Matthew Henry on 1 Kings 4:1-19
Here we have,
I. Solomon upon his throne (Kg1 4:1): So king Solomon was king, that is, he was confirmed and established king over all Israel, and not, as his successors, only over two tribes. He was a king, that is, he did the work and duty of a king, with the wisdom God had given him. Those preserve the name and honour of their place that mind the business of it and make conscience of it.
II. The great officers of his court, in the choice of whom, no doubt, his wisdom much appeared. It is observable, 1. That several of them are the same that were in his father's time. Zadok and Abiathar were then priests (Sa2 20:25), so they were now; only then Abiathar had the precedency, now Zadok. Jehosh…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Kings 4:6
Ahishar was over the household--steward or chamberlain of the palace.
Adoniram--or Adoram (Sa2 20:24; Kg1 12:18), or Hadoram (Ch2 10:18),
was over the tribute--not the collection of money or goods, but the levy of compulsory laborers (compare Kg1 5:13-14).
Adam Clarke on 1 Kings 4:6
Ahishar was over the household - The king's chamberlain.
Adoniram - was over the tribute - What we call chancellor of the exchequer. He received and brought into the treasury all the proceeds of taxes and tributes. He was in this office under David; see Sa2 20:24.
John Gill on 1 Kings 4:6
And Abiathar was over the household,.... Steward of the household:
and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute, over those that collected the tribute, as the Targum, whether from the people of Israel or other nations, or both; this man was in the same post in David's time, 2 Samuel 20:24.
Keil & Delitzsch on 1 Kings 4:1-6
The Chief Ministers of State. - The list is introduced in Kg1 4:1 by the general remark, that "king Solomon was king over all Israel."
Kg1 4:2
The first of the שׂרים, princes, i.e., chief ministers of state or dignitaries, mentioned here is not the commander-in-chief, as under the warlike reign of David (Sa2 8:16; Sa2 20:23), but, in accordance with the peaceful rule of Solomon, the administrator of the kingdom (or prime minister): "Azariah the son of Zadok was הכּהן," i.e., not the priest, but the administrator of the kingdom, the representative of the king before the people; like כּהן in v. 5, where this word is interpreted by המּלך רעה, with this difference, however, arising from the arti…
