Matthew 12:42

“The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look, something greater than Solomon is here.”
Matthew 12:42 · direct translation from the Greek

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With the Greek beneath

The queenβασίλισσαof the Southνότουwill riseἐγερθήσεταιatἐνthe judgmentτῇ κρίσειwithμετὰthisταύτηςgenerationτῆς γενεᾶςandκαὶcondemnκατακρινεῖit,αὐτήνbecauseὅτιshe cameἦλθενfromἐκthe endsτῶν περάτωνof the earthτῆς γῆςto hearἀκοῦσαιthe wisdomτὴν σοφίανof Solomon;Σολομῶνοςandκαὶlook,ἰδοὺsomething greaterπλεῖονthan SolomonΣολομῶνοςishere.ὧδε

Allusion · 1 Kings 10:1-13

Go to 1 Kings 10:1-13

Both texts speak of the queen who came from far away to hear the wisdom of Solomon; 1 Kings 10 calls her the queen of Sheba.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

βασίλισσαbasilissaG938מַלְכַּתmalkatH4436“queen”
σοφίανsophianG4678חָכְמַתjajmatH2451“wisdom”
ΣολομῶνοςSolomōnosG4672שְׁלֹמֹהshelomoH8010“Solomon”
ἀκοῦσαιakousaiG191שֹׁמַעַתshomaatH8085“hear, listen”

Matthew 12:42, word by word

The queenβασίλισσαbasilissa

queen

Queen.

Where else “basilissa” appears

of the Southνότουnotou

south

The direction of the sun at midday, and the lands on that side.

Where else “notou” appears

will riseἐγερθήσεταιegerthēsetai

get up

To help someone stand, or to stand up.

Where else “egerthēsetai” appears

the judgmentκρίσειkrisei

judgment

A judge's sentence; above all, the one God will give at the end.

Where else “krisei” appears

generationγενεᾶςgeneas

generation

Generation: the people born around the same time, or each step from parent to child in a family.

Where else “geneas” appears

condemnκατακρινεῖkatakrinei

condemn

Condemn, pass sentence against someone.

Where else “katakrinei” appears

she cameἦλθενēlthen

come

To move to where someone is or to a place, and be present there.

Where else “ēlthen” appears

the endsπεράτωνperatōn

ends

The farthest reaches of the earth.

Where else “peratōn” appears

of the earthγῆςgēs

earth

The whole earth under heaven, where human beings live.

Where else “gēs” appears

to hearἀκοῦσαιakousai

hear

To perceive a sound, a voice or words with the ears.

Where else “akousai” appears

the wisdomσοφίανsophian

wisdom

Wisdom.

Where else “sophian” appears

of SolomonΣολομῶνοςSolomōnos

Solomon

Solomon, son of David and Bathsheba, the king of Israel who built the temple.

Where else “Solomōnos” appears

something greaterπλεῖονpleion

Abundantly, often, or to a still higher degree.

Where else “pleion” appears

Translation note

The queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:1-13).

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

The sign of Jonah

Luke 11:29-32

A similar saying; scholars discuss whether it is the same saying in another setting or a repeated one.

See them side by side

Matthew 12:38-42

³⁸Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” ³⁹But he answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. ⁴⁰For just as Jonah was in the belly of the sea monster three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. ⁴¹The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they changed their minds at the proclamation of Jonah; and look, something greater than Jonah is here. ⁴²The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look, something greater than Solomon is here.

Luke 11:29-32

²⁹And as the crowds were gathering, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. ³⁰For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man also be one to this generation. ³¹The queen of the South will be raised at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and look, something greater than Solomon is here. ³²The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they changed their minds at the proclamation of Jonah, and look, something greater than Jonah is here.

The context

41The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they changed their minds at the proclamation of Jonah; and look, something greater than Jonah is here.

42 · This verse (above)

43When the unclean spirit goes out of the man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it.

Read all of Matthew 12

To study Matthew 12 in a group

1. What it says
How did Jesus answer the Pharisees when they criticized his disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath (vv. 3–8)?
2. What it means
What does “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice” mean in Jesus' reply (v. 7)?
3. How I live it
Jesus says the mouth speaks from the heart's abundance (v. 34). Which of your words today would you like to guard?

How to use it