1 Kings 11:35 kjv
But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.
1 Kings 11:35 nkjv
But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand and give it to you?ten tribes.
1 Kings 11:35 niv
I will take the kingdom from his son's hands and give you ten tribes.
1 Kings 11:35 esv
But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand and will give it to you, ten tribes.
1 Kings 11:35 nlt
But I will take the kingdom away from his son and give ten of the tribes to you.
1 Kings 11 35 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 17:17 | "...nor shall he greatly multiply for himself silver and gold." | Warning against accumulating forbidden wealth for kings. |
| Deut 29:25-28 | "...because they forsook the covenant of the Lord, the God of their fathers..." | Covenant curses for disobeying God's laws. |
| Josh 23:15-16 | "So will the Lord bring upon you all the evil things..." | Consequences of turning to other gods. |
| 1 Sam 2:7 | "The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up." | God's absolute sovereignty over human fortune and power. |
| 1 Sam 15:28 | "...The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today..." | God's removal of Saul from kingship due to disobedience. |
| 2 Sam 7:15 | "...but My steadfast love will not depart from him..." | God's promise to David: His covenant love endures despite sin. |
| Ps 75:6-7 | "For promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west... God is the Judge." | Divine control over all promotions and demotions. |
| Ps 89:30-37 | "If his children forsake my law and do not walk in my judgments... I will visit their transgression..." | The Davidic covenant's enduring nature, even with sin and punishment. |
| Isa 9:6-7 | "Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David..." | Prophecy of the everlasting Messianic King from David's line. |
| Jer 1:10 | "...to uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow..." | God's ultimate authority over nations and kingdoms. |
| Jer 33:17 | "For thus says the Lord: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne..." | Reaffirmation of an unending line of Davidic rulers. |
| Hos 1:11 | "...Then the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together..." | Future hope for the reunification of Israel and Judah. |
| Hos 13:11 | "I gave you a king in My anger, and I took him away in My wrath." | God's power in appointing and removing kings as judgment. |
| Mal 2:2 | "...then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings." | Judgment for priestly disobedience and not honoring God's name. |
| 1 Kgs 11:9-13 | "...for he had turned aside from the Lord, the God of Israel..." | God's primary stated reason for Solomon's judgment. |
| 1 Kgs 11:31 | "...‘Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel..." | Ahijah's prophetic act illustrating the kingdom's division to Jeroboam. |
| 1 Kgs 11:38 | "...if you will listen to all that I command you..." | The condition of obedience for Jeroboam's enduring kingship. |
| 1 Kgs 12:15 | "So the king did not listen to the people, for it was from the Lord..." | Confirms the divine orchestration of the kingdom's split. |
| 1 Kgs 12:20 | "...There was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Judah only." | Practical fulfillment of the prophecy, leaving Judah loyal. |
| 2 Chron 10:15 | "...So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from God..." | Echoes 1 Kings, emphasizing God's role in the division. |
1 Kings 11 verses
1 Kings 11 35 Meaning
This verse explicitly states God's direct declaration to Jeroboam regarding the impending division of the unified Israelite kingdom. It prophesies that God Himself will wrench control of the majority of the kingdom—specifically ten tribes—from the hand of Solomon's successor (Rehoboam) and grant them to Jeroboam. This severe consequence is directly linked to Solomon's profound apostasy and idolatry.
1 Kings 11 35 Context
1 Kings chapter 11 narrates the tragic decline of King Solomon. Despite his initial wisdom and devotion, his numerous foreign wives led his heart away from God and into widespread idolatry, specifically the worship of foreign deities like Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Molech. This spiritual unfaithfulness directly violated the Mosaic Covenant. In response to Solomon's profound disobedience, God pronounces judgment upon his house. While God assures Solomon that for the sake of David, the kingdom would not be entirely torn from his hand during his lifetime, it would be torn from his son. This verse (1 Kgs 11:35) precisely specifies the extent of this judgment and the new recipient of power. The prophet Ahijah had already communicated this impending division to Jeroboam earlier in the chapter, designating him as the future ruler over ten tribes (1 Kgs 11:29-31). This prophetic word sets the stage for the dramatic historical event of the division of the united monarchy of Israel into two distinct kingdoms—the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah).
1 Kings 11 35 Word analysis
but (אךְ - 'akh): This emphatic particle introduces a decisive contrast or qualification, indicating that despite some previous mitigating factors (e.g., leaving one tribe for David's sake), the definitive action of judgment is assured. It conveys the certainty of what follows.
I (אני - 'aní): Emphatically refers to God (YHWH). This self-reference highlights divine agency and ultimate sovereignty in the removal and redistribution of kingship, underscoring that this is a direct divine judgment, not merely a political coup.
will take (וקחתּי - v'qaḥti): A Hebrew perfect verb with a waw-conversive, indicating a definite future action from God's perspective. This word suggests a forceful, decisive, and complete removal of control over the designated tribes, an act of divine dispossession.
the kingdom (המּמלכה - hamamlākāh): Refers to the unified monarchy of Israel established under David and extended under Solomon, now divinely ordained to be fragmented. It represents the national entity and the kingly authority over it.
out of the hand (מיד - miyad): The Hebrew word 'yad' (hand) metaphorically represents power, authority, and control. To take "out of the hand" signifies stripping away regal power and dominion.
of his son (בנו - b'no): Designates Rehoboam, Solomon's son and successor, as the one who will personally bear the immediate impact of his father's apostasy, despite his own future actions further precipitating the split.
and give (ונתתי - v'natattí): Another waw-conversive perfect verb, parallel to "will take." This indicates a divinely orchestrated bestowal and transfer of authority, showing God not only tears down but also establishes.
ten tribes (עשרה שבטים - 'asarah sh'vatim): Specifically enumerates the significant majority of the Israelite tribes destined for Jeroboam. This includes all tribes except Judah and typically Benjamin (which sided with Judah), forming the future Northern Kingdom, highlighting the extent of God's judgment and new arrangement.
to you (לך - lekā): Refers directly to Jeroboam. This highlights God's specific divine choice and appointment of Jeroboam as the new king over the separated northern entities, making him an instrument of divine purpose and judgment.
"but I will take... and give": This phrase accentuates God's dual and decisive involvement: an act of divine taking away followed by an act of divine giving. It underscores God's complete control over human rulers and kingdoms.
"take the kingdom out of the hand of his son": This imagery conveys a forceful, non-negotiable act of divine sovereignty. It demonstrates that the kingly power is not inherently generational but rests on God's decree.
"give ten tribes to you": This explicitly defines the extent of Jeroboam's new dominion and clarifies that this allocation is by divine mandate, setting the stage for the formal division of the Israelite nation.
1 Kings 11 35 Bonus section
- The immediate cause of the kingdom's division is Solomon's disobedience (1 Kgs 11:9-10). Yet, the timing of the division being delayed until Solomon's son (1 Kgs 11:12) highlights God's steadfast faithfulness to the covenant with David (2 Sam 7), which guaranteed an enduring house. God's judgment is tempered with mercy towards David's lineage.
- The division demonstrates the principle that despite God's choice of leaders, the endurance of their reign and their kingdom's prosperity remain contingent on their faithfulness to Him, setting a pattern for the subsequent history of both kingdoms.
- This prophetic decree, culminating in 1 Kgs 12, serves as a significant polemic against the human inclination to rely on royal dynasties or political arrangements rather than God's covenant and law. It underlines that divine blessing, not human might or lineage, is the ultimate guarantor of national stability.
1 Kings 11 35 Commentary
1 Kings 11:35 serves as the definitive statement of God's judgment against Solomon for his grave idolatry and spiritual infidelity. Though God delayed the full consequence during Solomon's lifetime for the sake of His covenant with David, this verse confirms that the unified kingdom would be dramatically rent during the reign of Solomon's son, Rehoboam. God, in His absolute sovereignty and justice, not only declares the removal of authority over the majority of the tribes from the Davidic line but also specifically appoints Jeroboam as the recipient of this new Northern Kingdom. This act demonstrates that divine favor and succession are contingent upon obedience, even for the most revered royal lines. The verse makes it clear that the future division of the kingdom, a pivotal event in Israelite history, was fundamentally an act of God's justice in response to covenant unfaithfulness.