1 Kings 4:5

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

Azariah son of Nathan was supervisor of the district governors.Zabud son of Nathan was a priest and adviser to the king.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַעֲזַרְיָ֥הוּ בֶן־נָתָ֖ן עַל־הַנִּצָּבִ֑ים וְזָב֧וּד בֶּן־נָתָ֛ן כֹּהֵ֖ן רֵעֶ֥ה הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

Transliteration

And-ʿĂzaryāhû son-of-Nātān over-the-niṣṣābîm; and-Zābûd son-of-Nātān kōhēn rēʿeh the-melek

Grammar Details

• *ʿĂzaryāhû*: proper noun - Azariah
• *Nātān*: proper noun - Nathan
• *niṣṣābîm*: definite noun, masculine plural, Niphal participle - the officers/deputies
• *Zābûd*: proper noun - Zabud
• *kōhēn*: noun, masculine singular - priest
• *rēʿeh*: noun, masculine singular construct - friend of
• *melek*: definite noun, masculine singular - the king

Word Meanings

• *niṣṣābîm*: officers/deputies/appointed ones
• *kōhēn*: priest/minister/advisor
• *rēʿeh*: friend/companion/confidant

Referenced Verses

• 2 Sam 15:37 : 37 So David’s friend Hushai arrived in the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.
• 2 Sam 16:16 : 16 When David’s friend Hushai the Arkite came to Absalom, Hushai said to him,“Long live the king! Long live the king!”
• 1 Chr 27:33 : 33 Ahithophel was the king’s adviser;Hushai the Arkite was the king’s confidant.
• Prov 22:11 : 11 The one who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious– the king will be his friend.
• John 13:23 : 23 One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was at the table to the right of Jesus in a place of honor.
• John 15:14-15 : 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father.
• Jas 2:23 : 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says,“Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.
• 2 Sam 19:37-38 : 37 Let me return so that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But look, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever seems appropriate to you.” 38 The king replied,“Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever I deem appropriate. And whatever you choose, I will do for you.”
• 2 Sam 20:26 : 26 Ira the Jairite was David’s personal priest.
• 1 Kgs 1:10-53 : 10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the elite warriors, or his brother Solomon. 11 Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother,“Has it been reported to you that Haggith’s son Adonijah has become king behind our master David’s back? 12 Now let me give you some advice as to how you can save your life and your son Solomon’s life. 13 Visit King David and say to him,‘My master, O king, did you not solemnly promise your servant,“Surely your son Solomon will be king after me; he will sit on my throne”? So why has Adonijah become king?’ 14 While you are still there speaking to the king, I will arrive and verify your report.” 15 So Bathsheba visited the king in his private quarters.(The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) 16 Bathsheba bowed down on the floor before the king. The king said,“What do you want?” 17 She replied to him,“My master, you swore an oath to your servant by the LORD your God,‘Solomon your son will be king after me and he will sit on my throne.’ 18 But now, look, Adonijah has become king! But you, my master the king, are not even aware of it! 19 He has sacrificed many cattle, steers, and sheep and has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab, the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon. 20 Now, my master, O king, all Israel is watching anxiously to see who is named to succeed my master the king on the throne. 21 If a decision is not made, when my master the king is buried with his ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be considered state criminals.” 22 Just then, while she was still speaking to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. 23 The king was told,“Nathan the prophet is here.” Nathan entered and bowed before the king with his face to the floor. 24 Nathan said,“My master, O king, did you announce,‘Adonijah will be king after me; he will sit on my throne’? 25 For today he has gone down and sacrificed many cattle, steers, and sheep and has invited all the king’s sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. At this moment they are having a feast in his presence, and they have declared,‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 But he did not invite me– your servant– or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon. 27 Has my master the king authorized this without informing your servants who should succeed my master the king on his throne?” 28 David Picks Solomon as His Successor King David responded,“Summon Bathsheba!” She came and stood before the king. 29 The king swore an oath:“As certainly as the LORD lives(he who has rescued me from every danger), 30 I will keep today the oath I swore to you by the LORD God of Israel:‘Surely Solomon your son will be king after me; he will sit in my place on my throne.’” 31 Bathsheba bowed down to the king with her face to the floor and said,“May my master, King David, live forever!” 32 King David said,“Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” They came before the king, 33 and he told them,“Take your master’s servants with you, put my son Solomon on my mule, and lead him down to Gihon. 34 There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet and declare,‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35 Then follow him up as he comes and sits on my throne. He will be king in my place; I have decreed that he will be ruler over Israel and Judah.” 36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada responded to the king:“So be it! May the LORD God of my master the king confirm it! 37 As the LORD is with my master the king, so may he be with Solomon, and may he make him an even greater king than my master King David!” 38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites went down, put Solomon on King David’s mule, and led him to Gihon. 39 Zadok the priest took a horn filled with olive oil from the tent and poured it on Solomon; the trumpet was blown and all the people declared,“Long live King Solomon!” 40 All the people followed him up, playing flutes and celebrating so loudly they made the ground shake. 41 Now Adonijah and all his guests heard the commotion just as they had finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked,“Why is there such a noisy commotion in the city?” 42 As he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said,“Come in, for an important man like you must be bringing good news.” 43 Jonathan replied to Adonijah:“No! Our master King David has made Solomon king. 44 The king sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites and they put him on the king’s mule. 45 Then Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him king in Gihon. They went up from there rejoicing, and the city is in an uproar. That is the sound you hear. 46 Furthermore, Solomon has assumed the royal throne. 47 The king’s servants have even come to congratulate our master King David, saying,‘May your God make Solomon more famous than you and make him an even greater king than you!’ Then the king leaned on the bed 48 and said this:‘The LORD God of Israel is worthy of praise because today he has placed a successor on my throne and allowed me to see it.’” 49 All of Adonijah’s guests panicked; they jumped up and rushed off their separate ways. 50 Adonijah feared Solomon, so he got up and went and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. 51 Solomon was told,“Look, Adonijah fears you; see, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying,‘May King Solomon solemnly promise me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’” 52 Solomon said,“If he is a loyal subject, not a hair of his head will be harmed, but if he is found to be a traitor, he will die.” 53 King Solomon sent men to bring him down from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon told him,“Go home.”
• 1 Kgs 4:7 : 7 Solomon had twelve district governors appointed throughout Israel who acquired supplies for the king and his palace. Each was responsible for one month in the year.
• 2 Sam 7:2 : 2 The king said to Nathan the prophet,“Look! I am living in a palace made from cedar, while the ark of God sits in the middle of a tent.”
• 2 Sam 8:18 : 18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada supervised the Kerithites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.
• 2 Sam 12:1-9 : 1 Nathan the Prophet Confronts David So the LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to David, Nathan said,“There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. 3 But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired. He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children. It used to eat his food, drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms. It was just like a daughter to him. 4 “When a traveler arrived at the rich man’s home, he did not want to use one of his own sheep or cattle to feed the traveler who had come to visit him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and cooked it for the man who had come to visit him.” 5 Then David became very angry at this man. He said to Nathan,“As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6 Because he committed this cold-hearted crime, he must pay for the lamb four times over!” 7 Nathan said to David,“You are that man! This is what the LORD God of Israel has said:‘I chose you to be king over Israel and I rescued you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house, and put your master’s wives into your arms. I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all that somehow seems insignificant, I would have given you so much more as well! 9 Why have you shown contempt for the LORD’s decrees by doing evil in my sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and you have taken his wife to be your own wife! You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 So now the sword will never depart from your house. For you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own!’ 11 This is what the LORD has said:‘I am about to bring disaster on you from inside your own household! Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion. He will go to bed with your wives in broad daylight! 12 Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.’” 13 Then David exclaimed to Nathan,“I have sinned against the LORD!” Nathan replied to David,“Yes, and the LORD has forgiven your sin. You are not going to die. 14 Nonetheless, because you have treated the LORD with such contempt in this matter, the son who has been born to you will certainly die.” 15 Then Nathan went to his home. The LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and the child became very ill.
• 2 Sam 12:25 : 25 and sent word through Nathan the prophet that he should be named Jedidiah for the LORD’s sake.