The Meaning of 1 Kings 4:21 Explained

1 Kings 4:21

KJV: And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.

YLT: And Solomon hath been ruling over all the kingdoms, from the River to the land of the Philistines and unto the border of Egypt: they are bringing nigh a present, and serving Solomon, all days of his life.

Darby: And Solomon ruled over all kingdoms from the river to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.

ASV: And 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Solomon  reigned  over all kingdoms  from the river  unto the land  of the Philistines,  and unto the border  of Egypt:  they brought  presents,  and served  Solomon  all the days  of his life. 

What does 1 Kings 4:21 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 4:1-34 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 4

1  Solomon's princes
7  His twelve officers for provision
20  The peace and largeness of his kingdom
22  His daily provision
26  His stable
29  His wisdom

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 4:21 mean?

So Solomon become reigned over all kingdoms from the River [to] the land of the Philistines and as far as the border of Egypt [They] brought tribute and served - Solomon all the days of his life -
וּשְׁלֹמֹ֗ה הָיָ֤ה מוֹשֵׁל֙ בְּכָל־ הַמַּמְלָכ֔וֹת מִן־ הַנָּהָר֙ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְעַ֖ד גְּב֣וּל מִצְרָ֑יִם מַגִּשִׁ֥ים מִנְחָ֛ה וְעֹבְדִ֥ים אֶת־ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה כָּל־ יְמֵ֥י חַיָּֽיו פ

וּשְׁלֹמֹ֗ה  So  Solomon 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁלֹמֹה  
Sense: son of David by Bathsheba and 3rd king of Israel; author of Proverbs and Song of Songs.
הָיָ֤ה  become 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
מוֹשֵׁל֙  reigned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: מָשַׁל  
Sense: to rule, have dominion, reign.
בְּכָל־  over  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הַמַּמְלָכ֔וֹת  kingdoms 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַמְלָכָה  
Sense: kingdom, dominion, reign, sovereignty.
הַנָּהָר֙  the  River 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָהָר  
Sense: stream, river.
אֶ֣רֶץ  [to]  the  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים  of  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
וְעַ֖ד  and  as  far  as 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
גְּב֣וּל  the  border 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.
מִצְרָ֑יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
מַגִּשִׁ֥ים  [They]  brought 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: נָגַשׁ  
Sense: to draw near, approach.
מִנְחָ֛ה  tribute 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִנְחָה  
Sense: gift, tribute, offering, present, oblation, sacrifice, meat offering.
וְעֹבְדִ֥ים  and  served 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה  Solomon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁלֹמֹה  
Sense: son of David by Bathsheba and 3rd king of Israel; author of Proverbs and Song of Songs.
יְמֵ֥י  the  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
חַיָּֽיו  of  his  life 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation