1 Kings 10:7

7 I had not believed the report to be true until I came and my eyes had seen, and behold! The half had not been told to me. {Your wisdom and prosperity surpass} the report that I had heard.

1 Kings 10:7 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 10:7

Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes
had seen it
That is, she did not believe the whole of what was related to her; somewhat of it she credited, and supposed there was something grand and extraordinary in it, or she would never have taken such a journey; but she did not believe that all could be true; she thought things were too much magnified:

and, behold, the half was not told me;
of what she now saw and heard:

thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard;
the inward endowments of his mind, and the outward magnificence of his court, exceeded the relation of them to her; they were beyond expression, they were so great that reporters could not hyperbolize upon them, nor even come up to them in their account of them, and in which yet men are apt to exceed.

1 Kings 10:7 In-Context

5 the food of his table, the seat of his servants, the {manner} of his servants and their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings which he offered in the house of Yahweh, {she was breathless}.
6 Then she said to the king, "The report which I heard in my land was true concerning your accomplishments and your wisdom.
7 I had not believed the report to be true until I came and my eyes had seen, and behold! The half had not been told to me. {Your wisdom and prosperity surpass} the report that I had heard.
8 Happy [are] your men and happy [are] these your servants who stand before you continually hearing your wisdom.
9 May Yahweh your God be blessed, who has delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel, because of the love of Yahweh for Israel forever, and he has made you king to execute justice and righteousness."

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally "You have added wisdom and prosperity to"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.