1 Kings 4:2
New International Version
And these were his chief officials: Azariah son of Zadok—the priest;

New Living Translation
and these were his high officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest.

English Standard Version
and these were his high officials: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest;

Berean Standard Bible
and these were his chief officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest;

King James Bible
And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest,

New King James Version
And these were his officials: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest;

New American Standard Bible
These were his officials: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest;

NASB 1995
These were his officials: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest;

NASB 1977
And these were his officials: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest;

Legacy Standard Bible
These were his officials: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest;

Amplified Bible
These were his [chief] officials: Azariah the son of Zadok was the high priest;

Christian Standard Bible
and these were his officials: Azariah son of Zadok, priest;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and these were his officials: Azariah son of Zadok, priest;

American Standard Version
And these were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest;

English Revised Version
And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
these were his officials: [Azariah], son of Zadok, was the [chief] priest.

Good News Translation
and these were his high officials: The priest: Azariah son of Zadok

International Standard Version
Here's a list of his officials: Zadok's son Azariah was priest,

Majority Standard Bible
and these were his chief officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest;

NET Bible
These were his officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest.

New Heart English Bible
These were the officials whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest;

Webster's Bible Translation
And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest,

World English Bible
These were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and these [are] the heads whom he has: Azariah son of Zadok [is] the priest;

Young's Literal Translation
and these are the heads whom he hath: Azariah son of Zadok is the priest;

Smith's Literal Translation
And these the chiefs which were to him: Azariah, son of Zadok the priest;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And these were the princes which he had: Azarias the son of Sadoc the priest:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And these were the leaders that he had: Azariah, the son of Zadok, the priest;

New American Bible
and these were the officials he had in his service: Azariah, son of Zadok, the priest;

New Revised Standard Version
and these were his high officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And these were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok the priest;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And these were his Princes: Azarayah, son of Tsadoq the Priest
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And these were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And these are the princes which he had; Azarias son of Sadoc.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Solomon's Princes
1So King Solomon ruled over Israel, 2and these were his chief officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest; 3Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;…

Cross References
1 Chronicles 27:32-34
David’s uncle Jonathan was a counselor; he was a man of insight and a scribe. Jehiel son of Hachmoni attended to the sons of the king. / Ahithophel was the king’s counselor. Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend. / Ahithophel was succeeded by Jehoiada son of Benaiah, then by Abiathar. Joab was the commander of the king’s army.

2 Samuel 8:15-18
Thus David reigned over all Israel and administered justice and righteousness for all his people: / Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder; / Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the scribe; ...

2 Samuel 20:23-26
Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites; / Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder; / Sheva was the scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; ...

1 Kings 1:8-10
But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s mighty men would not join Adonijah. / And Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened calves near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel. He invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah who were servants of the king. / But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or his brother Solomon.

1 Kings 2:35
And the king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada in Joab’s place over the army, and he appointed Zadok the priest in Abiathar’s place.

1 Kings 3:28
When all Israel heard of the judgment the king had given, they stood in awe of him, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.

1 Kings 5:1-5
Now when Hiram king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king in his father’s place, he sent envoys to Solomon; for Hiram had always been a friend of David. / And Solomon relayed this message to Hiram: / “As you are well aware, due to the wars waged on all sides against my father David, he could not build a house for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD had put his enemies under his feet. ...

1 Kings 9:22-23
But Solomon did not consign any of the Israelites to slavery, because they were his men of war, his servants, his officers, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and cavalry. / They were also the chief officers over Solomon’s projects: 550 supervisors over the people who did the work.

1 Kings 10:8
How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!

1 Kings 12:6-8
Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked. / They replied, “If you will be a servant to these people and serve them this day, and if you will respond by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.” / But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him.

2 Chronicles 9:7
How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!

2 Chronicles 26:11-14
Uzziah had an army ready for battle that went out to war by assigned divisions, as recorded by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer under the direction of Hananiah, one of the royal officers. / The total number of family leaders of the mighty men of valor was 2,600. / Under their authority was an army of 307,500 trained for war, a powerful force to support the king against his enemies. ...

Proverbs 11:14
For lack of guidance, a nation falls, but with many counselors comes deliverance.

Proverbs 15:22
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Proverbs 24:6
Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.


Treasury of Scripture

And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest,

Exodus 18:21
Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

2 Samuel 8:15-18
And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people…

2 Samuel 20:23-26
Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites: …

Azariah

1 Chronicles 6:8-10
And Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Ahimaaz, …

1 Chronicles 27:17
Of the Levites, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel: of the Aaronites, Zadok:

priest.

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Azariah Azari'ah Chief Heads High Officials Priest Princes Zadok
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Azariah Azari'ah Chief Heads High Officials Priest Princes Zadok
1 Kings 4
1. Solomon's princes
7. His twelve officers for provision
20. The peace and largeness of his kingdom
22. His daily provision
26. His stable
29. His wisdom














and these were his chief officials
This phrase introduces the list of key figures in King Solomon's administration. The term "chief officials" indicates a structured and hierarchical government, reflecting Solomon's wisdom in organizing his kingdom. The Hebrew word for "officials" is "sarim," which denotes leaders or princes, suggesting that these individuals held significant authority and responsibility. This structure is reminiscent of the order God desires in His creation, emphasizing the importance of leadership and governance in maintaining peace and prosperity.

Azariah son of Zadok the priest
Azariah, whose name means "Yahweh has helped," is identified as the son of Zadok, a prominent priest during the reigns of David and Solomon. The mention of Zadok highlights the continuity of priestly service and the importance of a godly heritage. Zadok's lineage is significant, as he was a faithful priest who supported King David during Absalom's rebellion (2 Samuel 15:24-29). This connection underscores the theme of faithfulness and divine favor, as Azariah inherits a legacy of spiritual leadership. The role of the priest in Israel was not only religious but also political, as priests often served as advisors to the king, ensuring that the nation's governance aligned with God's laws. This reflects the integration of faith and governance, a principle that conservative Christians uphold as vital for a righteous society.

(2) And these were.--The officers described are of two classes--those attached to Solomon's Court, and those invested with local authority.

The princes are evidently Solomon's high counsellors and officers, "eating at the king's table." The word is derived from a root which means to "set in order." It is significant that whereas in the lists of David's officers in 2Samuel 8:16-18; 2Samuel 20:23-26, the captain of the host stands first, and is followed in one list by the captain of the body-guard, both are here preceded by the peaceful offices of the priests, scribes, and the recorder.

Azariah the son of Zadok the priest.--In 1Chronicles 6:9-10, we find Azariah described as the son of Ahimaaz, and so grandson of Zadok; and the note in 1Kings 4:10 (which is apparently out of its right place) seems to show that he was high priest at the time when the Temple was built. The title the "priest" in this place must be given by anticipation, for it is expressly said below that "Zadok and Abiathar were now the priests." The use of the original word, Cohen (probably signifying "one who ministers"), appears sometimes to retain traces of the old times, when the priesthood and headship of the family were united, and to be applied accordingly to princes, to whom perhaps still attached something of the ancient privilege. Thus it is given to the sons of David in 2Samuel 8:18, where the parallel passage in 1Chronicles 18:17 has a paraphrase, "chief about the king," evidently intended to explain the sense in which it is used in the older record. We may remember that David himself on occasions wore the priestly ephod (see 2Samuel 6:14). Possibly in this sense it is applied in 1Kings 4:5 to Zabud, the "king's friend" (where the Authorised Version renders it by "principal officer"). But in this verse there is every reason for taking it in the usual sense. Azariah was already a "prince" before he succeeded to the high priesthood. The mingling, of priestly and princely functions is characteristic of the time. . . .

Verse 2. - And these were the princes [i.e. ministers, officers. Cf. 2 Samuel 8:15-18, and 2 Sam 20:23-26] which he had, Azariah the son [i.e., descendant, probably grandson. See on 1 Chronicles 6:10] of Zadok the priest. [We are here confronted by two questions of considerable difficulty. First, to whom does the title "priest" here belong, to Azariah or to Zadok? Second, what are we to understand by the term, a spiritual, or a more or less secular person - ἱερεύς or βουλευτής? As to

1. the Vulgate (sacerdotis) and apparently the Authorized Version, with the Rabbins, Luther, and many later expounders, connect the title with Zadok (who is mentioned as priest in ver. 4), and understand that Azariah, the son of the high priest Zadok, was, together with the sons of Shisha, one of the scribes (ver. 3). It is true that this view obviates some difficulties, but against it are these considerations.

(1) The accents.

(2) The Chaldee and LXX. (ὁ ἱερεύς Cod. Alex.; Cod. Vat. omits the words) Versions. . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
and these
וְאֵ֥לֶּה (wə·’êl·leh)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

were his chief officials:
הַשָּׂרִ֖ים (haś·śā·rîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8269: Chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

Azariah
עֲזַרְיָ֥הוּ (‘ă·zar·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5838: Azariah -- 'Yah has helped', the name of a number of Israelites

son
בֶן־ (ḇen-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Zadok
צָד֖וֹק (ṣā·ḏō·wq)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6659: Zadok -- the name of several Israelites

[was] the priest;
הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ (hak·kō·hên)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3548: Priest


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OT History: 1 Kings 4:2 These were the princes whom he had: (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 4:1
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