1 Kings 4:21

4:21 (5:1) ¹  Solomon ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River ²  to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These kingdoms paid tribute as Solomon’s subjects throughout his lifetime. ³ 

1 Kings 14:15

14:15 The Lord will attack Israel, making it like a reed that sways in the water. ⁴  He will remove Israel from this good land he gave to their ancestors ⁵  and scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, ⁶  because they angered the Lord by making Asherah poles. ⁷ 

¹ sn Beginning with 4:21, the verse numbers through 5:18 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 4:21 ET = 5:1 HT, 4:22 ET = 5:2 HT, etc., through 5:18 ET = 5:32 HT. Beginning with 6:1 the numbering of verses in the English Bible and the Hebrew text is again the same.

² tn Heb “the River” (also in v. 24). This is the standard designation for the Euphrates River in biblical Hebrew.

³ tn Heb “[They] were bringing tribute and were serving Solomon all the days of his life.”

⁴ tn The elliptical Hebrew text reads literally “and the Lord will strike Israel as a reed sways in the water.”

⁵ tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 22, 31).

⁶ tn Heb “the River.” In biblical Hebrew this is a typical reference to the Euphrates River. The name “Euphrates” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

⁷ tn Heb “because they made their Asherah poles that anger the Lord”; or “their images of Asherah”; ASV, NASB “their Asherim”; NCV “they set up idols to worship Asherah.”