1 Kings 11:36 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →One tribe will remain to Solomon's son so that David may always have a lamp before the Lord in Jerusalem.
What Does 1 Kings 11:36 Mean?
The purpose of preserving one tribe is now revealed in a tender image. It is given so that David may always have a "light" or lamp before the Lord in Jerusalem, the city God chose to put His name. The lamp is the enduring line of David, kept burning even through the kingdom's division.
The lamp that must not go out is the promise of David's everlasting throne, a flame God Himself guards across the centuries. Jerusalem is the chosen place where He sets His name, the city toward which the whole story bends. This lamp would never be extinguished, for from David's line would come the One who is the Light of the world. Here, in a single tribe spared from judgment, God preserves the promise that leads at last to Jesus Christ, the true and unfading Light.
1 Kings 11:36 in the Original Language
nir (נִיר), 'light' -- a lamp, here picturing the enduring line of David kept burning before God.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Kings 11:36
What does 1 Kings 11:36 mean?
One tribe will remain to Solomon's son so that David may always have a lamp before the Lord in Jerusalem.