◄ 1 Kings 4:11 ►
Ben-abinadab in Naphath-dor (Taphath, a daughter of Solomon, was his wife);
Study Bible
Ben-abinadab in Naphath-dor

Ben-abinadab was one of the twelve district governors appointed by King Solomon to provide food for the king and his household. The name "Ben-abinadab" means "son of Abinadab," indicating a lineage that may have been significant in Israel. Naphath-dor refers to a region in the territory of Manasseh, near the coastal area of Dor. This area was known for its strategic location and fertile land, which would have been important for supplying the king's provisions. The mention of Naphath-dor highlights the administrative organization and the extent of Solomon's kingdom, which was divided into districts for efficient governance.

1Ch 7:29 And along the borders of Manasseh were Beth-shean, Taanach,…
Jos 17:11 Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh was assigned Beth-shean,…
Jdg 1:27 At that time Manasseh failed to drive out…

(Taphath, a daughter of Solomon, was his wife);

Taphath, being a daughter of Solomon, signifies a political alliance through marriage, which was a common practice in ancient times to secure loyalty and strengthen ties within the kingdom. This marriage would have reinforced Ben-abinadab's loyalty to Solomon, as family ties were crucial in maintaining the stability of the king's rule. The mention of Taphath also reflects Solomon's wisdom in governance, as he strategically placed trusted family members in key positions. This practice of marrying daughters to influential leaders can be seen throughout the Bible, such as in the marriages of King David's daughters. Solomon's extensive family connections through marriage also foreshadow the eventual division of the kingdom due to internal strife and competing loyalties, as seen later in the narrative of the kings of Israel and Judah.

1Ki 7:8 And the palace where Solomon would live, set further back…
1Ki 3:1 Later, Solomon formed an alliance with Pharaoh…
1Ki 11:1-3 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ben-abinadab
A regional governor under King Solomon, responsible for the district of Dor. His name means "son of Abinadab," indicating his lineage.

2. Taphath
The daughter of Solomon, married to Ben-abinadab. Her marriage signifies political alliances and the consolidation of Solomon's rule.

3. Solomon
The King of Israel, known for his wisdom and wealth. He organized his kingdom into districts, each overseen by a governor.

4. Dor
A region in ancient Israel, known for its strategic location and significance in trade and military defense.

5. Heights of Dor
Refers to the elevated areas within the region of Dor, indicating a place of importance and possibly fortification.
Teaching Points
Wise Governance
Solomon's appointment of regional governors demonstrates the importance of wise and organized leadership. Effective governance requires delegation and trust in capable leaders.

Strategic Alliances
Marriages in biblical times often served as political alliances. In our lives, forming strategic partnerships can be beneficial for mutual growth and stability.

Role of Women
Taphath's mention highlights the influence women can have in political and familial settings. Recognizing and valuing the contributions of women is essential in all areas of life.

Legacy and Influence
The legacy of Solomon's wisdom and governance continues to be a model. Our actions and decisions today can have lasting impacts on future generations.

Faithfulness in Roles
Each person in Solomon's administration had a specific role. Faithfulness in our God-given roles, whether in leadership or support, is crucial for the success of the community.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the appointment of Ben-abinadab as a governor reflect Solomon's wisdom in administration, and what can we learn from this about leadership in our own lives?

2. In what ways do strategic alliances, like the marriage of Taphath, play a role in our personal and professional lives today?

3. Considering the role of Taphath, how can we better recognize and support the influence of women in our communities and churches?

4. How does the structure of Solomon's kingdom, as seen in 1 Kings 4, compare to the guidelines for kingship in Deuteronomy 17, and what lessons can we draw from this comparison?

5. Reflect on a time when you had to delegate responsibilities. What challenges did you face, and how did you ensure that the tasks were completed effectively?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Kings 4:7-19
Provides context for the administrative structure of Solomon's kingdom, listing other governors and their regions.

1 Kings 3:1
Discusses Solomon's marriage alliances, similar to Taphath's marriage to Ben-abinadab, highlighting the political strategy of marriages.

Proverbs 31:10-31
Offers insight into the role and value of a virtuous wife, which can be related to Taphath's position as a wife of influence.

Deuteronomy 17:14-20
Outlines the guidelines for kingship in Israel, including the importance of wise governance, which Solomon exemplified.
Sermons
A Kingdom Unified1 Kings 4:1-28
The Church TriumphantJ. Parker, D. D.1 Kings 4:1-28
People
Abda, Abel, Abiathar, Abinadab, Adoniram, Ahiah, Ahijah, Ahilud, Ahimaaz, Ahinadab, Ahishar, Amorites, Argob, Asher, Azariah, Baana, Baanah, Basmath, Ben, Benaiah, Benjamin, Calcol, Chalcol, Dan, Darda, Dekar, Elah, Elihoreph, Elon, Ethan, Geber, Hanan, Heman, Hepher, Hesed, Hur, Hushai, Iddo, Issachar, Jair, Jehoiada, Jehoshaphat, Jezreel, Mahol, Manasseh, Naphtali, Nathan, Og, Paruah, Shimei, Shisha, Sihon, Solomon, Taphath, Uri, Zabud, Zadok
Places
Abel-meholah, Argob, Arubboth, Bashan, Bealoth, Beersheba, Beth-shan, Beth-shemesh, Dan, Egypt, Elonbeth-hanan, Euphrates River, Gaza, Gilead, Hepher, Jerusalem, Jezreel, Jokmeam, Lebanon, Mahanaim, Makaz, Megiddo, Naphath-dor, Ramoth-gilead, Shaalbim, Socoh, Taanach, Tiphsah, Zarethan
Topics
Abinadab, Ben, Ben-abinadab, Ben-abin'adab, Daughter, Dor, Elevation, Height, Married, Naphath-dor, Naphoth, Region, Solomon, Taphath, Upland, Wife
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Kings 4:1-25

     7236   Israel, united kingdom

1 Kings 4:5-19

     5434   officer

1 Kings 4:7-19

     5489   rank

Library
The Great Gain of Godliness
'And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon. 26. And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. 27. And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing. 28. Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Whether He who Raises the Unworthy to Orders Commits a Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that he who raises the unworthy to orders commits no sin. For a bishop needs assistants appointed to the lesser offices. But he would be unable to find them in sufficient number, if he were to require of them such qualifications as the saints enumerate. Therefore if he raise some who are not qualified, he would seem to be excusable. Objection 2: Further, the Church needs not only ministers for the dispensation of things spiritual, but also for the supervision of temporalities. …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether Vengeance Should be Taken on those who have Sinned Involuntarily?
Objection 1: It seems that vengeance should be taken on those who have sinned involuntarily. For the will of one man does not follow from the will of another. Yet one man is punished for another, according to Ex. 20:5, "I am . . . God . . . jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation." Thus for the sin of Cham, his son Chanaan was curse (Gn. 9:25) and for the sin of Giezi, his descendants were struck with leprosy (4 Kings 5). Again the blood …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Stedfastness in the Old Paths.
"Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls."--Jer. vi. 16. Reverence for the old paths is a chief Christian duty. We look to the future indeed with hope; yet this need not stand in the way of our dwelling on the past days of the Church with affection and deference. This is the feeling of our own Church, as continually expressed in the Prayer Book;--not to slight what has gone before, …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII

Adam and Zaretan, Joshua 3
I suspect a double error in some maps, while they place these two towns in Perea; much more, while they place them at so little a distance. We do not deny, indeed, that the city Adam was in Perea; but Zaretan was not so. Of Adam is mention, Joshua 3:16; where discourse is had of the cutting-off, or cutting in two, the waters of Jordan, that they might afford a passage to Israel; The waters rose up upon a heap afar off in Adam. For the textual reading "In Adam," the marginal hath "From Adam." You …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

The Fact of the Redeemer's Return was Typified in the Lives of Joseph and Solomon.
In the Old Testament there are numerous references to the Second Coming of Christ, references both direct and typical, but in every instance it was His return to the earth which was in view. The secret coming of Christ into the air, to catch up the saints to Himself, was an event quite unknown to the Old Testament prophets, an event kept secret until revealed by God to the apostle Paul who, when writing to the Corinthians upon this particular aspect of our subject, said, "Behold, I show you a mystery …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

Perhaps There is no Book Within the Whole Canon of Scripture So Perplexing and Anomalous...
Perhaps there is no book within the whole canon of Scripture so perplexing and anomalous, at first sight, as that entitled "Ecclesiastes." Its terrible hopelessness, its bold expression of those difficulties with which man is surrounded on every side, the apparent fruitlessness of its quest after good, the unsatisfactory character, from a Christian standpoint, of its conclusion: all these points have made it, at one and the same time, an enigma to the superficial student of the Word, and the arsenal …
F. C. Jennings—Old Groans and New Songs

The Care of the Soul Urged as the one Thing Needful
Luke 10:42 -- "But one thing is needful." It was the amiable character of our blessed Redeemer, that "he went about doing good," this great motive, which animated all his actions, brought him to the house of his friend Lazarus, at Bethany, and directed his behavior there. Though it was a season of recess from public labor, our Lord brought the sentiments and the pious cares of a preacher of righteousness into the parlor of a friend; and there his doctrine dropped as the rain, and distilled as the …
George Whitefield—Selected Sermons of George Whitefield

The Spiced Wine of My Pomegranate;
OR, THE COMMUNION OF COMMUNICATION. I would cause Thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate."--Song of Solomon viii. 2.And of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace."--John i. 16. THE SPICED WINE OF MY POMEGRANATE. THE immovable basis of communion having been laid of old in the eternal union which subsisted between Christ and His elect, it only needed a fitting occasion to manifest itself in active development. The Lord Jesus had for ever delighted Himself with the …
Charles Hadden Spurgeon—Till He Come

A vision of Judgement and Cleansing
'And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. 2. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? 3. Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the Angel. 4. And He answered and spake unto those that stood before Him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him He said, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Historical Books.
1. In the Pentateuch we have the establishment of the Theocracy, with the preparatory and accompanying history pertaining to it. The province of the historical books is to unfold its practiced working, and to show how, under the divine superintendence and guidance, it accomplished the end for which it was given. They contain, therefore, primarily, a history of God's dealings with the covenant people under the economy which he had imposed upon them. They look at the course of human events on the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

The Poetical Books (Including Also Ecclesiastes and Canticles).
1. The Hebrews reckon but three books as poetical, namely: Job, Psalms, and Proverbs, which are distinguished from the rest by a stricter rhythm--the rhythm not of feet, but of clauses (see below, No. 3)--and a peculiar system of accentuation. It is obvious to every reader that the poetry of the Old Testament, in the usual sense of the word, is not restricted to these three books. But they are called poetical in a special and technical sense. In any natural classification of the books of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
1 Kings 4:11 NIV
1 Kings 4:11 NLT
1 Kings 4:11 ESV
1 Kings 4:11 NASB
1 Kings 4:11 KJV

1 Kings 4:11 Commentaries

Bible Hub
1 Kings 4:10
Top of Page
Top of Page