1 Kings 4:20-25 - They ate, they drank and were happy

4:20,21

The prosperity of the land is now described, along with the “expenses” of the king. The people were “as numerous as the sand on the seashore”. “They ate, they drank and were happy”. All was well! Solomon’s rule extended beyond the original borders, and people outside Israel “brought tribute and were Solomon’s subjects all his life”. In later prophecies there is talk of the wealth of the nations being brought to Israel, and of the Law going out from Israel. We see a partial, albeit flawed, fulfilment of this in Solomon’s time.

4:22-25

We now get a list of Solomon’s daily requirements, and they are vast. This indicates the size of the royal court.  While describing the prosperous time, the things described here are clearly in contravention of Deut 17:14-20. “Everyone under their own vine and under their own fig-tree” is a phrase that appears elsewhere in the prophets, signifying a time of peace and well-being.