1 Kings 4:21Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt: they brought tribute, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~950 BC. The golden age of Israel. Solomon's empire stretches from the Euphrates River in Iraq to the Gaza Strip, controlling crucial trade routes between Asia and Africa.
The emotion here: chronicling with amazement at God's faithfulness
The original word
mashal (מָשַׁל) — to rule with dominion, not just govern but exercise complete authority
Why it matters
This was the largest territory Israel ever controlled, making Solomon's empire rival Egypt and Assyria
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Kings 4:21
This fulfilled God's promise to Abraham 1000 years earlier about specific geographical boundaries
Common misconceptionPeople think this shows Solomon was power-hungry, but this was actually God fulfilling His specific promise to Abraham about Israel's borders in Genesis 15:18.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Kings 4:21
Bible Genome reading
1 Kings 4:21 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Kings 4:21 comes from the book of 1 Kings, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is grateful, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is celebratory. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include sovereignty, dominion, God's blessing. Notable phrases: ruled over all the kingdoms; brought tribute.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grateful
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
— John 3:16
“I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.”
— 2 Timothy 4:7
“It will be, that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.'”
— Acts 2:21
“for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,”
— Ephesians 2:8
“So now it wasn't you who sent me here, but God, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land o…”
— Genesis 45:8
Your reflection
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