2 Chronicles 9:6 kjv
Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.
2 Chronicles 9:6 nkjv
However I did not believe their words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me. You exceed the fame of which I heard.
2 Chronicles 9:6 niv
But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard.
2 Chronicles 9:6 esv
but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, half the greatness of your wisdom was not told me; you surpass the report that I heard.
2 Chronicles 9:6 nlt
I didn't believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of your great wisdom! It is far beyond what I was told.
2 Chronicles 9 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 10:6-7 | "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom was true. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes." | Queen's parallel testimony to Solomon's greatness in Kings. |
| Matt 12:42 | "The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here." | Jesus uses Queen of Sheba as an example of seeking wisdom, with Christ being greater. |
| Lk 11:31 | Similar to Matt 12:42, emphasizes the Queen's diligent seeking of wisdom. | Queen's diligence contrasted with unbelieving generation. |
| 1 Ki 3:12 | "I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be." | God's promise to grant Solomon exceptional wisdom. |
| 1 Ki 4:29-30 | "God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East..." | Solomon's surpassing wisdom confirmed as divinely given. |
| 1 Ki 4:34 | "People came from all nations to hear Solomon's wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom." | International recognition of Solomon's wisdom. |
| 2 Ch 1:12 | "Therefore wisdom and knowledge are granted you. I will also give you riches, possessions and honor, such as no king before you or after you will have." | Divine promise to Solomon for both wisdom and prosperity. |
| Job 42:5 | "My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you." | Direct parallel to the power of personal experience and sight over hearsay. |
| Rom 11:33 | "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" | Echoes the sentiment of overwhelming greatness, applied to God's wisdom. |
| Eph 3:20 | "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..." | God's limitless power and ability to exceed human comprehension. |
| Isa 55:9 | "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." | Illustrates the surpassing nature of divine attributes. |
| Ps 145:3 | "Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom." | God's greatness is immeasurable, pointing to the source of Solomon's blessing. |
| Col 2:3 | "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." | Christ as the ultimate source of all wisdom and knowledge. |
| Prov 8:12 | "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions." | Wisdom's inherent value and personification. |
| Ecc 1:16 | "I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge." | Solomon's self-testimony of his unparalleled wisdom. |
| Ps 119:18 | "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law." | Desire for revelation and seeing truth, similar to Queen's realization. |
| 1 Cor 2:7 | "No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began." | God's hidden wisdom revealed, showing a depth beyond human reports. |
| James 1:5 | "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." | Emphasizes wisdom as a gift from God. |
| 1 Jn 1:1-3 | "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life." | The apostles' reliance on both hearing and seeing for their witness. |
| Acts 4:16 | "Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have done a notable miracle, and we cannot deny it." | An example of fame or report confirmed by undeniable reality. |
2 Chronicles 9 verses
2 Chronicles 9 6 Meaning
This verse conveys the astonished affirmation of the Queen of Sheba regarding Solomon's extraordinary wisdom and prosperity. Having initially doubted the reports she heard, her direct experience and personal observation compelled her to conclude that the actual greatness of Solomon's wisdom and kingdom far exceeded all preceding accounts and fame. The reality was so immense that she believed less than half of it had been communicated to her, signifying its truly overwhelming nature.
2 Chronicles 9 6 Context
This verse is part of the account detailing the visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon in Jerusalem, as narrated in 2 Chronicles chapter 9. This chapter primarily highlights the immense wealth, glory, and extraordinary wisdom granted to Solomon by God. The Queen's visit serves as a testament to the international fame of Solomon's reign. She came specifically "to test Solomon with hard questions" (2 Ch 9:1), bringing vast riches. Her testimony in verse 6, alongside other verses in the chapter, culminates in her declaration that Solomon's prosperity and wisdom surpass all expectation. Historically, Solomon's reign was a period of great peace and prosperity for Israel, reflecting God's blessings in response to Solomon's request for wisdom to govern His people. The account reinforces the unparalleled status of Solomon among rulers, but more profoundly, it showcases the exceeding generosity and power of the God who blessed him. The Queen, a foreign ruler, offers an objective outside witness to the divine favor upon Israel's king, inadvertently highlighting the supremacy of Israel's God over any pagan deities or human endeavors.
2 Chronicles 9 6 Word analysis
- Howbeit I believed not their words,: The Queen's initial disposition was one of skepticism. Despite hearing reports (Hebrew: shĕmu‘ah), she remained unconvinced, reflecting a healthy human tendency to verify extraordinary claims. This sets the stage for the dramatic revelation she experiences.
- until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: Her doubt was resolved not by further reports, but by personal experience and direct sensory evidence. The act of "seeing" (Hebrew: ra'ah) is crucial; it transitions from secondhand information to firsthand, irrefutable truth. This underscores the power of empirical observation, often used in biblical narrative to establish veracity.
- and, behold,: (Hebrew: hinneh) This exclamation draws immediate attention to what follows. It functions as an intensifier, signaling surprise, wonder, and the shocking nature of the Queen's discovery.
- the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: This is a vivid expression of hyperbole. Literally, "its half (of) the greatness (of) your wisdom was not told to me." The "greatness" (Hebrew: godel) refers not just to magnitude, but to the awe-inspiring quality of his wisdom and dominion. This statement means that the reality far exceeded even the most exaggerated reports, implying that Solomon's actual wisdom and splendor were immeasurable from a human perspective. It positions Solomon's attributes beyond human communication or conceptualization.
- for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.: (Hebrew: yasaphtā al-haššĕmû‘ah ’ăšer šāmā‘tî). The verb "exceedest" (from yasap) means "to add upon" or "to surpass." Solomon "added" to or significantly transcended the "fame" (Hebrew: shĕmu‘ah, meaning "report" or "tidings") she had previously encountered. This line reiterates and consolidates the profound impact of her visit, confirming that the king's actual glory was fundamentally greater than anything her ears had conceived. This distinction between hearing and seeing is central to the verse's impact.
2 Chronicles 9 6 Bonus section
The Queen of Sheba's reaction encapsulates a common biblical theme where divine truth and glory are so profound they beggar human description. Just as she found Solomon's wisdom and splendor immeasurable by fame, the ultimate wisdom and glory of God in Christ exceed all human capacity to fully articulate or comprehend. Her statement implicitly serves as a prelude to a greater reality. If Solomon, a mere human, albeit divinely blessed, could produce such an overwhelming display, how much more overwhelming is the direct manifestation of God's presence and wisdom. This concept of the surpassing nature of God's works prepares the reader for New Testament revelations where the reality of God in Christ surpasses even the greatest earthly kings and prophets, including Solomon (Matt 12:42). The account thus subtly points towards the ineffable glory of God that would ultimately be revealed in a fuller sense through His Son.
2 Chronicles 9 6 Commentary
2 Chronicles 9:6 presents the climactic testimony of the Queen of Sheba, affirming the divine enablement and unparalleled glory of King Solomon. Her initial disbelief of reports highlights the almost incredible nature of God's blessings upon Solomon. The verse pivots on the contrast between mere "words" or "fame" (hearsay) and personal, undeniable "seeing." This underscores the principle that ultimate truth is often so profound it defies full description; it must be experienced. The Queen's astonishment that "the one half of the greatness" was untold emphasizes not a lack in the reports, but an absolute abundance in Solomon's reality, far surpassing human communication. Her declaration, "thou exceedest the fame that I heard," serves as a powerful validation of Solomon's God-given wisdom and wealth, proclaiming that reality often vastly exceeds the greatest of expectations. For a believer, this can serve as an illustration of how God's truth, goodness, and ultimate glory surpass anything we can imagine or hear; it must be personally experienced to be truly grasped.