1 Kings 4:20 kjv
Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
1 Kings 4:20 nkjv
Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing.
1 Kings 4:20 niv
The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy.
1 Kings 4:20 esv
Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy.
1 Kings 4:20 nlt
The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They were very contented, with plenty to eat and drink.
1 Kings 4 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 13:16 | "...I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth..." | God's promise to Abram of numerous descendants |
| Gen 22:17 | "...I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore..." | Abrahamic Covenant: immense population |
| Gen 32:12 | "...you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’" | Jacob recalling God's promise |
| Exo 32:13 | "...I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven..." | Moses reminds God of the promise |
| Deut 1:10 | "The Lord your God has multiplied you, so that today you are as the stars of heaven for multitude." | Moses affirms the partial fulfillment |
| Josh 11:4 | "...numerous as the sand on the seashore..." | Describing an opposing army, but same imagery |
| 2 Sam 7:11-16 | "...The Lord will make you a house... Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me..." | Davidic Covenant: promise of lasting kingdom |
| Ps 72:3 | "May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness!" | Messianic psalm, describes peace and abundance |
| Ps 72:7 | "In his days may the righteous flourish, and peace abound, till the moon is no more!" | Ideal king's reign brings peace |
| Ps 72:16 | "May there be abundance of grain in the land; on the tops of the mountains may it wave..." | Abundance under the king's rule |
| 1 Chr 22:9 | "...a man of rest, and I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days." | Promise of peace during Solomon's reign |
| Ecc 2:24 | "There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil." | General wisdom: enjoying God's provision |
| Ecc 3:12-13 | "...that each one should eat and drink and find enjoyment in all his toil..." | Divine gift: finding joy in work/provision |
| Isa 2:4 | "...they shall beat their swords into plowshares..." | Prophecy of future peace, often linked to kingdom |
| Isa 9:6-7 | "Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end..." | Prophecy of Christ's perfect and eternal reign |
| Hos 1:10 | "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea..." | Future restoration and numerical blessing |
| Joel 2:26 | "You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God..." | Blessing of abundance, future fulfillment |
| Zec 8:4-5 | "Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem... And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing..." | Future peace and thriving population |
| Zec 9:9-10 | "...Your king comes to you... speaking peace to the nations..." | Messianic King brings universal peace |
| Luke 17:26-27 | "Just as it was in the days of Noah... they were eating, drinking..." | Worldly pursuits during a time of ease, can lead to heedlessness |
| Rom 9:27 | "Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: 'Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant will be saved.'" | Applies numerical promise with spiritual truth |
| Rev 21:3-4 | "...God himself will be with them as their God... wipe away every tear... no more death or crying or pain..." | Ultimate peace and well-being in new heavens/earth |
1 Kings 4 verses
1 Kings 4 20 Meaning
1 Kings 4:20 describes the peak prosperity, immense population, peace, and joyous well-being of the united kingdom of Israel and Judah during the reign of King Solomon. It signifies God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promises, particularly the blessing of an innumerable offspring and an abundance of resources, leading to national contentment and celebration.
1 Kings 4 20 Context
1 Kings chapter 4 vividly describes the immense extent and orderly administration of King Solomon's vast kingdom. The verses immediately preceding 4:20 detail his comprehensive control over territories from the Euphrates to the border of Egypt, and the immense tribute he received. This verse then shifts focus from the king's grandeur to the condition of the people themselves. It presents the national and individual well-being as a direct consequence of this unprecedented peace and abundance. It paints a picture of a fulfilled promise, contrasting sharply with the struggles of earlier eras like the period of the Judges, and foreshadowing the eventual decline and division of the kingdom later in 1 Kings.
1 Kings 4 20 Word analysis
- Judah and Israel: This refers to the entirety of the united kingdom under Solomon's reign, encompassing all twelve tribes. It highlights the political and spiritual unity during this golden age, before the later division into the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel.
- were as numerous: The Hebrew word rab (רָב) conveys "many, great, much." Its use here emphasizes not just large quantity but also significance and fullness.
- as the sand on the seashore: The Hebrew phrase kaḥōl ǎšer al-səphat hayyam (כַּחוֹל אֲשֶׁר עַל שְׂפַת הַיָּם) is a quintessential biblical simile, rooted in God's covenant promises to Abraham (Gen 22:17). It signifies an immeasurable, uncountable multitude, fulfilling the divine blessing of exponential population growth for God's chosen people. It reinforces the idea that this prosperity is a direct result of God's faithfulness.
- they ate, they drank, and they rejoiced: These three verbs in Hebrew are participles (ōḵlīm wəšōtīm wəśəmēḥīm), conveying a continuous and habitual state.
- Ate (ōḵlīm): Implies a constant availability of food, signifying abundance and lack of famine or scarcity.
- Drank (wəšōtīm): Similar to 'ate', indicates plenty of drink and provisions.
- Rejoiced (wəśəmēḥīm): Points to the internal state of the people – joy, contentment, and freedom from fear or oppression. This suggests not just material prosperity, but a psychological and spiritual well-being stemming from peace and security. This triad describes a state of general national flourishing, indicative of God's blessing.
1 Kings 4 20 Bonus section
This verse stands in stark contrast to the previous generations of Israel often marked by cycles of apostasy, oppression, and warfare depicted in the book of Judges. It signifies a unique period of respite and unparalleled national thriving. The state of "eating, drinking, and rejoicing" not only speaks to physical provision but also to a deeper peace and security that allowed for communal celebration and prosperity without the looming threat of invasion or internal division, a truly remarkable accomplishment for the region and time.
1 Kings 4 20 Commentary
1 Kings 4:20 encapsulates the zenith of Israelite national life under King Solomon, serving as a powerful testament to the fulfillment of God's covenant promises. The numerical blessing, expressed through the well-known imagery of "sand on the seashore," directly echoes the Abrahamic covenant, underscoring that the prosperity witnessed was divinely ordained. This abundance was not confined to the king's palace; the entire population of Judah and Israel experienced it, demonstrated by their state of "eating, drinking, and rejoicing." This phrase paints a picture of societal contentment, robust economic well-being, and an absence of war or internal strife. It portrays a golden age where the ordinary people could live securely, enjoying the fruits of their labor without threat, living in unprecedented peace (shalom). This verse, therefore, represents the temporal ideal of a nation living under God's favor and highlights the stability and joy brought about by a divinely established, wise leadership. It also points forward, albeit imperfectly, to the ultimate peace and abundance promised in the Kingdom of God under the eternal reign of the Messiah.