1 Kings 4:22

KJV

And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,

KJV (with Strong's)

And Solomon's {H8010} provision {H3899} for one {H259} day {H3117} was thirty {H7970} measures {H3734} of fine flour {H5560}, and threescore {H8346} measures {H3734} of meal {H7058},

Complete Jewish Bible

Shlomo's provisions for one day consisted of 150 bushels of fine flour, 310 bushels of meal,

Berean Standard Bible

Solomon’s provisions for a single day were thirty cors of fine flour, sixty cors of meal,

American Standard Version

And Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,

Commentary

### SUMMARY
1 Kings 4:22 provides a vivid snapshot of the extraordinary opulence and administrative prowess that characterized King Solomon's reign, meticulously detailing the immense daily provisions required to sustain his vast household and kingdom. This verse, embedded within a broader description of Solomon's unparalleled wisdom, wealth, and dominion, powerfully illustrates the tangible manifestation of divine blessing and the unprecedented prosperity that Israel experienced during this golden age, painting a picture of a kingdom operating on a scale previously unimaginable and reflecting both God's favor and the king's remarkable resources.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within a detailed account of Solomon's reign in [1 Kings 4](/1_kings/4 "1 Kings 4 - Solomon's Officials and Prosperity"), specifically focusing on the grandeur and organizational structure of his kingdom. It immediately follows descriptions of Solomon's vast dominion, which extended from the Euphrates to the border of Egypt, and the profound peace he enjoyed on all sides, indicating a period of unparalleled stability and expansion for Israel ([1 Kings 4:21](/1_kings/4-21 "Solomon's Dominion and Peace")). The preceding verses establish Solomon's unparalleled wisdom, presented as the divine gift that undergirds his administrative brilliance and the resulting prosperity. Following [1 Kings 4:22](/1_kings/4-22 "Solomon's Daily Provisions of Grain"), the text continues to enumerate additional daily provisions, including various meats and wild game ([1 Kings 4:23](/1_kings/4-23 "Additional Daily Provisions for Solomon's Court")), further emphasizing the sheer magnitude of his court's needs. This entire section serves to underscore the fulfillment of God's promises to Solomon and the zenith of Israel's earthly glory under a wise and blessed king.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, the grandeur and power of a monarch were frequently assessed by the size and lavishness of his court, the extent of his dominion, and the abundance of his provisions. Kings were expected to maintain a large retinue of officials, servants, military personnel, and even animals, all requiring daily sustenance. Solomon's kingdom, as depicted here, was a dominant regional power, necessitating a highly sophisticated administrative structure capable of managing vast resources, collecting tribute, and distributing provisions across a wide territory. The specific mention of "fine flour" and "meal" reflects the staple diet of the era; "fine flour" was a luxury item, typically reserved for the king's table, nobility, or sacred offerings, while "meal" represented a coarser, more common grain for broader consumption. This immense level of daily provision would have been a visible and potent symbol of Solomon's immense wealth, prestige, and the stability of his reign, projecting an image of unrivaled power that commanded respect and tribute from surrounding nations.
* **Key Themes:** The immense daily provision detailed in [1 Kings 4:22](/1_kings/4-22 "Solomon's Daily Provisions of Grain") powerfully highlights several central themes within the narrative of Solomon's reign and the broader biblical message. Firstly, it underscores **Abundance and Prosperity**, portraying a kingdom blessed with material wealth beyond compare, which is presented as a direct outcome of God's favor and the fulfillment of His covenant promises. This echoes the blessings promised for obedience in the Mosaic Law, as seen in [Deuteronomy 28:1-14](/deuteronomy/28 "Blessings for Obedience"). Secondly, it emphasizes **Royal Grandeur and Magnificence**, showcasing Solomon's reign as a golden age for Israel, a period of unparalleled peace and prosperity that reflected the glory of God's chosen king. This lavishness was not merely for personal indulgence but served as a public demonstration of divine blessing and the king's divinely appointed authority. Lastly, the passage points to **Divine Blessing and Fulfillment**, as this extraordinary provision directly manifests God's promise to Solomon in Gibeon, where he was granted not only wisdom but also riches and honor beyond any king before or after him ([1 Kings 3:13](/1_kings/3-13 "God's Promise of Wealth and Honor to Solomon")). Thus, the daily provisions serve as tangible evidence of God's faithfulness to His covenant with David and Solomon.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **provision (Hebrew, _lechem'_):** The Hebrew word `lechem` (H3899) broadly refers to "food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)." In this context, it encompasses the entire daily sustenance required for Solomon's vast court. The use of this general term highlights that the grains mentioned are the foundational elements of the daily diet, providing the essential nourishment for the multitude of people and animals sustained by the royal treasury.
* **measures (Hebrew, _kôr'_):** The Hebrew term `kôr` (H3734) denotes a significant unit of dry capacity. Properly, it refers to "a deep round vessel," which then became the name for a specific measure, equivalent to ten ephahs or one homer. While precise modern equivalents vary, a `kôr` is generally estimated to be around 220 liters or approximately 6.25 bushels. Therefore, "thirty measures of fine flour" would be approximately 6,600 liters, and "threescore (sixty) measures of meal" would be about 13,200 liters, totaling nearly 20,000 liters of grain daily. This staggering quantity underscores the colossal scale of Solomon's administration and court.
* **fine flour (Hebrew, _çôleth'_):** The Hebrew word `çôleth` (H5560) refers to "flour (as chipped off)," indicating highly refined, sifted flour of the finest quality available. This type of flour was considered a luxury and was typically reserved for the king's table, for special occasions, or for offerings in the tabernacle/temple (e.g., the grain offering in [Leviticus 2:1](/leviticus/2-1 "The Grain Offering")). Its prominent inclusion in the daily provision highlights the lavishness and high standard of living enjoyed by Solomon and his immediate court.
* **meal (Hebrew, _qemach'_):** The Hebrew term `qemach` (H7058) denotes a coarser, less refined flour compared to `çôleth`. This would have been the staple for the general population, including the vast number of officials, servants, guards, and possibly even the royal cavalry and their animals that comprised Solomon's extensive retinue. The significantly larger quantity of `qemach` compared to `çôleth` indicates its broader usage for the sustenance of the wider court and administrative staff.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And Solomon's provision for one day was":** This opening clause immediately establishes the context as a daily, ongoing requirement, emphasizing the consistent and immense scale of the king's needs. It highlights the administrative challenge of procuring, storing, and distributing such vast quantities of food every single day, underscoring the efficiency and abundant resources of Solomon's kingdom.
* **"thirty measures of fine flour":** This specifies the first and more luxurious component of the daily provision. The quantity, combined with the quality ("fine flour"), points to the refined and abundant diet of the king and his closest associates, reflecting the peak of Israel's material prosperity and the king's elevated status as a divinely blessed monarch.
* **"and threescore measures of meal":** This second component, double the quantity of the fine flour, indicates the provision for the broader court and administrative personnel. The distinction between "fine flour" and "meal" illustrates a hierarchical structure within the royal household, while the sheer volume of both underscores the enormous number of people and possibly animals that Solomon's treasury was responsible for feeding daily, showcasing the immense scale of his operation.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs **Enumeration** and **Descriptive Imagery** to convey the extraordinary scale of Solomon's wealth and the abundance of his reign. By meticulously listing the specific quantities of "fine flour" and "meal," the text creates a vivid and concrete picture for the reader, allowing them to grasp the sheer magnitude of the daily provisions. This detailed accounting functions almost as a form of **Hyperbole**, not necessarily to exaggerate falsely, but to emphasize the unprecedented and almost unbelievable level of prosperity. The precise numbers lend an air of authenticity and impressiveness, underscoring that Solomon's kingdom was truly operating at a different level than any before it, a testament to divine blessing and the fulfillment of God's promises. The contrast between "fine flour" and "meal" also subtly highlights the **Social Hierarchy** within the court, with different qualities of food for different ranks.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
1 Kings 4:22 serves as a powerful testament to God's faithfulness and His capacity for abundant provision when His people walk in wisdom and obedience. Solomon's unprecedented wealth and the lavish daily provisions were not merely a result of human ingenuity or conquest but were explicitly presented as a divine gift, fulfilling God's promise to grant him riches and honor in addition to wisdom ([1 Kings 3:13](/1_kings/3-13 "God's Promise of Riches and Honor to Solomon")). This period represents the zenith of Israel's earthly glory, a tangible demonstration of what it meant for God to bless His chosen nation and its king. It illustrates the principle that obedience to God can lead to material blessing and national flourishing, a theme consistently found throughout the Old Testament. However, it also subtly foreshadows the potential pitfalls of such abundance, as Solomon's later life would demonstrate that even immense prosperity does not guarantee lasting spiritual faithfulness or ultimate satisfaction.

* [1 Kings 3:13](/1_kings/3-13 "God's Promise of Riches and Honor to Solomon")
* [Deuteronomy 28:12](/deuteronomy/28-12 "The Lord will open to you his good treasury")
* [Proverbs 10:22](/proverbs/10-22 "The Blessing of the Lord Makes Rich")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The immense daily provision of Solomon's court in [1 Kings 4:22](/1_kings/4-22 "Solomon's Daily Provisions of Grain") invites us to reflect on the nature of divine provision, human responsibility, and the potential complexities of material abundance. It reminds us that God is capable of providing far beyond our needs, often in ways that demonstrate His glory and faithfulness. Solomon's reign, marked by such lavishness, was a period where God's blessing was unmistakably evident. This should encourage us to trust in God's ability to provide for us, acknowledging that all true prosperity flows from His hand. However, it also calls us to consider the responsibilities that accompany such blessings. Solomon's administration was tasked with managing and distributing these vast resources, highlighting the need for wise stewardship and justice in the face of abundance. Furthermore, while earthly prosperity can be a blessing, the broader narrative of Solomon's life serves as a poignant reminder that material wealth, even divinely given, does not guarantee spiritual fidelity or ultimate contentment. It challenges us to examine where our ultimate trust and satisfaction lie – in earthly provisions or in the Giver of all good things.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Solomon's abundance challenge or confirm your understanding of God's capacity for provision in your own life?**
* **What responsibilities accompany material blessing, and how can we exercise wise stewardship in our own contexts?**
* **In what ways might earthly prosperity, even when divinely given, distract us from spiritual faithfulness or lead to complacency, as it eventually did for Solomon?**

### FAQ
**What was the actual quantity of food mentioned in 1 Kings 4:22?**

Answer: The verse specifies "thirty measures of fine flour" and "threescore measures of meal." The term "measure" here translates the Hebrew unit "kor" (or "cor"), which was approximately 220 liters (or about 6.25 bushels). Therefore, "thirty measures of fine flour" would be roughly 6,600 liters of high-quality flour, and "threescore (sixty) measures of meal" would amount to about 13,200 liters of coarser flour. In total, Solomon's court required nearly 20,000 liters of grain daily, a truly staggering amount that underscores the immense scale of his kingdom and administration.

**Who was all this food for, given the immense quantity?**

Answer: This vast daily provision was necessary to sustain not just King Solomon and his immediate family, but also his extensive royal household, which included a multitude of officials, servants, guards, and administrative staff required to manage such a large and prosperous kingdom. It would also have fed the royal cavalry and their animals, as well as numerous guests and foreign dignitaries who frequently visited Solomon's court to witness his wisdom and grandeur ([1 Kings 4:34](/1_kings/4-34 "All the earth sought Solomon's presence")). The sheer volume reflects the unprecedented size and complexity of Solomon's administrative and military apparatus, all supported by the king's treasury.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Solomon's reign, described in [1 Kings 4:22](/1_kings/4-22 "Solomon's Daily Provisions of Grain") as a period of unparalleled abundance and provision, serves as a powerful type and shadow of the ultimate King, Jesus Christ. While Solomon's kingdom flourished with earthly grain and material wealth, Jesus' kingdom offers a spiritual abundance that far surpasses any temporal provision. He is the true and eternal provider, the [Bread of Life](/john/6-35 "John 6:35 - Jesus, the Bread of Life") who satisfies the deepest hunger of the human soul, offering spiritual nourishment that never perishes. Where Solomon's wisdom and wealth were great but ultimately finite and susceptible to human failing, Christ's wisdom is infinite and His spiritual riches are inexhaustible. His reign is characterized not by the temporary peace of a geopolitical empire, but by an everlasting peace and an eternal kingdom that provides for all the needs of His people, both spiritual and physical, according to His glorious riches ([Philippians 4:19](/philippians/4-19 "Philippians 4:19 - God Will Supply All Your Needs")). Solomon's provisions were a testament to God's blessing on a physical kingdom; Christ's ultimate provision is the gift of salvation and eternal life, a kingdom where there is no hunger or thirst, only the fullness of God's presence ([Revelation 7:16-17](/revelation/7-16-17 "Revelation 7:16-17 - God Will Shelter Them with His Presence")). In Him, we find the true and lasting fulfillment of all God's promises, far exceeding the temporal glory of any earthly king, for He is the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God").

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.