What Does 1 Chronicles 11:21 Mean in the King James?
Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Honor here is weight: he carries more within his group, yet still does not reach the highest rank.
THE MEANING
You can carry greater weight within a circle and still remain outside its highest rank. The verse holds leadership and limitation together: being captain gives him greater honor than two, but does not place him among the first three.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that leading others proves you belong at the very top. Here, leadership brings greater honor than two while still falling short of the first three.
THE ROOT
נִכְבָּד
nikbad
GROWS FROM
כבד
k-b-d
To be heavy or weighty; to carry weight.
The word translated “honourable” comes from a root of heaviness and weight. This honor is a measure of weight within the group: his captaincy makes him weightier than two, while the verse keeps the boundary of the first three in place.
ALSO GROWS
kavod: Weight, honor, or glory.
כָּבוֹד
The same root family connects honor with weight, giving the distinction in this verse a concrete sense.
kaved: Heavy or weighty.
כָּבֵד
This branch preserves the root’s basic physical sense: honor describes how much weight someone carries.
THE PATTERN
A real measure of honor or responsibility can distinguish someone within a group while leaving other boundaries intact.
Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:THE THREAD
Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.The word “honour” here comes from the same כבד root as “honourable” in 1 Chronicles: both carry the sense of weight. Together, the verses show honor as weight that can be recognized and measured.
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