And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,

1 KINGS 4:22KJV
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1 Kings 4:22 (KJV)

What does 1 Kings 4:22 mean?

1 Kings 4:22 describes the daily food supply required for King Solomon’s household: thirty measures of fine flour and sixty measures of meal. This verse highlights the enormous quantity of provisions needed each day to support Solomon’s royal court.

The verse is part of a passage listing the wealth and organization of Solomon’s reign. The writer is describing to the reader just how large and prosperous Solomon’s kingdom was by showing the scale of food needed for his palace staff, officials, and guests. This detail helps paint a picture of Solomon’s impressive resources and the daily operations of his administration.

The Hebrew behind 1 Kings 4:22

  • The word for "provision" is לֶחֶם (lechem), often translated as "bread" or "food," but here it refers more broadly to all the daily supplies needed for the royal household.
  • "Measures" is סָה (cor, transliterated as kor), a large unit of dry measure in ancient Israel. Thirty kors of fine flour and sixty kors of meal show the vast scale of Solomon’s daily needs.
  • "Fine flour" is סֹלֶת (solet), which refers to the highest quality, sifted flour, used for special or important meals.
  • "Meal" is קֶמַח (qemach), a more common, coarser ground grain, showing both luxury and everyday provision in the palace.

Why 1 Kings 4:22 matters

  • This verse clears up any idea that Solomon’s court was small or modest; the quantities listed are enormous, showing the scale of his administration.
  • The verse emphasizes the prosperity and organization of Solomon’s reign, fitting into a larger section that describes his wisdom, wealth, and the stability of his kingdom.
  • By listing both fine flour and meal, the verse hints at the diversity of people and needs within Solomon’s household, from the highest officials to everyday workers.

Where else these words appear

“measures” Hebrew H3734 · used in 6 verses

  • 1 Kings 5:11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.
  • 2 Chronicles 2:10 And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.
  • Ezra 7:22 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

“meal” Hebrew H7058 · used in 14 verses

  • Genesis 18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
  • 1 Samuel 28:24 And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof:
  • 1 Kings 17:16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

“flour” Hebrew H5560 · used in 52 verses

  • Genesis 18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
  • Numbers 6:15 And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings.
  • Numbers 28:5 And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil.

“threescore” Hebrew H8346 · used in 56 verses

  • Genesis 5:15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:
  • Numbers 31:34 And threescore and one thousand asses,
  • 2 Chronicles 12:3 With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.