1 Kings 4:8

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1 Kings 4:8 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

and these were their names: Ben-hur in the hill country of Ephraim;

King James Version KJV

And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim:

American Standard Version ASV

And these are their names: Ben-hur, in the hill-country of Ephraim;

Bible in Basic English BBE

And these are their names: ... the son of Hur in the hill country of Ephraim;

Free Bible Version FBV

Their names were: Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim;

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

And these are their names: the sonne of Hur in mount Ephraim:

Young's Literal Translation YLT

and these [are] their names: Ben-Hur in the hill-country of Ephraim;

World English Bible WEB

These are their names: Ben Hur, in the hill country of Ephraim;

Noah Webster Bible WBS

And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim:

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

And these are their names: Benhur, in mount Ephraim,

Translation for Translators T4T

Their names were: Ben-Hur, for the hilly area of the tribe of Ephraim.

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Berean Amplified Bible — 1 Kings 4:8

BAB

Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

1 Kings 4:8 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB

HEB וְ/אֵ֣לֶּה שְׁמוֹתָ֔/ם בֶּן ח֖וּר בְּ/הַ֥ר אֶפְרָֽיִם

וְ/אֵ֣לֶּה ʼêl-leh H428 these Conj | Pron

שְׁמוֹתָ֔/ם shêm H8034 name N-mp | Suff

בֶּן Ben-Chûwr H1133 Hur N-ms

ח֖וּר Ben-Chûwr H1133 Hur N-proper

בְּ/הַ֥ר har H2022 mountain Prep | N-ms

אֶפְרָֽיִם ʼEphrayim H669 Ephraim N-proper

Hebrew Word Study

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Hebrew Word Reference — 1 Kings 4:8

וְ/אֵ֣לֶּה ʼêl-leh H428 "these" Conj | Pron

This Hebrew word is used to point out specific people or things, like saying 'these' or 'those'. It appears in the book of Genesis, where God says 'let there be light' and separates the light from the darkness.

Definition: 1) these 1a) used before antecedent 1b) used following antecedent Aramaic equivalent: el.leh (אֵלֶּה "these" H0429)

Usage: Occurs in 697 OT verses. KJV: an-(the) other; one sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those, thus, which, who(-m). See also: Genesis 2:4; Exodus 35:1; Deuteronomy 1:35.

שְׁמוֹתָ֔/ם shêm H8034 "name" N-mp | Suff

In the Bible, a name represents a person's identity, honor, and character, like God's name symbolizing His power and authority. It appears in Genesis and other books, often referring to God's name or a person's reputation. This concept is central to understanding biblical identity.

Definition: 1) name 1a) name 1b) reputation, fame, glory 1c) the Name (as designation of God) 1d) memorial, monument Aramaic equivalent: shum (שֻׁם "name" H8036)

Usage: Occurs in 771 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report. See also: Genesis 2:11; Exodus 3:15; Deuteronomy 16:6.

בֶּן Ben-Chûwr H1133 "Hur" N-ms

Ben-Hur was an Israelite who worked for Solomon, mentioned in 1 Kings 4:8. His name means son of whiteness or son of Chur and he was a commissariat officer.

Definition: A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ki.4.8; father of: Ben-hur (H1133) § Ben-hur = "son of whiteness" or "son of Chur" a man who was commissariat officer for Solomon in Mount Ephraim

Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: the son of Hur. See also: 1 Kings 4:8.

ח֖וּר Ben-Chûwr H1133 "Hur" N-proper

Ben-Hur was an Israelite who worked for Solomon, mentioned in 1 Kings 4:8. His name means son of whiteness or son of Chur and he was a commissariat officer.

Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: the son of Hur. See also: 1 Kings 4:8.

בְּ/הַ֥ר har H2022 "mountain" Prep | N-ms

A mountain or hill, sometimes used to describe a spiritual high point. In the Bible, it can refer to a real mountain or a figurative one. The word is often translated as hill or mount.

Definition: : mount/hill hill, mountain, hill country, mount

Usage: Occurs in 486 OT verses. KJV: hill (country), mount(-ain), [idiom] promotion. See also: Genesis 7:19; Deuteronomy 3:12; Judges 18:13.

אֶפְרָֽיִם ʼEphrayim H669 "Ephraim" N-proper

Ephraim means doubly fruitful, referring to Joseph's son and the tribe that descended from him. The tribe of Ephraim was a significant part of Israel's history. Ephraim is also the name of a region in the Bible.

Definition: Ephraim = "double ash-heap: I shall be doubly fruitful" the country of the tribe of Ephraim Also named: Ephraim (Ἐφραίμ "Ephraim" G2187)

Usage: Occurs in 164 OT verses. KJV: Ephraim, Ephraimites. See also: Genesis 41:52; 1 Chronicles 27:20; Psalms 60:9.

Study Notes — 1 Kings 4:8

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Context
Cross References
1 Kings 4:8 Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Reflection Questions
Gill's Exposition on 1 Kings 4:8
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Kings 4:8
Matthew Poole's Commentary on 1 Kings 4:8
Trapp's Commentary on 1 Kings 4:8
Ellicott's Commentary on 1 Kings 4:8
Cambridge Bible on 1 Kings 4:8
Barnes' Notes on 1 Kings 4:8
Whedon's Commentary on 1 Kings 4:8
Sermons on 1 Kings 4:8

Context — Solomon’s Twelve Officers

6Ahishar was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of the forced labor. 7Solomon had twelve governors over all Israel to provide food for the king and his household. Each one would arrange provisions for one month of the year,

8and these were their names: Ben-hur in the hill country of Ephraim;

9Ben-deker in Makaz, in Shaalbim, in Beth-shemesh, and in Elon-beth-hanan; 10Ben-hesed in Arubboth (Socoh and all the land of Hepher belonged to him);

Cross References

	Reference	Text (BSB)
1	Joshua 24:33	Eleazar son of Aaron also died, and they buried him at Gibeah, which had been given to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim.
2	Judges 19:1	Now in those days, when there was no king in Israel, a Levite who lived in the remote hill country of Ephraim took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
3	Judges 17:1	Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim

1 Kings 4:8 Summary

This verse tells us about one of Solomon's governors, Ben-hur, who was in charge of the hill country of Ephraim. Solomon had divided his kingdom into twelve districts, each with its own governor, to provide food for the king and his household. This shows us that Solomon was a wise and organized leader, as also seen in Proverbs 24:3-4. By delegating tasks to his governors, Solomon was able to ensure that his kingdom was well-managed and that everyone had enough to eat, just like God promises to provide for us in Philippians 4:19.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the significance of the hill country of Ephraim in 1 Kings 4:8?

The hill country of Ephraim was a region in Israel that was known for its fertility and productivity, as seen in Deuteronomy 11:11-12, which made it an ideal place for one of Solomon's governors to oversee the provision of food for the king and his household.

Who was Ben-hur and what was his role in Solomon's administration?

Ben-hur was one of Solomon's twelve governors, responsible for providing food for the king and his household, as mentioned in 1 Kings 4:7, and he was specifically in charge of the hill country of Ephraim.

How did Solomon's system of governance with twelve governors work?

Solomon's system of governance, as described in 1 Kings 4:7-19, divided the kingdom into twelve districts, each governed by a different person, with each one responsible for providing food for the king and his household for one month of the year, as mentioned in 1 Kings 4:7.

What can we learn from Solomon's organizational skills in 1 Kings 4:8?

We can learn the importance of effective leadership, organization, and delegation, as seen in 1 Kings 4:8 and also in Proverbs 24:3-4, which emphasizes the value of wise planning and management.

Reflection Questions

What does this verse reveal about Solomon's leadership style and his ability to organize and delegate tasks?
How does the appointment of governors over different regions of Israel reflect Solomon's understanding of the importance of local leadership and governance?
What can we learn from the fact that each governor was responsible for providing food for the king and his household for only one month of the year?
In what ways can we apply the principles of effective leadership and organization seen in 1 Kings 4:8 to our own lives and ministries?

Gill's Exposition on 1 Kings 4:8

And these [are] their names,.... Or rather the names of their fathers; for of many of them not their own names but their fathers' names are given, as being well known: the son of Hur, in Mount

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Kings 4:8

And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim: The son of Hur - or, as the margin has it, Ben-hur.

Matthew Poole's Commentary on 1 Kings 4:8

This and others of them are denominated from their fathers, because they were known and famous in their generation.

Trapp's Commentary on 1 Kings 4:8

1 Kings 4:8 And these [are] their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim:Ver. 8. And these are their names.] They were men of renown, and are therefore here memorised. The son of Hur] Or, Benhur - so 1 Kings 4:9-10, &c. - Bendekar, Benhesed, Benabinadab, Baana [Benahilud], Bengeber.

Ellicott's Commentary on 1 Kings 4:8

(8) And these are their names.—The first division, “mount Ephraim,” included all the higher part of the territory of Ephraim, one of the most fertile and beautiful regions in Palestine, surrounding the city of Shechem, which lies in a rich plain between Mount Ebel and Gerizim, and including the strong site of the future Samaria. See the description of the country in the blessing of Moses (Deuteronomy 33:13-17).

Cambridge Bible on 1 Kings 4:8

8. The son of Hur] Better Ben-Hur. So the Vulgate and similarly in 1 Kings 4:9-11; 1 Kings 4:13. The name is a patronymic, and five out of these twelve officers are thus designated by their fathers’ names rather than by their own. Perhaps at the time the father in each case was more distinguished than the son. The place of commissariatofficer is one which might well be given to a younger man of some well-known family. Two of the men were Solomon’s sons-in-law. in mount Ephraim] ‘Mount’ conveys a mistaken idea of the rich country of Ephraim. It was a hilly but very fertile region which stretched northwards from the tribe of Benjamin until the land sinks into the plain of Jezreel. It is separated from the Jordan valley by a plain on the east, and by another plain on the west from the Mediterranean sea. It would be more suitably called hill country than mountain.

Barnes' Notes on 1 Kings 4:8

In this arrangement of the territory into twelve portions, the divisions of the tribes seem to have been adopted as far as could be managed without unfairness.

Whedon's Commentary on 1 Kings 4:8

8. The son of Hur — It is noticeable that the names of the fathers of these officers are given in each case, and in five cases the proper names of the officers themselves are not given at all.

Sermons on 1 Kings 4:8

	Sermon	Description
	(Through the Bible) Judges 17-21 by Chuck Smith	In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of submitting our lives to God as king. He highlights the negative consequences of people living according to their own desire
	Why Isn't Someone Yelling Rape? by Greg Locke	In this sermon, the preacher discusses his experience at a Christ-centered addictions program in Rockford, Illinois. He criticizes the lack of seriousness and reverence in the mini
	The Message of Judges by G. Campbell Morgan	G. Campbell Morgan delivers a powerful sermon on 'The Message of Judges,' emphasizing the deterioration of a nation through religious apostasy, political disorganization, and socia
	Our Daily Homily - Judges by F.B. Meyer	F.B. Meyer emphasizes the persistent nature of evil habits in our lives, likening them to the Canaanites who resisted being dislodged from the land. He reminds us that as believers
	Ten Shekels and a Shirt by Paris Reidhead	The sermon transcript discusses the concept of success and how it is often measured in our generation. The speaker challenges the audience to consider whether they view God as an e
	Judges: Spirit of Caleb by Stephen Kaung	In this sermon, the speaker reflects on the current state of God's people and compares it to the time of the judges in the book of Judges. He expresses concern about the division a
	Religious Compromises; Their Folly and Fruits by A.B. Simpson	A.B. Simpson addresses the dangers of religious compromise through the story of Micah in Judges 17 and 18, illustrating how dishonesty, passion, counterfeit consecration, and ritua