1 Kings 11:36
in 1 Kings 11I will give one tribe to his son, so that My servant David will always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put My Name.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a lamp alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.
KJV
And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.
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This verse in 1 Kings 11
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThe words "so that David may always have a lamp" refer to that small part of the kingdom which was like the sun in the abundance of its light: "Your throne will be like the sun before me." Moreover, as we light many firebrands from …
This site's exposition
I will take ten tribes of the kingdom from the hand of his son
on 1 Kings 11:35-37
The kingdom passes from Solomon's son, not from Solomon, softening the immediate blow while making the coming division certain. Jeroboam is offered the full desire of his soul, king over Israel, on terms the next two verses will make conditional rather than unconditional.
This site's exposition
will always have a lamp before Me
The Targum renders the lamp as a kingdom, and John Gill reads it as a royal heir shining on David's throne, citing 2 Samuel 21:17. Albert Barnes takes a lamp as the mark of a home still lived in. Adam Clarke and Matthew Henry see the Messiah in it.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And unto his son will I give one tribe,.... Judah and Benjamin reckoned as one; See Gill on 1Ki 11:13, that David my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there; or a kingdom, as the Targum; or an illustrious prince, a successor, shining in royal majesty and glory, to guide and direct, cheer and comfort, the people of Israel; be an honour to David's family, and a means of continuing the pure worship of God in the temple at Jerusalem; see 2Sa 21:17.
He must not think that David was rejected, as Saul was. No, God would not take his loving-kindness from him, as he did from Saul. The house of David must be supported and kept in reputation, for all this, because out of it the Messiah must arise.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
That David my servant may have a light alway - That his posterity may never fail, and the regal line never become extinct. This, as we have already seen, was in reference to the Messiah. He was not only David’s light, but he was a light to enlighten the Gentiles.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
He was a young man of talent and energy, who, having been appointed by Solomon superintendent of the engineering works projected around Jerusalem, had risen into public notice, and on being informed by a very significant act of the prophet Ahijah of the royal destiny which, by divine appointment, awaited him, his mind took a new turn.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
That David may have a light - Compare the marginal references. The exact meaning of the expression is doubtful. Perhaps the best explanation is, that “light” here is taken as the essential feature of a continuing “home.”
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְלִבְנ֖וֹ | velivno | and to son his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אֶתֵּ֣ן | ʾeten | I will give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| שֵֽׁבֶט־ | shevet- | a tribe | H7626 → | 190 times |
| אֶחָ֑ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| לְמַ֣עַן | lemaan | so as | H4616 → | 272 times |
| הֱיֽוֹת־ | heyot- | to belong | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| נִ֣יר | nir | a lamp | H5216 → | 49 times |
| לְדָֽוִיד־ | ledavid- | to David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| עַ֠בְדִּי | ʾavdi | servant my | H5650 → | 799 times |
| כָּֽל־ | kal- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַיָּמִ֤ים׀ | haiyamim | the days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| לְפָנַי֙ | lefanai | <to> before me | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| בִּיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם | birushalim | in Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| הָעִיר֙ | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בָּחַ֣רְתִּי | bacharti | I have chosen | H977 → | 171 times |
| לִ֔י | li | for myself | ||
| לָשׂ֥וּם | lasum | to put | H7760 → | 584 times |
| שְׁמִ֖י | shemi | name my | H8034 → | 864 times |
| שָֽׁם׃ | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
וְלִבְנ֖וֹand to son his
velivnoH1121 →4930 times
אֶתֵּ֣ןI will give
ʾetenH5414 →2011 times
שֵֽׁבֶט־a tribe
shevet-H7626 →190 times
אֶחָ֑דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
לְמַ֣עַןso as
lemaanH4616 →272 times
הֱיֽוֹת־to belong
heyot-H1961 →3559 times
נִ֣ירa lamp
nirH5216 →49 times
לְדָֽוִיד־to David
ledavid-H1732 →999 times
עַ֠בְדִּיservant my
ʾavdiH5650 →799 times
כָּֽל־all
kal-H3605 →5413 times
הַיָּמִ֤ים׀the days
haiyamimH3117 →2304 times
לְפָנַי֙<to> before me
lefanaiH6440 →2123 times
בִּיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔םin Jerusalem
birushalimH3389 →643 times
הָעִיר֙the city
hairH5892 →1090 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בָּחַ֣רְתִּיI have chosen
bachartiH977 →171 times
לִ֔יfor myself
li
לָשׂ֥וּםto put
lasumH7760 →584 times
שְׁמִ֖יname my
shemiH8034 →864 times
שָֽׁם׃there
shamH8033 →834 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Kings 11:13Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom away from him. I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I…
it leads to
- 1 Kings 11:32
But one tribe will remain for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 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,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Kings 12:20
When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.
- 1 Kings 11:32
Through
2 Samuel 21:17But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You must never again go out with us to battle, so that the…
it leads to
- Psalms 132:17
There I will make a horn grow for David; I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Samuel 18:3
But the people pleaded, “You must not go out! For if we have to flee, they will pay no attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not care; but you…
- Psalms 132:17
Through
2 Chronicles 21:7Yet the LORD was unwilling to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant He had made with David, and since He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants…
it leads to
- Psalms 132:17–18
There I will make a horn grow for David; I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one.
- 2 Samuel 7:12–17
And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.
- Psalms 132:17–18
Through
1 Kings 15:4Nevertheless, for the sake of David, the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and to make Jerusalem strong.
it leads to
- Isaiah 37:35
‘I will defend this city and save it for My own sake and for the sake of My servant David.’”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 37:35
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 1 Kings
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ishodad of Merv, BOOKS OF SESSIONS 1 KINGS 11:36; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.