The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 75

recorded (ver. 4) because they were high to office (Clericus). Theodoret remarks priests for a brief period of the reign, but quite truly, r,lv apx,)v a</)i1Aaro, oii riit lEpw- Az&riah is mentioned first as " the priest" 1111.,,,,; ly11µvw11Ev, and similarly Grotius. But because he was high priest during most of a simpler explanation is that his name is the time. (6) "Azariah the son of Zadok" is put down here because he had been high quite compatible with the fact that Azaria.h priest, though for a. brief period only, under was really the son of Ahimaaz. );\l is con- Solomon. See above on ver. 2.] stantly used in the sense of "descendant," Ver. 5.-And Aza.r1ah the BOil of Nathan and especially" gra.ndson." (Gen. xxi.x. 6: [Azariah was clearly not an uncommon xxxi. 28, 55 : and see on eh. ii. 8, " the name (ver. 2, e.nd cf. 1 Chron. ii. 39; son of Gera.") Zadok is no doubt men- v. 86-40 Heh.; A. V. vi. 9-14), especially in tioned as better known than Ahimaaz, and the high priest's family. Keil and Bahr pro- probably because Azariah succeeded him nounce somewhat positively that this Nathan directly in the office. (7) The age of is not the prophet of that name, but Nathan Az&riah must be uncertain, and Solomon's the son of David (2 Sam. v. 14; Luke iii. reign was a long one. (8) The position of 31). It is quite impossible to decide with his name-first-accords well with the idea certainty which is meant, if either, though that he was high priest, which I conclude Zech. xii. 12 undoubtedly favours the sup- that he was. It is worthy of remark that position that the latter is here intended] in the lists of David the military officers of was over the ofil.cers [the twelve prefects the kingdom occupy the first place; in those mentioned in vers. 7 sqq.]: and Zabud the of Solomon, the civil and religious digni- son of Nathan was principal ofil.cer [Heh. taries. '' The princes of Solomon are, with priest, Vulg. sacerdos. Singularly, as before, one exception (ver. 4) ministers of peace."- the LXX. (Vat.) omits the word. The ex- W ordsworth. pression can hardly mean " the son of Ver. 3.-Elihoreph and Ah1ah, the sons Nathan the priest," but it may either signify of Sbisha. [probably the same person who is that " Zabud hen Nathan, a priest, was mentioned in 2 Sam. xx. 25 as Sheva; in king's friend," or that (as in the A. V.) he 2 Sam. viii. 17, as Seraiah; and in 1 Chron. was a priest and king's friend. But the xviii. 16, as Shavsha, David's scribe. The former is every way preferable. I find it office thus descended from father to sons. easier to believe that the true import of The variations in this name are instructive. 2 Sam ..viii. 18-the passage which is cited Compare Kishi and Kushaiah, Abijah and (sometimes along with ib. xx. 26, where the Abijam, Miche.iah and Maachah, Absalom LXX., however, has iipw,) to prove that and Abishe.lom, &c. Names written ex ore there were secular "priests "-is not yet dictantis are sure to differ. See below on understood, than to hold (with Gesenius, ver. 12], scribes [the scribes, C1"");)C, were Ewald, &c.), that there were sacrificing Secretaries of State : they wrote letters and priests who were not of the sons of Aaron proclamations, drew apedicts, and apparently (cf. 2 Chron. xxvi.18), or that the word liJll, kept the accounts (2 Kings xii. 10). Their the meaning of which was thoroughly fixed position in the list indicates their im- and understood, can have been familiarly portance]; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahllud, applied, except in the strictly conventional the recorder. [He held the same office under way already indicated, to lay persons], and David, e.nd is mentioned in all three lists [omit] the klng's frtend. [" This appears (2 Sam. viii. 17; XL 25 ; 1 Chron. xviii. 15). to have baen now a recognized office (2 Sam. The recorder or "remembre.ncer" (marg.) xv.. 37; xvi. 16; 1 Chron. xxvii. 33)," Raw- was, perhaps, "chancellor" (Keil), or keeper ,linson.J of the king's conscience, rather than, as Ver. 6.-Alld Ahillhar was over the house- is generally supposed, chronicler of pablic hold [steward and manager of the palace. events, and keeper of the archives. See We meet this office here for the first time., Introduction, sect. vi.J an evidence of the growing size and mag- Ver. 4.-And Benaia.11 the son of Jehola.da nificence of the court (of. 1 Kings xviii. 3; [see on eh. i. 32] was [the A. V. supplies 2 Kings xvili. 18 ; Isa. xxii. 15). That such was and were quite needlessly in this and an officer was needed, the fact mentioned ~acceeding verses. Thie is simply a list of below (on ver. 23) as to the enormous size 8 ,lomon'e princes and of the offices they of the royal household will prove] : and discharged] over the host [cf. ii. 35] : and Adonira.m [ see on eh. xii. 18] the son of f.a.dok and Abl.a.tha.r were the prtests [the Abda was over the tribute. [Marg. "levy," mention of Abiathar'e name after his depo- i.e., the forced labour (eh. v. 13, 14). See sition (eh. ii. 27, 35) has occasioned much on eh. xii. 3.) remark, and has even led to the belief that Ver. 7.-And Solomon had twelve omcers he was subsequently pardoned and restored [lit., pel"IOnB "placed " or " set ovw " ol!, IV, 1-19.] THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS, 69