Shisha, or Shavsha 1 Chronicles 18:16, seems also to have been called Sheva 2 Samuel 20:25, and Seraiah 2 Samuel 8:17.

The "scribes" were probably royal "secretaries" (margin), who drew up the king's edicts, wrote his letters, and perhaps managed his finances 1 Kings 12:10. They were among his most influential councillors.

By "recorder" or "remembrancer" (margin), we must understand "court annalist" (marginal reference "a").

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 2 Samuel 20:24.

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 2 Samuel 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, 2 Samuel 8:16.

Elichoreph and Achijah, sons of Shisha, who had held the same office under David, were secretaries of state (ספרים: see at 2 Samuel 8:17 and 2 Samuel 20:25, where the different names שׁשׁא equals שׁיא and שׂריה are also discussed). - Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the chancellor, as he had already been in the time of David (2 Samuel 8:17 and 2 Samuel 20:24). The rendering of Thenius, "whilst Jehoshaphat was chancellor," is grammatically impossible.

Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.

4:3 Scribes - That is, 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.

scribes: or, secretaries

recorder: or, remembrancer

3. scribes-that is, secretaries of state. Under David, there had been only one [2Sa 8:17; 20:25]. The employment of three functionaries in this department indicates either improved regulations by the division of labor, or a great increase of business, occasioned by the growing prosperity of the kingdom, or a more extensive correspondence with foreign countries.

recorder-that is, historiographer, or annalist-an office of great importance in Oriental courts, and the duties of which consisted in chronicling the occurrences of every day.

4:1-19 In the choice of the great officers of Solomon's court, no doubt, his wisdom appeared. Several are the same that were in his father's time. A plan was settled by which no part of the country was exhausted to supply his court, though each sent its portion.