1 Kings 1:37 kjv
As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.
1 Kings 1:37 nkjv
As the LORD has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David."
1 Kings 1:37 niv
As the LORD was with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon to make his throne even greater than the throne of my lord King David!"
1 Kings 1:37 esv
As the LORD has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David."
1 Kings 1:37 nlt
And may the LORD be with Solomon as he has been with you, my lord the king, and may he make Solomon's reign even greater than yours!"
1 Kings 1 37 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Josh 1:5 | "No one will be able to stand against you… as I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." | God's unwavering presence for chosen leaders. |
| 2 Sam 7:12-13 | "When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you… and I will establish his kingdom." | God's promise to establish David's son's throne. |
| 2 Sam 7:16 | "Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever." | Davidic Covenant's eternal throne. |
| Ps 72:8 | "He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth." | Messianic reign's extensive dominion. |
| Ps 89:3-4 | "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: ‘I will establish your dynasty forever and build up your throne for all generations.’" | God's promise to strengthen David's throne. |
| Ps 89:27-29 | "I will also appoint him my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth... I will maintain my love to him forever, and my covenant with him will never fail." | God elevates his chosen king above others. |
| Ps 89:35-37 | "Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness – and I will not lie to David – that his line will continue forever and his throne endure before me like the sun." | Affirmation of the everlasting Davidic line. |
| Is 9:7 | "Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever." | Prophecy of an eternal, expanding Davidic reign. |
| Jer 33:17 | "For this is what the LORD says: ‘David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel.’" | God's guarantee of Davidic lineage. |
| Lk 1:32-33 | "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end." | Jesus' eternal, universal Davidic reign. |
| Acts 2:30-31 | "But since he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne..." | Apostolic understanding of David's covenant fulfilled in Christ. |
| Heb 1:8 | "But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.’" | Christ's divine and eternal throne. |
| Gen 39:2-3 | "The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and lived in the house of his Egyptian master... he saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did." | God's presence leads to prosperity and success. |
| Deut 31:7-8 | "Then Moses summoned Joshua… Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people... The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." | Transfer of leadership with assurance of divine presence. |
| 1 Kgs 2:12 | "So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established." | Fulfillment of the immediate prayer for Solomon's throne. |
| 1 Kgs 4:20-25 | "Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy... Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah to Gaza, and had peace on all his borders." | Solomon's prosperous and expansive reign. |
| Ps 23:4 | "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." | Assurance of God's presence in times of adversity. |
| Ps 127:1 | "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain." | Divine blessing is essential for any endeavor. |
| Prov 10:22 | "The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it." | God's blessing as the source of true prosperity. |
| Ecc 2:9 | "I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me." | Solomon's self-assessment of his own surpassing greatness. |
| Mt 12:42 | "The Queen of the South came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here." | Jesus, as truly "greater than Solomon." |
| Rom 1:3-4 | "concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord" | Jesus' true claim to David's throne and divine sonship. |
1 Kings 1 verses
1 Kings 1 37 Meaning
This verse is Benaiah's fervent declaration and prayer concerning Solomon's succession. It expresses the desire and hope that the same divine presence and blessing that had been with King David, granting him success and establishing his rule, would similarly, and even more powerfully, rest upon Solomon. The core wish is for Solomon's reign to not only be legitimized by God but to exceed the grandeur and scope of David's kingdom, implying greater prosperity, wisdom, and divine favor. It anticipates a kingship of magnified spiritual and temporal influence.
1 Kings 1 37 Context
1 Kings chapter 1 depicts the precarious final days of King David's reign. With David old and frail, a succession crisis unfolds as his eldest surviving son, Adonijah, attempts to seize the throne by self-proclamation and a lavish coronation ceremony. This act disregards God's earlier selection of Solomon as David's successor, as revealed through the prophet Nathan and conveyed to David (1 Chron 22:9-10). Bathsheba and Nathan inform the ailing David of Adonijah's coup. In response, David, to ensure the divinely ordained transition, gives explicit commands to formally anoint Solomon as king. The verse (1 Kings 1:37) occurs when Benaiah, the captain of David's bodyguard and a trusted loyalist, voices his assent and profound prayer of endorsement for Solomon, immediately following David's order to Zadok, Nathan, and himself to lead Solomon's anointing at Gihon. This declaration contrasts the false kingship of Adonijah with the divinely appointed, and hoped for, glorious reign of Solomon.
1 Kings 1 37 Word analysis
As the LORD (
Yahweh) has been:- LORD:
YHWH(Heb. יְהוָה). The covenant God of Israel. It emphasizes God's consistent, active involvement and faithfulness to His people and their kings. - has been:
hayah(Heb. הָיָה). Indicates past completed action with continuous effect; highlights God's established presence with David, not merely an abstract concept but a dynamic, active support bringing success (e.g., 2 Sam 8:6, 14). This past presence is the basis for future hope.
- LORD:
with my lord the king:
- my lord the king: Refers to David. Benaiah acknowledges David's God-given authority and legitimacy. The personal "my lord" shows Benaiah's personal allegiance.
so may he be:
- so may he be:
yehi(Heb. יְהִי). A jussive form expressing a strong prayer, wish, or even a declarative hope that God's actions toward David will extend to Solomon. It bridges past divine favor with future divine blessing. It underscores that Solomon's reign, like David's, is utterly dependent on God's presence.
- so may he be:
with Solomon:
- Solomon:
Shlomo(Heb. שְׁלֹמֹה). His name means "peaceful." This specific identification sets apart the legitimate heir chosen by God.
- Solomon:
and make his throne:
- make his throne:
ve-yigadel kisse’o(Heb. וִיגַדֵּל כִּסְאֹה). "Make his throne great."Kisse(כִּסֵּא) refers to the king's seat, symbolizing authority, power, and the kingdom itself. It implies not just the physical throne but the extent and influence of the monarchy. This is a prayer for divine establishment and augmentation of authority.
- make his throne:
even greater than the throne of my lord King David:
- even greater:
gadol(Heb. גָּדוֹל). "Great," "magnificent," "numerous." This superlative aspiration goes beyond mere continuity, wishing for an increase in divine favor, wisdom, power, prosperity, and the extent of Solomon's kingdom. It speaks to a peak or pinnacle of Israelite kingship. This isn't a demotion of David but an exaltation of God's capacity to do even more. - than the throne of my lord King David: This direct comparison sets a high benchmark, acknowledging David's successful and divinely blessed reign as a foundation. It points to a unique hope, one rooted in God's prior promises to David concerning his successor (2 Sam 7). This surpasses simple human ambition; it's a desire for the manifestation of God's redemptive plan in an intensified manner through Solomon.
- even greater:
1 Kings 1 37 Bonus section
- Theological Parallel to Messianic Expectations: The prayer for a "greater throne" for Solomon than David foreshadows the theological understanding that the ultimate Son of David, the Messiah, would establish a kingdom of far superior glory and extent (Is 9:7, Lk 1:32-33). Solomon's reign was a type or shadow of this future, perfect reign.
- Significance of God's Presence (
Yahwehbeing with a leader): This theme runs through the entire Bible, from Joseph (Gen 39) to Joshua (Josh 1) to the promises for the new covenant believers (Matt 28:20). It signifies divine favor, enablement, protection, and guaranteed success according to God's will. For a king, it implied legitimacy, wisdom, and military might. - Contrast with Pagan Kingships: In the ancient Near East, kings often derived their authority from military conquest, inherent divine bloodlines, or direct endorsement by multiple, capricious gods. In contrast, Benaiah's statement reinforces that Israel's true king receives singular, enduring divine authority and presence from Yahweh, the one true God, and that this presence is the sole source of the king's effectiveness and legitimacy, directly opposing any self-proclaimed or humanly concocted claims to power.
1 Kings 1 37 Commentary
1 Kings 1:37 captures a moment of crucial transition and profound spiritual aspiration. Benaiah's words serve not only as an expression of loyalty to the dying King David but, more significantly, as a powerful declaration of faith in God's active involvement in the kingdom of Israel. His prayer-wish emphasizes that a king's true authority and success derive directly from the presence of the Lord, echoing a recurring theme in Israel's history from Abraham to Joshua. The explicit plea for Solomon's throne to be "even greater" than David's signifies a profound hope rooted in God's promises, particularly the Davidic Covenant, which prophesied an enduring lineage and a perpetually established kingdom.
This "greater" expectation was partially fulfilled in Solomon's golden age, marked by unparalleled wealth, wisdom, peace, and territorial expansion (1 Kgs 4). However, Solomon's reign, despite its glories, ultimately demonstrated human limitations and failings, hinting that the full scope of the "greater" kingdom pointed to something beyond any earthly monarch. This aspiration, therefore, finds its ultimate and eternal fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the Son of David. His spiritual kingdom is truly without end, far exceeding any temporal earthly reign in power, scope, righteousness, and eternal peace. The verse also underscores that any legitimate ruler's authority in Israel rested on divine appointment, not human machination, serving as a subtle polemic against usurpers like Adonijah by highlighting the divine seal on the rightful king.