Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 4:3
Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.
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.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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 kings 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).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
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“.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. scribesthat is,secretaries of state. Under David, there had been only one [2Sa 8:17;2Sa 20:25]. The employment ofthree functionaries in this department indicates either improvedregulations by the division of labor, or a great increase ofbusiness, occasioned by the growing prosperity of the kingdom, or amore extensive correspondence with foreign countries.
recorderthat is,historiographer, or annalistan office of great importance inOriental courts, and the duties of which consisted in chronicling theoccurrences of every day.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes,…. Their father Shisha, the same with Sheva, was scribe only in David’s time; and he being dead very probably, both his sons were continued in the office as secretaries of state, Solomon having more business for such an office, see 2Sa 20:25;
Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder; who was in the same office in the times of David, and now held it under Solomon, 2Sa 8:16.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(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 kings 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 remembrancerprobably the annalist who drew up and preserved the archives of the kingdom.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
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.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
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.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Shisha: 2Sa 20:25, Sheva, 1Ch 18:6, Shavsha
scribes: or, secretaries
recorder: or, remembrancer. 2Sa 8:16, 2Sa 20:24, 1Ch 18:15, Isa 62:6, *marg.
Reciprocal: 2Ki 18:18 – the recorder 1Ch 18:16 – Shavsha 1Ch 24:6 – the scribe
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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.