelity of local governors, and integrate different powerful families or regions directly into the royal administration. This marriage underscored Ben-Abinadab's elevated status and deep connection to the royal house, thereby strengthening Solomon's central authority over a crucial district.
- Words-group Analysis:
- "Ben-Abinadab, in all the region of Dor": This phrase succinctly identifies one of Solomon's key officials and defines his administrative jurisdiction. It speaks to the organizational prowess of Solomon's rule, showcasing a deliberate division of the kingdom into twelve managed districts, each supervised by an appointed governor.
- "he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as his wife": This adds a critical dimension to Ben-Abinadab's appointment. Beyond a mere administrative role, his marital bond with Solomon's daughter signifies a deeper, personal link to the royal family. This established loyalty and dependence, solidifying the king's authority through familial ties, and illustrates how Solomon leveraged personal connections for political consolidation.
1 Kings 4 11 Bonus section
- The division of the kingdom into twelve administrative districts, as detailed in 1 Kings 4:7-19, often overlapped with but were not strictly confined to traditional tribal boundaries. This suggests that Solomon sought to transcend traditional tribal loyalties by imposing a new administrative structure designed for efficiency in provisioning the capital and facilitating the flow of resources directly to the crown. This innovative organizational model, however, contributed to the later discontent due to heavy taxation, ultimately playing a role in the kingdom's division after his death.
- The explicit naming of only two of Solomon's daughters (Taphath and Basemath) and their husbands among the twelve governors suggests a deliberate emphasis on these specific marital alliances. It highlights their particular significance in binding key administrative leaders more directly to the royal house and perhaps securing vital territories or positions.
- While these alliances were effective in consolidating power during Solomon's time, they also paved the way for future problems regarding royal lineage and potentially intergenerational power struggles or mixed loyalties within the government bureaucracy.
1 Kings 4 11 Commentary
1 Kings 4:11 is a granular yet significant detail within the larger tapestry describing King Solomon's reign. It offers a glimpse into the operational mechanics of his highly centralized and powerful kingdom. The naming of Ben-Abinadab as governor over the important coastal region of Dor, alongside the explicit mention of his marriage to Solomon’s daughter, Taphath, illustrates a dual administrative strategy. Firstly, the appointment of twelve regional governors reflects Solomon's systematic approach to kingdom management, ensuring the consistent provision for his elaborate court and promoting an organized tax collection system that facilitated his ambitious building projects and maintaining his opulent lifestyle. Secondly, the strategic marriage to a royal princess served as a potent political tool. It secured the loyalty of high-ranking officials by integrating them into the king’s inner circle and provided the crown with trusted, familial oversight in key districts, minimizing the risk of regional challenges to his authority. This verse thereby underscores the wisdom, wealth, and sophisticated statecraft characteristic of Solomon's peak reign.