Page:02.BCOT.KD.HistoricalBooks.A.vol.2.EarlyProphets.djvu/1102

 1Chr. 5:34-35 (1Ch 6:8-9); for, apart from the fact that Zadok's grandson can hardly have been old enough at the time for Solomon to invest him with the chief dignity in the kingdom, which would surely be conferred upon none but men of mature years, we can see no reason why the Azariah mentioned here should not be called the son of Ahimaaz. If the Zadok referred to here was the high priest of that name, Azariah can only have been a brother of Ahimaaz. And there is no real difficulty in the way, since the name Azariah occurs three times in the line of high priests (1 Chr. 5:36, 39), and therefore was by no means rare.

Verse 3
1Ki 4:3Elichoreph and Achijah, sons of Shisha, who had held the same office under David, were secretaries of state (ספרים: see at 2Sa 8:17 and 2Sa 20:25, where the different names שׁשׁא = שׁיא and שׂריה are also discussed). - Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the chancellor, as he had already been in the time of David (2Sa 8:17 and 2Sa 20:24). The rendering of Thenius, “whilst Jehoshaphat was chancellor,” is grammatically impossible.

Verse 4
On Benaiah, compare 1Ki 2:35 and the Commentary on 2Sa 23:20. On Zadok and Abiathar, see at 2Sa 8:17. It appears strange that Abiathar should be named as priest, i.e., as high priest, along with Zadok, since Solomon had deposed him from the priestly office (1Ki 2:27, 1Ki 2:35), and we cannot imagine any subsequent pardon. The only possible explanation is that proposed by Theodoret, namely, that Solomon had only deprived him of the ἀρχή, i.e., of the priest's office, but not of the ἱερωσύνη or priestly dignity, because this was hereditary.

Verse 5
1Ki 4:5Azariah the son of Nathan was over the נצּבים, i.e., the twelve officers named in vv. 7ff. Zabud the son of Nathan was כּהן (not the son of “Nathan the priest,” as Luther and many others render it). כּהן is explained by the epithet appended, המּלך רעה: privy councillor, i.e., confidential adviser of the king. Nathan is not the prophet of that name, as Thenius supposes, but the son of David mentioned in 2Sa 5:14. Azariah and Zabud were therefore nephews of Solomon.

Verse 6
1Ki 4:6Ahishar was הבּית על, over the palace, i.e., governor of the palace, or minister of the king's household (compare 1Ki 16:9; 2Ki 18:18, and Isa 22:15), an office met with for the first time under Solomon. Adoniram, probably the same person as Adoram in 2Sa 20:24, was chief overseer of the tributary service. He was so in the time of David also.