And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,
Solomon's provision for one day - not for the king's table only, but for all connected with the court, including, besides the royal establishment, those of his royal consorts, his principal officers, his body-guards, his foreign visitors, etc. The quantity of fine flour used is estimated at 240 bushels; that of meal, or common flour, at 480 bushels. The number of cattle required for consumption, besides poultry and several kinds of game, which were obtained in abundance on the mountains, did not exceed in proportion what is needed in other courts of the East. It may serve to illustrate this statement to quote Morier's account of the household provision of the king of Persia in the present day ('Second Journey through Persia'):-`The provisions collected for the king were brought from different parts of the country; and the allowance, like the provision made for Solomon, was calculated daily at so many mauns, or measures, and consisted of fine flour, distinct from the common, on purpose for the king's use; and meal, besides provisions of meat, poultry, and game. Barley and straw in large quantities were laid up for the cattle. These are the two articles of food principally used for that purpose in the present, as in the most ancient times (cf. 1 Kings 4:23; 1 Kings 4:28).