1 Kings 10 9

1 Kings 10:9 kjv

Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.

1 Kings 10:9 nkjv

Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness."

1 Kings 10:9 niv

Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD's eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness."

1 Kings 10:9 esv

Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness."

1 Kings 10:9 nlt

Praise the LORD your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD's eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so you can rule with justice and righteousness."

1 Kings 10 verses

1 Kings 10 9 Meaning

This verse expresses the Queen of Sheba's profound recognition and praise of the LORD, Israel's God. She blesses God for His personal favor (delight) in Solomon, which resulted in his appointment to the throne. Her acknowledgment emphasizes that Solomon's reign is not for his own sake, but is a direct manifestation of God's enduring love for Israel, specifically purposed for Solomon to uphold and establish justice and righteousness among the people.

1 Kings 10 9 Context

This verse is part of the account detailing the Queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon in Jerusalem. Having heard of Solomon's wisdom and fame, she came to test him with hard questions and observed his reign (1 Kgs 10:1-8). She was utterly astounded by his wisdom, prosperity, and the order of his kingdom. Her reaction, recorded in 1 Kings 10:9, goes beyond mere admiration for Solomon himself. She attributes his unparalleled success directly to the LORD God of Israel, offering praise not to the king, but to his divine benefactor. This affirmation from a foreign queen underscores the widespread recognition of Yahweh's blessing upon Israel at the height of Solomon's golden age. The verse also serves as a theological marker for ideal kingship within Israel, contrasting implicitly with kings who later fail to uphold these standards of justice and righteousness.

1 Kings 10 9 Word analysis

• Blessed be the LORD your God (בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - baruch Yahweh Eloheicha):

  • "Blessed be" (baruch): A common Hebrew liturgical acclamation of praise, recognizing God as the source of all blessings. It's a statement of reverential honor.
  • "LORD" (Yahweh/YHWH): The covenant name of Israel's God, emphasizing His personal, relational, and self-existent nature. The Queen, though foreign, identifies Him as Solomon's (and thus Israel's) God.
  • "your God" (Eloheicha): Signifies ownership and a specific relationship; implicitly acknowledging the supremacy of Israel's God over any other deity she might have worshipped. This is a theological declaration from an outsider.

• who delighted in you (חָפֵץ בְּךָ - chaphets b'kha):

  • "delighted" (chaphets): Implies God's active, intentional, and volitional pleasure or desire. It signifies God's special favor, election, and purpose regarding Solomon. It is not just toleration, but divine affection and purposeful choosing. This echoes God's choice of David.

• to set you on the throne of Israel (לְתִתְּךָ עַל כִּסֵּא יִשְׂרָאֵל - latitteka al kisse Yisrael):

  • "set you": Emphasizes God's sovereign act in establishing kings. Solomon did not seize the throne, nor was it merely a matter of human succession, but a divine installation.
  • "throne of Israel": Specifies his domain as God's covenant people. Solomon is not just a king, but the king of God's chosen nation.

• Because the LORD loved Israel forever (בְּאַהֲבַת יְהוָה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעוֹלָם - b'ahavat Yahweh et Yisrael l'olam):

  • "loved" (ahav): Denotes deep, abiding affection, often used of God's covenant love (hesed) for His people. This love is the reason for His action toward Solomon.
  • "Israel": The nation, God's chosen people, not just a king. Solomon's rule is for their benefit.
  • "forever" (l'olam): Emphasizes the eternal, unwavering nature of God's covenantal commitment and faithfulness to His people. This highlights the unconditional aspect of God's divine electing love.

• he made you king (וַיְשִׂמְךָ לְמֶלֶךְ - vay'simeka l'melekh):

  • A concise reiteration of divine appointment, stressing that his status as monarch derived from God's act.

• to execute justice and righteousness (לַעֲשׂוֹת מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה - la'asot mishpat u'tzedakah):

  • "execute" (la'asot - "to do" or "to make"): Indicates the active implementation of these principles.
  • "justice" (mishpat): Refers to the administration of fair judgment, adherence to legal and moral standards, and protecting the vulnerable. It implies proper governance according to God's law.
  • "righteousness" (tzedakah): Encompasses ethical conduct, conformity to God's revealed will, and fostering moral integrity within society. It is about right living and promoting societal flourishing based on divine standards.
  • These two terms are a common pair in the Old Testament, representing the core duty of a righteous ruler: ensuring societal equity and upholding moral uprightness. This is the purpose for which God set him on the throne.

1 Kings 10 9 Bonus section

• Polemics Against Idolatry: The Queen of Sheba's acknowledgment of Yahweh, specifically identifying Him as the LORD "your God" (Solomon's/Israel's God), is a powerful implicit polemic against other regional gods. It attributes universal recognition of blessing and power to Yahweh alone.
• Theological Foundation of Monarchy: This verse sets forth the divinely ordained purpose for the Israelite monarchy: not for self-aggrandizement of the king, but as a stewardship rooted in God's prior grace, and functioning for the benefit and spiritual health of the people.
• Significance of Outsider Acknowledgment: The fact that such a profound theological truth comes from a foreign queen lends it additional weight and speaks to the renown of Israel's God beyond its borders at this period.
• Standard for Leadership: The "justice and righteousness" clause established a perpetual criterion by which subsequent kings of Israel would be measured. Their success or failure, from a biblical perspective, was often tied to their adherence to this divine mandate.

1 Kings 10 9 Commentary

1 Kings 10:9 encapsulates a powerful theological statement about the nature of divine kingship in Israel. The Queen of Sheba, an outsider, serves as a vital witness to the sovereign hand of the LORD. Her blessing of Yahweh (God) over Solomon signifies a recognition that Solomon's unparalleled wisdom and prosperity stemmed not from his own inherent ability, but from the deliberate, affectionate "delight" of God in him. Crucially, the verse explains why God invested this power and favor in Solomon: it was a direct outcome of God's unchanging and "forever" love for the nation of Israel. Solomon's kingship was thus a means to an end—the welfare of God's chosen people. His primary divine mandate, and the litmus test of his reign, was to "execute justice and righteousness." This signifies his responsibility to govern impartially, uphold divine laws, protect the vulnerable, and ensure that moral and ethical standards defined the nation's life. This ideal of righteous rule, divinely instituted and motivated by God's eternal love for His people, stands as a prophetic standard for all leadership within God's kingdom.