Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 4:4
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was] over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar [were] the priests:
4. over the host ] Benaiah had been put into Joab’s office. See 1Ki 2:34.
Zadok and Abiathar were the priests ] The Hebrew says only ‘were priests.’ Abiathar was still called priest, we may presume, after his banishment to Anathoth. The existence of two chief places for worship and sacrifice, the one at Gibeon, where the tabernacle was, and the other, where the ark was kept, on Mt Zion, had made it necessary that there should be more than one principal priest. Hence Abiathar and Zadok were in office together, and now that Abiathar was deposed, Azariah had come in as a second priest.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
It is curious to find Abiathar in this list of princes, after what has been said of his disgrace 1Ki 2:27, 1Ki 2:35. Some have supposed that after a while Solomon pardoned him. Perhaps the true explanation is that the historian here enumerates all those who were accounted princes in any part of Solomons reign.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
i.e. The high priests, to wit, successively, first Abiathar, and then Zadok.
Quest. Why is Abiathar named when he was deposed?
Answ. First, Because it is ordinary for persons to retain the names and titles of those places which in reality they have lost. Secondly, Because though he was deposed from the high priesthood, yet he was a priest, and the chief of one of the priestly families: and as Zadok was jointly named with Abiathar, when Abiathar alone was the high priest, as 2Sa 8:17; 20:25; so now Zadok and Abiathar are joined, although the high priesthood was rested in Zadok alone. Thirdly, Possibly Abiathar, though he was deposed from the supreme priesthood, yet upon his serious repentance, and by the intercession of his friends, was restored to the execution of the priestly office, and put into that place which Zadok enjoyed when Abiathar was high priest. Fourthly, Some say that here is mention made of all Solomons chief officers, both such as now were, and such as had been, and such as were afterwards, as they gather from 1Ki 4:11,15, where two persons are named who married two of Solomons daughters, which could not be till many years after this time.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. Benaiah . . . was over thehostformerly captain of the guard. He had succeeded Joab ascommander of the forces.
Zadok and Abiathar were thepriestsOnly the first discharged the sacred functions; thelatter had been banished to his country seat and retained nothingmore than the name of high priest.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was] over the host,…. General of the army in the room of Joab, 1Ki 2:35;
and Zadok and Abiathar [were] the priests; so they were when Solomon came to the throne; but Abiathar was deposed by him after some time, though he might retain the name afterwards, and be employed, as Ben Gersom thinks, in case of necessity, in the room of Zadok, or, however, be employed as a common priest at Jerusalem, upon a reconciliation with Solomon; though Kimchi thinks another Abiathar is meant, which is not so likely.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4) Zadok and Abiathar . . . the priests.Abiathar, though disgraced and practically deposed, was still regarded theoretically as priest (much as Annas is called high priest in the Gospels), for the priesthood was properly for life.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Benaiah over the host In the list of the warlike David’s officers the captain of the host stands first, but under the peaceful reign of Solomon he stands in the third place.
Zadok and Abiathar were the priests Abiathar, though deposed by Solomon himself, (1Ki 2:27,) ever held his priestly dignity and character, so that when he no longer executed the duties of his office his name remained on the official list.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ki 4:4 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was] over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar [were] the priests:
Ver. 4: And Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.] Abiathar had been so, and still retained the title. It may be also that upon his suit, Solomon had re-admitted him, though degraded, to serve at the altar as an ordinary priest, according to 1Sa 2:36 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Benaiah: 1Ki 2:35
Zadok: 1Ki 2:26, 1Ki 2:27, 1Ki 2:35
Reciprocal: 2Sa 20:25 – Sheva 1Ch 6:53 – Zadok 1Ch 27:5 – Benaiah Mar 2:26 – Abiathar
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4:4 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was] over the host: and Zadok and {c} Abiathar [were] the priests:
(c) Not Abiathar whom Solomon had put from his office, 1Ki 2:27 but another of that name.