1 Kings 4:3

1Ki 4:3 Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.

Ver. 3. Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha.] Otherwise called Sheva, {2Sa 20:25} as Martyr thinketh, trained up by their father in his own calling, and therein employed by Solomon, who had two scribes for his father’s one, according to the amplitude of his dominion and state affairs.

Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.] Or, Remembrancer, or, chronicler, historiographer. He had the same office in David’s days. {2Sa 8:16; 2Sa 20:24}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ki 4:3-4. Scribes — That is, secretaries of state. He chose two, whereas David had but one, either because he observed some inconveniences in trusting all the important matters of his government in one band; or because he had now more employment than David had, this being a time of great peace and prosperity, and his empire being enlarged, and his correspondences with foreign princes more frequent. Zadok and Abiathar were the priests — That is, the high-priests, namely, successively, first Abiathar, and then Zadok.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4:3 The court secretaries were state officials and Solomon’s private secretaries. Shisha, the father of Elihoreph and Ahijah, had served David in this capacity (2 Sam 8:17; 20:25; 1 Chr 18:16). • The royal historian functioned as chief of protocol for palace affairs and ceremonies. As in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, such officials often represented the king in important negotiations (see 2 Kgs 18:18; 2 Chr 34:8).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

scribes--that is, secretaries of state. Under David, there had been only one [Sa2 8:17; Sa2 20:25]. The employment of three functionaries in this department indicates either improved regulations by the division of labor, or a great increase of business, occasioned by the growing prosperity of the kingdom, or a more extensive correspondence with foreign countries.

recorder--that is, historiographer, or annalist--an office of great importance in Oriental courts, and the duties of which consisted in chronicling the occurrences of every day.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 3. Elihoreph and Ahiah - scribes] Secretaries to the king.

Jehoshaphat - recorder] Historiographer to the king, who chronicled the affairs of the kingdom. He was in this office under David see 2Sa 20:24.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(3) Sons of Shisha.—In 1Ch_18:16 “Shavsha,” and in 2Sa_20:25 “Sheva,” is mentioned as the scribe of David. Probably these are variations of the same name, and the office may have become virtually hereditary. The “scribe,” or (see Margin) “secretary,” is constantly referred to as a high officer, issuing the king’s edicts and letters, and acting in his name, like our “Secretaries of State.”

Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud is named in 2Sa_8:16; 2Sa_20:24, and 1Ch_18:15 as having been under David also the “recorder” or “remembrancer”—probably the annalist who drew up and preserved the archives of the kingdom.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. Shisha] This name appears as Shavsha (1Ch_18:16) and as Sheva (2Sa_20:25). A comparison of those verses with 2Sa_8:17, shews that the person meant was also called Seraiah, from which word the other forms are probably copyists’ corruptions. Seraiah’s office had descended to his sons, as was so often the case among the Jews. With the growth of the kingdom since David’s time the duties of the royal scribe, or secretary, would have been much increased; we can therefore understand that two persons were needed for the office instead of one.

Jehoshaphat] He had held the same office in the days of David. See 2Sa_8:16; 2Sa_20:24. The duties of the recorder, or remembrancer, were to keep records of such events as were important in the history of the country. Such annals have afforded, no doubt, a good deal of the matter for Kings and Chronicles. Such was the ‘book of records of the Chronicles’ (Est_6:1) in which Mordecai’s service was registered, and from which it was read out to Ahasuerus.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host,.... General of the army in the room of Joab, Kg1 2:35;

and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests; so they were when Solomon came to the throne; but Abiathar was deposed by him after some time, though he might retain the name afterwards, and be employed, as Ben Gersom thinks, in case of necessity, in the room of Zadok, or, however, be employed as a common priest at Jerusalem, upon a reconciliation with Solomon; though Kimchi thinks another Abiathar is meant, which is not so likely.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Shisha, or Shavsha 1Ch 18:16, seems also to have been called Sheva 2Sa 20:25, and Seraiah 2Sa 8:17.

The “scribes” were probably royal “secretaries” (margin), who drew up the king’s edicts, wrote his letters, and perhaps managed his finances 1Ki 12:10. They were among his most influential councillors.

By “recorder” or “remembrancer” (margin), we must understand “court annalist” (marginal reference “a”).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Sisa. Perhaps the same with Siva, who was under David. --- Recorder. Historiographer; (Calmet) the presenter of petitions. (Grotius) (2 Kings viii. 16.)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Scribes, i.e. secretaries of state. He chose two, whereas David had but one; either because he observed some inconveniences in trusting all those matters in one hand; or because he had now much more employment than David had, this being a time of great peace and prosperity, and his empire enlarged, and his correspondencies with foreign princes more frequent.

The recorder; of which See Poole "2Sa 8:16".

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. Scribes… recorder — On these words see notes at 2Sa_8:16-17. Solomon had different scribes, but the same recorder as his father David. Shisha was probably the same as Seraiah; (compare the reading in 1Ch_18:16;) so that his sons succeeded him in the office of scribe. See note on 2Sa_20:25.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha probably the same person who is mentioned in 2Sa_20:25 as Sheva; in 2Sa_8:17, as Seraiah; and in 1Ch_18:16, as Shavsha, David"s scribe. The office thus descended from father to sons. The variations in this name are instructive. Compare Kishi and Kushaiah, Abijah and Abijam, Michaiah and Maachah, Absalom and Abishalom, etc. Names written ex ore dictantis are sure to differ. See below on ver. 12, scribes the scribes, were Secretaries of State: they wrote letters and proclamations, drew up edicts, and apparently kept the accounts. (2Ki_12:10) Their position in the list indicates their importance; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder. He held the same office under David, and is mentioned in all three lists (2Sa_8:17 2Sa_20:25; 1Ch_18:15) The recorder or "remembrancer" (marg.) was, perhaps, "chancellor" (Keil), or keeper of the king"s conscience, rather than, as is generally supposed, chronicler of public events, and keeper of the archives. See Introduction, sect. 6.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Scribes - That is, secretaries of state. He chose two, whereas David had but one: either, because he observed some inconveniences in trusting all those matters in one hand: or, because he had now much more employment than David had, this being a time of great peace and prosperity, and his empire enlarged.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Scribes. To write the [king’s] chronicles.

The secretary. [To record] which legal case came before him first that he might rule on it first. Thus have I heard.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.