Bible Strands
1 Kings 4:11
Ben-abinadab in Naphath-dor (Taphath, a daughter of Solomon, was his wife);
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The verse functions as an entry in Solomon’s administrative roster, identifying Ben-abinadab as the governor assigned to the district of Naphath-dor. It records his official jurisdiction alongside a familial note about his wife, Taphath.
The words — The text employs טָפַת (Taphath) as the proper name for Solomon’s daughter and בַּת (bat) with the literal sense “daughter” to define her lineage. It also pairs נָפַת (Naphath) with דּוֹר (Dor) to form the compound district name.
The thread — Naphath and Dor appear in Joshua 11:2 and Joshua 12:23 as regions linked to northern kings, and in Joshua 17:11 as a specific territory allotted to Manasseh. These earlier mentions anchor the district’s geographic identity before Solomon’s administrative reorganization.
Why it lands — The verse demands recognition of how royal kinship and territorial governance intersect in Solomon’s reign. It asks the reader to trace how earlier tribal allotments become integrated into a centralized administrative system.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife:
Cross-references
- Joshua 11:2 to the kings of the north in the mountains, in the Arabah south of Chinnereth, in the foothills, and in Naphoth-dor to the west;
- Joshua 12:23 the king of Dor in Naphath-dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal, one;
- Joshua 17:11 Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh was assigned Beth-shean, Ibleam, Dor (that is, Naphath), Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, each with their surrounding settlements.
- Judges 1:27 At that time Manasseh failed to drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and their villages; for the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land.