1 Kings 4:17

KJV

Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar:

KJV (with Strong's)

Jehoshaphat {H3092} the son {H1121} of Paruah {H6515}, in Issachar {H3485}:

Complete Jewish Bible

Y'hoshafat the son of Paruach, in Yissakhar;

Berean Standard Bible

Jehoshaphat son of Paruah in Issachar;

American Standard Version

Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar;

Commentary

### SUMMARY
1 Kings 4:17 introduces Jehoshaphat, son of Paruah, as one of King Solomon's twelve district governors responsible for the region of Issachar. This seemingly simple administrative detail is part of a larger catalog of officials that underscores the unprecedented peace, prosperity, and highly organized governance characteristic of Solomon's reign, reflecting the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel during this golden age.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is embedded within a comprehensive list of Solomon's administrative officials found in [1 Kings 4:7-19](/1_kings/4-7 "1 Kings 4:7-19 - Solomon's District Governors"). This list immediately follows the description of Solomon's unparalleled wisdom and understanding ([1 Kings 4:29-34](/1_kings/4-29 "1 Kings 4:29-34 - Solomon's Wisdom and Understanding")) and precedes the accounts of his massive building projects, including the Temple and his own palace. The detailed enumeration of these governors, each responsible for providing provisions for the royal household for one month out of the year, serves to illustrate the practical outworking of Solomon's wisdom in governance and the immense scale of his kingdom's economic and logistical demands. It highlights the stability and centralized control that allowed for such grand endeavors.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Solomon's reign marked a significant shift in Israel from a tribal confederacy to a centralized monarchy with a sophisticated bureaucracy. The appointment of twelve district governors was a pragmatic administrative innovation designed to efficiently manage the kingdom's resources and ensure a steady supply chain for the burgeoning royal court in Jerusalem. This system facilitated the collection of taxes (in kind, primarily food) from various regions, including the fertile Jezreel Valley where the tribe of Issachar resided. Such detailed organization was crucial for sustaining Solomon's vast household, his numerous chariots and horsemen, and the massive workforce involved in his construction projects, reflecting a period of unprecedented national wealth and peace, as described in [1 Kings 4:20-25](/1_kings/4-20 "1 Kings 4:20-25 - Prosperity and Peace under Solomon").

* **Key Themes:** The inclusion of Jehoshaphat in this list contributes to several overarching themes in 1 Kings. Firstly, it emphasizes **Organized Administration**, showcasing Solomon's remarkable administrative capabilities and the highly structured nature of his kingdom, a testament to the wisdom God had granted him. Secondly, it highlights **Royal Provision**, underscoring the economic strength and the significant demands of the royal household, which required a meticulously planned system of supply. This system ensured the continuous flow of resources necessary for the king's court and his ambitious projects. Lastly, the division of the kingdom into twelve districts, each with a governor like Jehoshaphat, illustrates **Territorial Governance** and the comprehensive reach of Solomon's authority across all tribal territories, including the historically significant region of Issachar, known for its agricultural richness, as alluded to in [Genesis 49:14-15](/genesis/49-14 "Genesis 49:14-15 - Jacob's Prophecy for Issachar").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Jehoshaphat (Hebrew, _Yehoshaphat_):** This common Hebrew name means "Yahweh has judged" or "Yahweh is judge." While the name itself is significant, belonging to several notable figures in Israelite history (e.g., a later king of Judah), here it simply identifies an individual. Its presence in this administrative list, however, subtly reminds the reader that even the mundane details of governance operate under the ultimate sovereignty and judgment of God.
* **Paruah (Hebrew, _Paruach_):** This is a less common Hebrew name, and its precise meaning is uncertain. It functions here as a patronymic, identifying Jehoshaphat by his father, a standard practice in ancient Near Eastern genealogies and administrative records, emphasizing lineage and individual identification within the community structure.
* **Issachar (Hebrew, _Yissakhar_):** Meaning "there is reward" or "he is hired," Issachar was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Jacob's ninth son. The territory of Issachar was renowned for its fertile agricultural land, particularly in the Jezreel Valley, making it a vital source of provisions for the kingdom. Its inclusion here signifies the comprehensive reach of Solomon's administrative control across all the tribal lands, ensuring that even the most productive regions contributed to the sustenance of the central government.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah":** This clause precisely identifies the individual appointed as a district governor. The use of a patronymic ("son of Paruah") was the standard way of distinguishing individuals in ancient Israelite society, indicating his family lineage and establishing his identity within the broader social and administrative framework. It highlights the personal nature of these appointments within Solomon's bureaucracy.
* **"in Issachar":** This phrase specifies the geographical region over which Jehoshaphat was given administrative authority. It pinpoints the tribal territory of Issachar as his designated district for the purpose of collecting provisions for the king. This detail underscores the meticulous and systematic division of the kingdom into manageable units, demonstrating the comprehensive and efficient nature of Solomon's centralized governance.

#### Literary Devices
The primary literary device at play in 1 Kings 4:17, as part of the broader list in [1 Kings 4:7-19](/1_kings/4-7 "1 Kings 4:7-19 - Solomon's District Governors"), is **Enumeration**. The verse is a single entry within a detailed catalog of Solomon's administrators, serving to systematically list and account for the various officials and their assigned territories. This **Conciseness** in reporting, characteristic of ancient administrative records, efficiently conveys a significant amount of information. While not overtly poetic, the cumulative effect of such lists contributes to the **Symbolism** of order, stability, and the vast extent of Solomon's dominion. The mention of "Issachar" can also be seen as a form of **Metonymy**, where the name of the tribe stands for the geographical region and its resources, emphasizing the practical function of the governor in drawing provisions from that specific area.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The seemingly mundane detail of an administrative appointment in 1 Kings 4:17 carries significant theological weight, illustrating how divine wisdom, when applied to human governance, leads to order, prosperity, and the fulfillment of God's promises. This verse, part of a larger administrative record, reflects God's blessing upon Solomon's reign, enabling a period of unprecedented peace and abundance for Israel. It demonstrates that God's concern extends not only to spiritual matters but also to the practicalities of societal organization and provision, ensuring the well-being of His people. The meticulous administration described here is a testament to the fact that even in the logistical details of a kingdom, God's hand can be seen providing structure and enabling flourishing.

* [Proverbs 11:14](/proverbs/11-14 "Proverbs 11:14 - Wisdom in Counsel")
* [Deuteronomy 28:12](/deuteronomy/28-12 "Deuteronomy 28:12 - Blessing of Provision")
* [Romans 13:1](/romans/13-1 "Romans 13:1 - Submission to Governing Authorities")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While 1 Kings 4:17 appears as a simple factual statement, its inclusion within the broader narrative of Solomon's reign offers profound insights for contemporary reflection. It underscores the divine value placed on order, good governance, and efficient administration, not as ends in themselves, but as means through which God's blessings can be managed and sustained for the flourishing of a community. Solomon's meticulous system of provision reminds us of the importance of stewardship—managing the resources and responsibilities God entrusts to us with wisdom, integrity, and faithfulness. Whether in our personal lives, families, workplaces, or church communities, the principle of bringing order to chaos, planning for the future, and ensuring equitable distribution of resources is a reflection of God's own character as a God of order, not confusion. This passage encourages us to consider how our own administrative efforts, no matter how small, can contribute to the greater good and reflect God's design for a well-ordered existence, enabling us to be channels of His provision and blessing to others.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does this seemingly mundane detail reveal God's hand in establishing order and prosperity within a nation?**
* **In what ways are we called to be good stewards of the resources and responsibilities God has entrusted to us, whether in our homes, workplaces, or communities?**
* **What can we learn about the importance of effective organization and leadership from Solomon's example, and how might this apply to the church today in fulfilling its mission?**

### FAQ
**Why does the Bible include such detailed lists of administrators like Jehoshaphat?**

Answer: The inclusion of detailed administrative lists, such as the one in [1 Kings 4:7-19](/1_kings/4-7 "1 Kings 4:7-19 - Solomon's District Governors"), serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it authenticates the historical reality of Solomon's reign, demonstrating the meticulous organization and vast scale of his kingdom. Secondly, it highlights the unprecedented peace and prosperity Israel enjoyed under Solomon, fulfilling God's promises of blessing to a righteous king. These lists underscore the practical wisdom applied in governance, showing how an efficient system of provision and administration was essential for sustaining the royal court and the nation's well-being, as further evidenced by the description of Judah and Israel's prosperity in [1 Kings 4:20](/1_kings/4-20 "1 Kings 4:20 - Prosperity of Judah and Israel").

**What was the primary role of these district governors like Jehoshaphat?**

Answer: The primary role of these twelve district governors was to ensure the continuous provision of food and supplies for King Solomon and his extensive royal household. Each governor was responsible for gathering provisions from their assigned district for one month out of the year, in a rotating system. This sophisticated logistical arrangement, described in [1 Kings 4:7](/1_kings/4-7 "1 Kings 4:7 - Solomon's Twelve Officers"), highlights the immense demands of the royal court and the kingdom's economic strength, which was capable of sustaining such a large and complex administrative system.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While 1 Kings 4:17 describes a human king's administrative prowess, it subtly points to the ultimate and perfect administration of God's eternal King, Jesus Christ. Solomon's kingdom, with its order, provision, and widespread dominion, served as a type or shadow of the greater, everlasting kingdom of God. Just as Solomon appointed governors to ensure the well-being and sustenance of his earthly realm, Christ, as the head of His church, perfectly governs and provides for His spiritual kingdom. All things were created by Him and for Him, and in Him all things hold together ([Colossians 1:16-17](/colossians/1-16-17 "Colossians 1:16-17 - Christ's Supremacy")). He is the ultimate administrator, whose rule is not bound by time or geography, and whose provision is not merely physical but spiritual and eternal. He is the true bread of life, who provides for His people abundantly and eternally ([John 6:35](/john/6-35 "John 6:35 - Jesus, the Bread of Life")). Unlike Solomon's kingdom, which eventually divided and fell, Christ's kingdom is an everlasting dominion, and of His government there will be no end ([Isaiah 9:7](/isaiah/9-7 "Isaiah 9:7 - The Everlasting Kingdom")). Through His perfect sacrifice and resurrection, He has secured an eternal inheritance for His people, making Him the ultimate fulfillment of all earthly kings and their imperfect attempts at righteous rule and provision.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Joshua 19:17

¶ [And] the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families.

Joshua 19:23

This [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their villages.