The Meaning of 1 Kings 10:7 Explained

1 Kings 10:7

KJV: Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

YLT: and I gave no credence to the words till that I have come, and my eyes see, and lo, it was not declared to me -- the half; thou hast added wisdom and goodness unto the report that I heard.

Darby: but I gave no credit to the words, until I came and mine eyes had seen; and behold, the half was not told me: in wisdom and prosperity thou exceedest the report that I heard.

ASV: Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me; thy wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Howbeit I believed  not the words,  until I came,  and mine eyes  had seen  [it]: and, behold, the half  was not told  me: thy wisdom  and prosperity  exceedeth  the fame  which I heard. 

What does 1 Kings 10:7 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 10:1-13 - "the Half Was Not Told Me"
Sheba, to the Jewish mind, was at the ends of the earth, Matthew 12:42. It probably lay in southern Arabia, fifteen hundred miles from Jerusalem. The queen brought munificent presents of spices, gold, precious stones, and sweet-scented wood. The last-named Solomon used for musical instruments and for stairs in his Temple and palace, 2 Chronicles 9:11. But the queen's heart was set on plying him with hard questions, for which she had sought in vain a satisfactory solution.
We may come to "a greater than Solomon," Matthew 12:42. Our native country may lie far away, but He will receive us, and give us the right to live forever in His palace, listening to His words and beholding His face. Let us bring Him, as our gifts, the faith, love, and loyalty of our hearts. Above all, let us lay before Him our perplexities and questions. He may not immediately reveal an answer, as Solomon did, but will put His Spirit into our hearts. And having the anointing of the Spirit, we shall know all things, 1 John 2:27. Though the mind cannot grasp, the heart will be at rest. The Bible, as someone says, does not teach us philosophy, but makes us philosophers. Be sure to obtain and use your share of His royal bounty.
1 Kings 10:1-29 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 10

1  The queen of Sheba admires the wisdom of Solomon
14  Solomon's gold
16  His targets
18  The throne of ivory
21  His vessels
24  His presents
26  his chariots and horse
28  his tribute

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 10:7 mean?

And However not I did believe the words until that I came and saw with my own eyes and indeed not was told me the half exceed Your wisdom and prosperity to the fame of which I heard
וְלֹֽא־ הֶאֱמַ֣נְתִּי לַדְּבָרִ֗ים עַ֤ד אֲשֶׁר־ בָּ֙אתִי֙ וַתִּרְאֶ֣ינָה עֵינַ֔י וְהִנֵּ֥ה לֹֽא־ הֻגַּד־ לִ֖י הַחֵ֑צִי הוֹסַ֤פְתָּ חָכְמָה֙ וָט֔וֹב אֶל־ הַשְּׁמוּעָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמָֽעְתִּי

וְלֹֽא־  And  However  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הֶאֱמַ֣נְתִּי  I  did  believe 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: אָמַן 
Sense: to support, confirm, be faithful.
לַדְּבָרִ֗ים  the  words 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
עַ֤ד  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בָּ֙אתִי֙  I  came 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
וַתִּרְאֶ֣ינָה  and  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
עֵינַ֔י  with  my  own  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, first person common singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וְהִנֵּ֥ה  and  indeed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
הֻגַּד־  was  told 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
לִ֖י  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
הַחֵ֑צִי  the  half 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲצִי 
Sense: half.
הוֹסַ֤פְתָּ  exceed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָסַף 
Sense: to add, increase, do again.
חָכְמָה֙  Your  wisdom 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חָכְמָה  
Sense: wisdom.
וָט֔וֹב  and  prosperity 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
הַשְּׁמוּעָ֖ה  the  fame 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שְׁמוּעָה  
Sense: report, news, rumour.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  of  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
שָׁמָֽעְתִּי  I  heard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.