B-Hebrew: The Biblical Hebrew Forum

1 Kings 5:1 מלכים א
5:1וּשְׁלֹמֹ֗ה הָיָ֤ה מוֹשֵׁל֙ בְּכָל־הַמַּמְלָכ֔וֹת מִן־הַנָּהָר֙ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְעַ֖ד גְּב֣וּל מִצְרָ֑יִם מַגִּשִׁ֥ים מִנְחָ֛ה וְעֹבְדִ֥ים אֶת־שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה כָּל־יְמֵ֥י חַיָּֽיו׃ פ

1 Kings 5:4 מלכים א
5:4כִּי־ה֞וּא רֹדֶ֣ה ׀ בְּכָל־עֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֗ר מִתִּפְסַח֙ וְעַד־עַזָּ֔ה בְּכָל־מַלְכֵ֖י עֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֑ר וְשָׁל֗וֹם הָ֥יָה ל֛וֹ מִכָּל־עֲבָרָ֖יו מִסָּבִֽיב׃

Do these quotes only tell the borders on the north, south, and west sides of Israel? Or do they also tell the border on the east side somehow?

Salomon had influence on all kingdoms located west to Euphrates and peace with the surrounding kingdoms.
As known the eastern border of the 2 and a half tribes included parts of Jordan today (Amon and Moab was under Salomon's influence) but it said Israel settled betweenDan in the north to Beer sheba in the south.

Other territories are complete desert or not suitable to sustain a kingdom (beyond the fertile crescent).

I think that the importance to mention the border cities from north to south is because of the weak northern border.

Refael,
Would you say that the two quotes I mentioned don't describe the eastern border at all, but only the other borders? A person reading 1 Kings 5:1 and 5:4 would not know the eastern border from these quotes?

Hi Kenneth,

Correct. The eastern border is unknown according to these two quotes.

Refael,
Which borders does it describe? North, west, and south?

Yes.
But the western border was partially the Mediterranean sea, the philistines was mainly in the southern shore.