What is the meaning of 1 Kings 4:23? Ten fat oxen “ten fat oxen” (1 Kings 4:23) - “Fat” points to well-fed, prime animals—much like the “fat cows” in Pharaoh’s dream (Genesis 41:2–4). - Ten such oxen every single day highlights Solomon’s prosperity and the generosity of his court (compare 2 Chronicles 9:20). - A continual offering of the best mirrors the spirit of bringing firstfruits to the LORD (Exodus 23:19). Twenty range oxen “twenty range oxen” - These were pasture-grazing cattle, not specially grain-fattened. Twice the number of prime oxen, they supplied quantity for a vast household. - God had promised Israel a land “flowing with milk and honey” (Deuteronomy 8:7–10); this daily provision shows that promise fulfilled under Solomon’s peaceful reign (1 Kings 4:24–25). And a hundred sheep “and a hundred sheep” - Sheep were staple food and sacrificial animals (Leviticus 3:6–9). A hundred a day underscores both worship and hospitality. - David’s parable of the rich man who had “many sheep and cattle” (2 Samuel 12:2) now finds real-life scale in Solomon’s court. As well as deer “as well as deer” - Wild game, permitted to Israel as clean meat (Deuteronomy 12:15). - Their inclusion shows the richness of the land and the freedom to enjoy God’s creation in days of national rest (Isaiah 11:6–9 pictures a similar peace). Gazelles “gazelles” - Frequently celebrated for beauty and swiftness (Songs 2:9). - The king’s table drew from varied sources, reflecting dominion “from the River to the land of the Philistines” (1 Kings 4:21). Roebucks “roebucks” - Another form of antelope, also listed among clean animals (Deuteronomy 14:5). - Their presence hints at skilled hunters and ordered stewardship of wildlife, an echo of Adam’s original charge to subdue the earth (Genesis 1:28). And fattened poultry “and fattened poultry” - Luxury fare beyond everyday birds—comparable to Abigail’s “five dressed sheep and roasted grain” prepared for David (1 Samuel 25:18). - Such delicacies underline the court’s refinement and God-given abundance (Psalm 65:11). summary 1 Kings 4:23 catalogs Solomon’s daily provisions to spotlight the extraordinary abundance, peace, and administrative reach God granted Israel’s king. Ten prime oxen, twenty pasture oxen, a hundred sheep, and an array of wild game and poultry reveal a nation enjoying the fullness of God’s covenant blessings and a ruler capable of sustaining an immense household without strain. The verse stands as a tangible witness that when God’s wisdom leads, material needs are met “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). |
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