Dictionaries :: King

King:

is in Scripture very generally used to denote one invested with authority, whether extensive or limited. There were thirty-one kings in Canaan (Jos 12:9,24), whom Joshua subdued. Adonibezek subdued seventy kings (Jdg 1:7). In the New Testament the Roman emperor is spoken of as a king (1Pe 2:13,17); and Herod Antipas, who was only a tetrarch, is also called a king (Mat 14:9; Mar 6:22).

This title is applied to God (1Ti 1:17), and to Christ, the Son of God (1Ti 6:15,16; Mat 27:11). The people of God are also called "kings" (Dan 7:22,27; Mat 19:28; Rev 1:6, etc.). Death is called the "king of terrors" (Job 18:14).

Jehovah was the sole King of the Jewish nation (1Sa 8:7; Isa 33:22). But there came a time in the history of that people when a king was demanded, that they might be like other nations (1Sa 8:5). The prophet Samuel remonstrated with them, but the people cried out, "Nay, but we will have a king over us." The misconduct of Samuel's sons was the immediate cause of this demand.

The Hebrew kings did not rule in their own right, nor in name of the people who had chosen them, but partly as servants and partly as representatives of Jehovah, the true King of Israel (1Sa 10:1). The limits of the king's power were prescribed (1Sa 10:25). The officers of his court were, (1) the recorder or remembrancer (2Sa 8:16; 1Ki 4:3); (2) the scribe (2Sa 8:17; 20:25); (3) the officer over the house, the chief steward (Isa 22:15); (4) the "king's friend," a confidential companion (1Ki 4:5); (5) the keeper of the wardrobe (2Ki 22:14); (6) captain of the bodyguard (2Sa 20:23); (7) officers over the king's treasures, etc. (1Ch 27:25-31); (8) commander-in-chief of the army (1Ch 27:34); (9) the royal counsellor (1Ch 27:32; 2Sa 16:20-23).

(For catalogue of kings of Israel and Judah see chronological table in Appendix.)

King: Called King of Kings

Ezr 7:12; Eze 26:7; Dan 2:37

King: Divinely Authorized

Deu 17:15; 1Sa 9:16, 17; 16:12; 1Ch 22:10; 2Ch 2:11, 12; Pro 8:15; Dan 2:21, 37; 4:17; 5:20; Hsa 8:4; 13:11

King: How Chosen:

By divine appointment, Saul,

1Sa 10:1;

David and the Davidic dynasty,

1Sa 16:1-13.

King: Hereditary Succession

2Sa 7:12-16; 1Ki 1:28-30; 2Ch 21:3, 4; Psa 89:35-37

See ISRAEL, KINGS OF JUDAH

King: Not Hereditary

1Ch 1:43-51

King: After the Revolt

See ISRAEL, KINGS OF ISRAEL

King: By Lot

1Sa 10:20, 21

King: Modes of Induction into Office:

By anointing.

See ANOINTING

By proclamation,

2Sa 15:10; 1Ki 1:33, 34; 2Ki 9:13; 11:12;

by an oath,

2Ki 11:4.

King: Ceremonial Recognition Of:

Prostration,

1Sa 25:41; 2Sa 9:6, 8; 1Ki 1:23, 31, 47;

obeisance,

1Ki 1:16;

kneeling before,

Mat 27:29;

salutation to: "O king, live forever,"

Dan 2:4; 6:6, 21.

King: Acts as Judge

2Sa 8:15; 15:2; 1Ki 10:9; 2Ki 8:1-6; Psa 72:1-4; 122:5; Act 25:11, 12, 20

King: Precepts Concerning

Deu 17:14-19; Pro 31:4, 5; Eze 46:16-18

King: Obedience To

Enjoined,

Ecc 8:2-5.

King: Rights and Duties Of

Pro 25:2, 5, 6, 15; 29:4, 12, 14; Jer 21:12

King: Exercise Executive Clemency

1Sa 11:13

King: Constitutional Restrictions Of

Deu 17:18-20; 1Sa 10:24, 25; 2Sa 5:3; 2Ki 11:12, 17; 2Ch 23:11; Jer 34:8-11; Dan 6:12-15

King: Influenced by Popular Opinion:

Saul,

1Sa 14:45; 15:24;

David,

2Ch 20:21;

Hezekiah,

2Ch 30:2;

Zedekiah,

Jer 38:19, 24-27;

Herod,

Mat 14:5; Act 12:2, 3;

Pilate,

Jhn 19:6-13.

King: Religious Duties Of

Eze 45:9-25; 46:2, 4-8

King: Deification Of

Eze 28:2, 9

King: Loyalty To

Enjoined,

Pro 16:14, 15; Ecc 10:20.

King: Influential Queens:

Bath-sheba,

1Ki 1:28-34;

Jezebel,

1Ki 18:4, 13; 19:1-3; 21:5-16;

Esther,

Est 5:1-8.

King: Respect Due To

Job 34:18; Isa 8:21; Mat 22:21; Mar 12:17

King: Emoluments Of (Profiting From):

Confiscations of property,

2Sa 16:4; 1Ki 21:1-16.

Plunder,

2Sa 12:30; 1Ch 26:27; 2Ch 24:23.

Tariff on imports, and internal revenue on merchandise,

1Ki 10:15-29.

Taxes,

2Sa 20:24; 1Ki 12:18; 2Ch 17:11.

Poll tax,

Mat 17:24-27.

Presents,

1Sa 10:27; 16:20; 2Sa 8:2; 1Ki 10:2, 10, 25; 2Ch 9:24; Psa 72:10.

Commissary of,

1Ki 4:7-19, 27, 28; 1Ch 27:25-31; 2Ch 26:10; 32:28, 29.

King: Extensive Livestock Of

Jdg 12:14; 1Ki 1:33; 4:26; 10:25; 2Ch 9:24, 25; Est 6:8

King: Chief Officers Of:

Captain of the army,

2Sa 8:16; 1Ki 4:4;

recorder,

2Sa 8:16; 20:24; 1Ki 4:3;

scribe,

2Sa 8:17; 20:25; 1Ki 4:3;

chief priests,

2Sa 8:17; 20:25; 1Ki 4:2;

chief of the bodyguard,

2Sa 8:18; 15:18; 20:23; 1Ch 11:25;

collector of taxes,

2Sa 20:24;

chief ruler,

2Sa 20:26; 1Ki 4:5; Est 3:1, 2; 8:1, 2, 15; 10:3;

advisor,

1Ki 4:5;

provincial governors,

Dan 6:1-3.

King: Subordinate Officers Of:

Governor of the household,

1Ki 4:6; 2Ch 28:7;

keeper of the wardrobe,

2Ki 22:14; 2Ch 34:22.

King: Drunkenness Of

Forbidden,

Pro 31:4, 5.

King: Drunken

Instances Of:

Hsa 7:5;

Baasha,

1Ki 16:9;

Ben-Hadad,

1Ki 20:16;

Belshazzar,

Dan 5:1-4, 23;

Ahasuerus,

Est 1:7, 10; 5:6; 7:2.

King: Prayer For

Ezr 6:10

King: Prayer For, Enjoined

1Ti 2:1, 2

King: Decrees Of

Irrevocable,

Est 8:8; Dan 6:8, 9, 12-15.

King: Chronicles Of

Kept (recorded),

1Ki 11:41; 14:19; 2Ki 21:25; 1Ch 9:1; 27:24; 29:29; 2Ch 9:29; 12:15; 20:34; 26:22; 32:32; Ezr 5:17; Est 6:1.

King: References Concerning

See GOVERNMENT; RULERS

King: For the Kings of Israel

Before and after the revolt of the ten tribes, see ISRAEL

King:

"a king" (cp. Eng., "Basil"), e.g., Mat 1:6, is used of the Roman emperor in 1Pe 2:13, 17 (a command of general application); this reference to the emperor is illustrated frequently in the koine (see Preface to this volume); of Herod the Tetrarch (used by courtesy), Mat 14:9; of Christ, as the "King" of the Jews, e.g., Matt, 2:2; 27:11, 29, 37; as the "King" of Israel, Mar 15:32; Jhn 1:49; 12:13; as "King of kings," Rev 17:14; 19:16; as "the King" in judging nations and men at the establishment of the millennial kingdom, Mat 25:34, 40; of God, "the great King," Mat 5:35; "the King eternal, incorruptible, invisible," 1Ti 1:17; "King of kings," 1Ti 6:15, see Note (2) below; "King of the ages," Rev 15:3, RV (AV, "saints"). Christ's "kingship" was predicted in the OT, e.g., Psa 2:6, and in the NT, e.g., Luk 1:32, 33; He came as such, e.g., Mat 2:2; Jhn 18:37; was rejected and died as such, Luk 19:14; Mat 27:37; is now a "King" Priest, after the order of Melchizedek, Hbr 5:6; 7:1, 17; and will reign for ever and ever, Rev 11:15.

Notes:

(1) In Rev 1:6; 5:10, the most authentic mss. have the word basileia, "kingdom," instead of the plural of basileus, AV, "kings," RV, "a kingdom (to be priests)," and "a kingdom (and priests)." The kingdom was conditionally offered by God to Israel, that they should be to Him "a kingdom of priests," Exd 19:6, the entire nation fulfilling priestly worship and service. Their failure to fulfil His covenant resulted in the selection of the Aaronic priesthood. The bringing in of the new and better covenant of grace has constituted all believers a spiritual kingdom, a holy and royal priesthood, 1Pe 2:5, 9.

(2) In 1Ti 6:15, the word "kings" translates the present participle of the verb basileuo, "to be king, to have kingship," lit., "of (those) who are kings."
See REIGN,

(3) Deissmann has shown that the title "king of kings" was "in very early eastern history a decoration of great monarchs and also a divine title" (Light from the Ancient East, pp. 367, f.). Moulton and Milligan illustrate the use of the title among the Persians, from documents discovered in Media.

King:

denoting "royal," as in 1Pe 2:9, is used in the plural, of the courts or palaces of kings, Luk 7:25, "kings' courts;" a possible meaning is "among royal courtiers or persons."

King:

"royal, belonging to a king," is used in Act 12:20 with "country" understood, "their country was fed from the king's," lit., "the royal (country)."
See NOBLEMAN, ROYAL.

King:

"a chief ruler, one invested with supreme authority over a nation, tribe or country."-Webster. In the Bible the word does not necessarily imply great power or great extent of country. Many persons are called kings whom we should rather call chiefs or leaders. The word is applied in the Bible to God as the sovereign and ruler of the universe, and to Christ the Son of God as the head and governor of the Church. The Hebrews were ruled by a king during a period of about 500 years previous to the destruction of Jerusalem, B.C. 586. The immediate occasion of the substitution of a regal form of government for that of judges seems to have been the siege of Jabesh‐gilead by Nahash king of the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11:1; 12:12). The conviction seems to have forced itself on the Israelites that they could not resist their formidable neighbor unless they placed themselves under the sway of a king, like surrounding nations. The original idea of a Hebrew King was twofold: first, that he should lead the people to battle in time of war; and, a second, that he should execute judgment and justice to them in war and in peace (1 Samuel 8:20). In both respects the desired end was attained. Besides being commander‐in‐chief of the army, supreme judge, and absolute master, as it were, of the lives of his subjects, the king exercised the power of imposing taxes on them, and of exacting from them personal service and labor. In addition to these earthly powers, the king of Israel had a more awful claim to respect and obedience. He was the vicegerent of Jehovah (1 Samuel 10:1; 16:13) and as it were his son, if just and holy (2 Samuel 7:14; Psalm 2:6-7; 89:26-27) he had been set apart as a consecrated ruler. Upon his dead had been poured the holy anointing oil, which had hitherto been reserved exclusively for the priests of Jehovah. He had become, in fact, emphatically "the Lord's anointed." He had a court of Oriental magnificence. The king was dressed in royal robes (1 Kings 22:10; 2 Chronicles 18:9) his insignia were, a crown or diadem of pure gold, or perhaps radiant with precious gems (2 Samuel 1:10; 12:30; 2 Kings 11:12; Psalm 21:3) and a royal sceptre. Those who approached him did him obeisance, bowing down and touching the ground with their foreheads (1 Samuel 24:8; 2 Samuel 19:24) and this was done even by a king's wife, the mother of Solomon (1 Kings 1:16). His officers and subjects called themselves his servants or slaves. He had a large harem, which was guarded by eunuchs. The law of succession to the throne is somewhat obscure, but it seems most probable that the king during his lifetime named his successor. At the same time, if no partiality for a favorite wife or son intervened, there would always be a natural bias of affection in favor of the eldest son.