1 Kings 4:3
New International Version
Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha—secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud—recorder;

New Living Translation
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were court secretaries. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.

English Standard Version
Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

Berean Standard Bible
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;

King James Bible
Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.

New King James Version
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder;

New American Standard Bible
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha were scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the secretary;

NASB 1995
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder;

NASB 1977
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder;

Legacy Standard Bible
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha were scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder;

Amplified Bible
Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha, were scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder [of important events];

Christian Standard Bible
Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha, secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud, court historian;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha, secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud, court historian;

American Standard Version
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder;

English Revised Version
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
[Elihoreph] and [Ahijah], the sons of Shisha, were scribes. [Jehoshaphat], son of Ahilud, was the royal historian.

Good News Translation
The court secretaries: Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha In charge of the records: Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud

International Standard Version
Shisha's sons Elihoreph and Ahijah were his secretaries, Ahilud's son Jehoshaphat was recorder,

Majority Standard Bible
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;

NET Bible
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, wrote down what happened. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was in charge of the records.

New Heart English Bible
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder;

Webster's Bible Translation
Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehosaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.

World English Bible
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Elihoreph and Ahiah sons of Shisha [are] scribes; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud [is] remembrancer;

Young's Literal Translation
Elihoreph and Ahiah sons of Shisha are scribes; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud is remembrancer;

Smith's Literal Translation
Elihoreph and Ahiah, sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud, remembering.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Elihoreph, and Ahia, the sons of Sisa, scribes: Josaphat the son of Ahilud, recorder:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, the scribes; Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, the keeper of records;

New American Bible
Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, the chancellor;

New Revised Standard Version
Elihoreph and Ahijah sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Elikharaph and Akhia, sons of Shisha the Scribe and Yushaphat, son of Akhilud the Chronicler
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Eliaph, and Achia son of Seba, scribes; and Josaphat son of Achilud, recorder.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Solomon's Princes
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; 4Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;…

Cross References
1 Chronicles 18:15-17
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; Shavsha was the scribe; / Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief officials at the king’s side.

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 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.

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 12:22-24
But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God: / “Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and the rest of the people / that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you must return home, for this is My doing.’” So they listened to the word of the LORD and turned back according to the word of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 8:9-10
But Solomon did not consign any of the Israelites to slave labor, because they were his men of war, the leaders of his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and cavalry. / They were also the chief officers for King Solomon: 250 supervisors.

2 Chronicles 19:11
Note that Amariah, the chief priest, will be over you in all that pertains to the LORD, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all that pertains to the king. And the Levites will serve as officers before you. Act resolutely; may the LORD be with the upright!”

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. ...

2 Chronicles 29:25
Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, of Gad the king’s seer, and of Nathan the prophet. For the command had come from the LORD through His prophets.

2 Chronicles 34:12-13
And the men did the work faithfully. The Levites overseeing them were Jahath and Obadiah, descendants of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descendants of Kohath. Other Levites, all skilled with musical instruments, / were over the laborers and supervised all who did the work, task by task. Some of the Levites were secretaries, officers, and gatekeepers.

Nehemiah 11:11-12
Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the chief official of the house of God; / and their associates who did the work at the temple—822 men; Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah;

Matthew 10:2-4
These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; / Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; / Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

Mark 3:16-19
These are the twelve He appointed: Simon (whom He named Peter), / James son of Zebedee and his brother John (whom He named Boanerges, meaning “Sons of Thunder”), / Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, ...


Treasury of Scripture

Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.

Shisha

2 Samuel 20:25
And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:

Sheva

1 Chronicles 18:6
Then David put garrisons in Syriadamascus; and the Syrians became David's servants, and brought gifts. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

Shavsha

2 Samuel 8:16
And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

2 Samuel 20:24
And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder:

1 Chronicles 18:15
And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, recorder.

Jump to Previous
Ahiah Ahijah Ahi'jah Ahilud Ahi'lud Chronicler Jehoshaphat Jehosh'aphat Recorder Remembrancer Scribes Secretaries
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Ahiah Ahijah Ahi'jah Ahilud Ahi'lud Chronicler Jehoshaphat Jehosh'aphat Recorder Remembrancer Scribes Secretaries
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














Elihoreph and Ahijah
These names are significant in understanding the administrative structure of King Solomon's reign. "Elihoreph" means "God is my reward," and "Ahijah" means "brother of the Lord" or "my brother is Yah." These names reflect a deep connection to the divine, suggesting that those who served in Solomon's court were not only skilled but also carried names that reminded them of their spiritual heritage. The presence of two secretaries indicates the complexity and the need for meticulous record-keeping in Solomon's expansive kingdom.

the sons of Shisha
"Shisha" is a name that appears only here in the Bible, and it is believed to be a variant of "Seraiah," a name associated with scribes. The mention of their father highlights the importance of lineage and the passing down of roles and responsibilities within families. This reflects the biblical principle of generational legacy and the importance of family in maintaining societal roles.

were secretaries
The role of a secretary in ancient Israel was crucial. Secretaries were responsible for recording decrees, managing correspondence, and maintaining the king's records. This position required literacy and a deep understanding of the law and governance. In the Hebrew context, the word used here is "sopherim," which can also mean "scribes." This highlights the importance of written communication and record-keeping in maintaining the order and administration of the kingdom.

Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud
"Jehoshaphat" means "Yahweh has judged," and "Ahilud" means "brother of one born." Jehoshaphat's role as the recorder was vital in ensuring that the king's decrees and the events of the kingdom were accurately documented. His name suggests a divine endorsement of his role, emphasizing the belief that God is the ultimate judge and overseer of all human affairs.

was the recorder
The recorder, or "mazkir" in Hebrew, was responsible for chronicling the events of the kingdom, similar to a modern-day historian or archivist. This role was essential for preserving the history and ensuring that future generations could learn from past events. The recorder's work was not just administrative but also theological, as it involved interpreting events in light of God's covenant with Israel.

(3) Sons of Shisha.--In 1Chronicles 18:16 "Shavsha," and in 2Samuel 20:25 "Sheva," is mentioned as the scribe of David. Probably these are variations of the same name, and the office may have become virtually hereditary. The "scribe," or (see Margin) "secretary," is constantly referred to as a high officer, issuing the king's edicts and letters, and acting in his name, like our "Secretaries of State."

Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud is named in 2Samuel 8:16; 2Samuel 20:24, and 1Chronicles 18:15 as having been under David also the "recorder" or "remembrancer"--probably the annalist who drew up and preserved the archives of the kingdom. . . .

Verse 3. - Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha [probably the same person who is mentioned in 2 Samuel 20:25 as Sheva; in 2 Samuel 8:17, as Seraiah; and in 1 Chronicles 18:16, as Shavsha, David's scribe. The office thus descended from father to sons. The variations in this name are instructive. Compare Kishi and Kushaiah, Abijah and Abijam, Michaiah and Maachah, Absalom and Abishalom, etc. Names written ex ore dictantis are sure to differ. See below on ver. 12], scribes [the scribes, סֹפְדִים, were Secretaries of State: they wrote letters and proclamations, drew up edicts, and apparently kept the accounts (2 Kings 12:10). Their position in the list indicates their importance]; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder. [He held the same office under David, and is mentioned in all three lists (2 Samuel 8:17; 2 Samuel 20:25; 1 Chronicles 18:15). The recorder or "remembrancer" (marg.) was, perhaps, "chancellor" (Keil), or keeper of the king's conscience, rather than, as is generally supposed, chronicler of public events, and keeper of the archives. See Introduction, sect. 6.]

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Elihoreph
אֱלִיחֹ֧רֶף (’ĕ·lî·ḥō·rep̄)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 456: Elihoreph -- 'God of autumn', one of Solomon's scribes

and Ahijah,
וַאֲחִיָּ֛ה (wa·’ă·ḥî·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 281: Ahijah -- 'brother of Yah', an Israelite name

the sons
בְּנֵ֥י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Shisha,
שִׁישָׁ֖א (šî·šā)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7894: Shisha -- father of Solomon's scribes

[were] secretaries;
סֹפְרִ֑ים (sō·p̄ə·rîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5608: To count, recount, relate

Jehoshaphat
יְהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט (yə·hō·wō·šā·p̄āṭ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3092: Jehoshaphat -- 'the LORD has judged', the name of a number of Israelites

son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Ahilud
אֲחִיל֖וּד (’ă·ḥî·lūḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 286: Ahilud -- 'child's brother', two Israelites

[was] the recorder;
הַמַּזְכִּֽיר׃ (ham·maz·kîr)
Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2142: To mark, to remember, to mention, to be male


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OT History: 1 Kings 4:3 Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
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