Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of I Kings Chapter 4
Metaphysically Interpreting I Kings 4:1-19
4:1And king Solomon was king over all Israel. 4:2And these were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest; 4:3Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder; 4:4and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 4:5and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud the son of Nathan was chief minister, and the king's friend; 4:6and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to taskwork.
4:7And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided victuals for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year. 4:8And these are their names: Ben-hur, in the hill-country of Ephraim; 4:9Ben-deker, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan; 4:10Ben-hesed, in Arubboth (to him pertained Socoh, and all the land of Hepher); 4:11Ben-abinadab, in all the height of Dor (he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife); 4:12Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam; 4:13Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead (to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; even to him pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brazen bars); 4:14Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim; 4:15Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he also took Basemath the daughter of Solomon to wife); 4:16Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth; 4:17Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar; 4:18Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin; 4:19Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer that was in the land.
Metaphysically Interpreting I Kings 4:20-28
4:20Judah and Israel were many as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry. 4:21And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought tribute, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
4:22And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, 4:23ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fatted fowl. 4:24For he had dominion over all the region on this side the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River: and he had peace on all sides round about him. 4:25And 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. 4:26And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. 4:27And those officers provided victuals for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month; they let nothing be lacking. 4:28Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.
October 24, 1948: I Kings 4:21-29
What contribution (tribute) does everyone owe to the maintenance of peace? The consistent practice of good will toward others, and consistently constructive conduct as a citizen and as an individual.
In what respects does Solomon actually represent peace? Externally, in his show of superior power and in his use of his innate gifts. He made his position so strong that no other king dared to attack him, and he allied himself with the rulers of surrounding countries by intermarriage. Although the Jewish law prohibited intermarriage between Jews and Gentiles, Solomon disregarded the law and established a state of peace in his kingdom.
What form of wisdom did Solomon reveal by his methods of insuring peace? Worldly wisdom, the wisdom of shrewd policy and appeal to human nature. Nothing of spiritual wisdom is apparent in Solomon's methods of insuring peace. The proverb “God is on the side of the big battalions” might well have been written by him. The unifying power of family ties is recognized and used by those who harbor worldly ambitions.
How can a foundation of lasting peace be laid? First by establishing peace in the consciousness of the individual; next by establishing it in the work of this individual as a member of society; and lastly by establishing it in the consciousness and work of groups, nations, and the world as a whole.
Of what faculties is peace the product? The faculties of spiritual wisdom and love united. David (love) was the father of Solomon (peace).
Is it a simple matter to live at peace with all men? No, it is a complex matter, for we are complex creatures. We must relate ourselves to the society in which we live, making ourselves part of it without loss of our ideals. We must be able to inspire others by our example and to seek continually to raise the level of the race consciousness of life by making free use of the wisdom and understanding that we command.
Metaphysically Interpreting I Kings 4:29-34
4:29And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore. 4:30And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt. 4:31For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the nations round about. 4:32And he spake three thousand proverbs; and his songs were a thousand and five. 4:33And he spake of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall; he spake also of beasts, and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fishes. 4:34And there came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.
October 18, 1896: I Kings 4:25-34
4:25And 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. -- The whole Spiritual realm of thought(“Judah and Israel”) “dwell safely,” fearing no evil, every thought (“man”) in the harmony of “peace.” “Vine and fig tree,” often coupled together, refer to interior and exterior good: true thought and its perfect manifestation; “the outer becomes as the inner,” in this consciousness which is the kingdom of heaven come.
4:26And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. -- There are a multiplicity of true reasonings (“40,000 horses”) for doctrines of Truth (“chariots”), conducted by all thoughts intelligences (“12,000 horsemen”) in this consciousness.
4:27And those officers provided victuals for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month; they let nothing be lacking. -- Moreover there is no lack for 12 officers (complement of provident thoughts - see verse 7) each within its own sphere of activity (“in his mouth”) “provide” abundant supply of true sustenance (“victual”) by their drafts upon the Omnipresent abundance, sufficient for us and all who come to the bountiful(“Table”) for this consciousness.
4:28Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge. -- “Barley and straw,” being food for the beasts, refer to the more external uses of the all-sufficient supply. Substance being spiritual becomes manifest in external supply: Good in external manifestation. This we do by these “officer” thoughts: “every man in his charge.”
4:29And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore. -- We dwell in Omnipresent Omniscience, and are wise according as we drink of the abundant fullness of this enfolding wisdom. In the “largeness of heart” and of “Wisdom and Understanding exceeding much.” measurable by infinity only.
4:30And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt. -- Divine Wisdom “excels” the wisdom of all the children of the East (magicians) and of the highest schools of the sciences.
4:31For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the nations round about. -- It “excels” the wisdom of mortal man even of his most brilliant geniuses.
4:32And he spake three thousand proverbs; and his songs were a thousand and five. -- This consciousness will manifest as Wisdom in speech and inspiration in song: we “speak as the oracles of God.”
4:33And he spake of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall; he spake also of beasts, and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fishes. -- It will also afford greater understanding in the national sciences, because, by recognizing the Divine in all animals and things, we speak profounder wisdom than the worldly wisdom concerning them.
4:34And there came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom. -- When mortal man catches his first glimpses of all the wonderful Wisdom of this consciousness, “all people” (mortal thoughts) will come and listen with wonder and admiration, will come “from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the Wisdom of Solomon.”
– UNITY magazine.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 02-05-2014
