1 Kings 11:37 kjv
And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.
1 Kings 11:37 nkjv
So I will take you, and you shall reign over all your heart desires, and you shall be king over Israel.
1 Kings 11:37 niv
However, as for you, I will take you, and you will rule over all that your heart desires; you will be king over Israel.
1 Kings 11:37 esv
And I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your soul desires, and you shall be king over Israel.
1 Kings 11:37 nlt
And I will place you on the throne of Israel, and you will rule over all that your heart desires.
1 Kings 11 37 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 2:7 | The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. | God's sovereignty over status and leaders. |
| 1 Sam 15:28 | And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you…” | God tearing the kingdom from an disobedient king. |
| 2 Sam 7:16 | And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me... | Contrast: Unconditional Davidic covenant. |
| 1 Ki 11:11 | "Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, 'Because you have done this...' | God's judgment against Solomon's sin. |
| 1 Ki 11:12-13 | "...yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days..." | Delay of judgment due to David's covenant. |
| 1 Ki 11:29-31 | Ahijah took a new cloak... saying, "Thus says the Lord... I will tear..." | Prophecy of the kingdom's division. |
| 1 Ki 11:38 | "If you listen to all that I command you and walk in my ways..." | The conditional nature of Jeroboam's blessing. |
| 1 Ki 12:15 | So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of events... | God's sovereign control over Rehoboam's decision. |
| Ps 75:6-7 | For promotion comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south, but God is the judge; He puts down one and sets up another. | God's absolute sovereignty in appointing rulers. |
| Dan 2:21 | He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings... | God's supreme authority over earthly kingdoms. |
| Dan 4:17 | ...that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men... | God's absolute control over human rulers. |
| Isa 45:1 | Thus says the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus... | God naming and raising up pagan kings for His purpose. |
| Rom 13:1 | For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. | All authority ultimately from God. |
| Prov 21:1 | The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He will. | God's sovereign direction of leaders. |
| Jer 1:10 | See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms... | God's commissioning of individuals. |
| 1 Chr 29:12 | Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all... | God as the ultimate source of power and reign. |
| Lk 1:52 | He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate. | God's power to change status and leadership. |
| Acts 13:22 | And when He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king... | God removing and raising up kings. |
| Hos 8:4 | They set up kings, but not by Me; they made princes, but I knew it not... | Condemnation when rulers are chosen apart from God. |
| Exod 4:12 | Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak. | God's direct intervention and commission. |
| Jer 27:5 | I have made the earth... and I give it to whomever it seems right to Me. | God's universal sovereignty. |
| Rev 1:6 | and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father... | Believers made into a kingdom under Christ. |
1 Kings 11 verses
1 Kings 11 37 Meaning
This verse is a direct promise from God, delivered through the prophet Ahijah, to Jeroboam. It declares God's divine election of Jeroboam to be king over Israel, fulfilling Jeroboam's personal aspiration for kingship. It signifies a divine appointment to lead the northern tribes, establishing him as a sovereign ruler over the significant portion of God's people.
1 Kings 11 37 Context
This verse is part of Ahijah's prophetic declaration to Jeroboam following Solomon's grave apostasy. God had become angry with Solomon for his idolatry, influenced by his foreign wives, turning away from the Lord who had appeared to him twice. As a result of Solomon's unfaithfulness, God declared that He would tear the kingdom from his hand. However, for the sake of David, His servant, and Jerusalem, one tribe (Judah) would be left to Solomon's son. The ten remaining tribes would be given to Jeroboam. Verse 37 details God's specific promise of kingship over Israel to Jeroboam, explicitly acknowledging and granting Jeroboam's internal desire for this position. This promise, however, is presented as conditional upon Jeroboam's obedience (v. 38), in contrast to the unconditional nature of the Davidic covenant. This entire narrative establishes divine sovereignty over the political landscape and righteous judgment for sin.
1 Kings 11 37 Word analysis
- And I will take thee:
- I: Refers to Yahweh (יהוה, YHWH), the God of Israel. This emphasizes divine initiative and power. It signifies that this is not Jeroboam's scheme or ambition realized independently, but God's deliberate act.
- will take (וְלָקַחְתִּיךָ, v'laqachtikha): Derived from the Hebrew root לקח (laqach), meaning "to take, seize, acquire, receive." In this context, it carries the strong sense of "to choose" or "to select" someone for a specific role or purpose. It highlights God's sovereign appointment, setting Jeroboam apart.
- thee: Refers specifically to Jeroboam. God personally chose him, rather than Jeroboam taking the throne through his own power or conspiracy (though he was already an influential servant of Solomon).
- and thou shalt reign:
- thou shalt reign (תִּמְלֹךְ, timlokh): From the Hebrew verb מלך (malak), meaning "to be king, to reign." This signifies not just taking power, but exercising royal authority and dominion. It is a divine endowment of kingship.
- according to all that thy soul desireth:
- according to all that (כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר, k'khol asher): Indicates alignment or fulfillment.
- thy soul (נַפְשֶׁךָ, naf'shekha): Refers to the person's inner being, often encompassing desires, will, and affections. It acknowledges Jeroboam's hidden ambition or inner longing to be king.
- desireth (תְּאַוֶּה, te'avveh): From the verb אוה (avah), meaning "to desire, to long for." This indicates that Jeroboam already harbored aspirations for the throne, which God was aware of and would now fulfill, but within the boundaries of His own purpose. This is not a blanket approval of all his desires, but the specific desire to be king. It also demonstrates God's intimate knowledge of human hearts.
- and shalt be king over Israel:
- shalt be king (מֶלֶךְ, melekh): Reiteration of his status as monarch.
- over Israel: This clarifies the specific domain of his rule. It implies leadership over the majority of the tribes, but distinctly not over the whole reunited kingdom as ruled by David and Solomon, specifically excluding Judah and Benjamin (who would remain with Solomon's son). This precisely outlines the upcoming division of the kingdom, establishing a new monarchy in the North. This also shows a polemic against the idea of an unbroken, geographically unified Davidic kingdom regardless of the king's piety. It asserts Yahweh's authority to dismantle and reconfigure earthly kingdoms based on His righteous judgments and purposes.
1 Kings 11 37 Bonus section
The promise to Jeroboam stands in stark contrast to the unconditional Davidic covenant (2 Sam 7). While David's house was guaranteed an eternal dynasty regardless of individual kings' sin, Jeroboam's line was explicitly conditioned on his obedience, emphasizing a covenantal fidelity unique to this new kingship. This serves to highlight God's righteous nature: fulfilling judgment for sin, while also maintaining opportunities for blessing, even for those outside the direct lineage of an eternal covenant, provided they walk in His ways. Jeroboam's subsequent idolatry and setting up of golden calves (1 Ki 12:25-33) became the defining sin of the northern kingdom of Israel, marking its departure from God's Law and setting a destructive pattern for subsequent rulers. The choice of Jeroboam also implies that even within God's corrective judgment, He considers the desires of His chosen instruments, weaving them into His larger divine plan for justice and redemption.
1 Kings 11 37 Commentary
This verse articulates a pivotal divine promise that underscores God's sovereign control over the rise and fall of nations and leaders. God explicitly states His choice of Jeroboam, legitimizing his kingship and directly connecting it to Jeroboam's inner desire, which God intends to fulfill. This divine initiative separates Jeroboam's future reign from mere human ambition or rebellion. However, as subsequent verses (specifically 1 Kings 11:38) reveal, this promise was not unconditional; Jeroboam's dynastic stability was dependent upon his obedience to God's commandments. This highlights a critical principle: divine favor and gifts, while freely given, often carry responsibilities, and their enduring benefit is tied to faithfulness. Unfortunately, Jeroboam's failure to adhere to these conditions (as detailed in 1 Kings 12:25-33 and onward) led to the downfall of his dynasty, illustrating that God’s conditional promises depend on human response, unlike the unconditional Davidic Covenant. It also showcases God's justice in punishing Solomon's idolatry, while also demonstrating His grace in offering a new beginning and opportunity for a righteous reign through Jeroboam, a contrast that unfortunately Jeroboam did not embrace.