What Does Matthew 12:42 Mean in the King James?
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
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
The queen’s long journey to hear Solomon makes the presence of one greater than Solomon an indictment of those already near.
THE MEANING
The queen of the south rises in judgment with this generation and condemns it: she comes from the earth’s farthest reaches to hear Solomon’s wisdom, while one greater than Solomon is here. Her distance sharpens the exposure: nearness to greater wisdom does not guarantee that it is heard. You stand inside the verse’s question of recognition now.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This undoes the belief that being close to wisdom guarantees recognizing it: the queen comes from far away to hear Solomon, while one greater than Solomon is here.
THE ROOT
κρίσει
krísei
GROWS FROM
κριν-
To separate or distinguish, then decide.
English “judgment” can sound like a verdict alone; the Greek word belongs to a family that carries the act of distinguishing and deciding. The queen’s testimony separates the generation’s response from her own: she comes to hear, and her presence becomes part of its condemnation.
ALSO GROWS
krínō: To separate, decide, or judge.
κρίνω
This verb names the act within the “judgment” the queen rises in.
krísis: Judgment or decision.
κρίσις
This noun is the form used in the verse, linking the generation’s judgment to an act of discernment.
katakrínō: To condemn or decide against.
κατακρίνω
This compound verb is used for the queen’s condemning the generation; it shares κριν- with “judgment.”
σοφίαν
sophían
GROWS FROM
σοφ-
Wisdom or skillful understanding.
The queen comes to hear wisdom, and the verse then names one greater than Solomon as present. The related word for a wise person shows wisdom as something expressed in a person as well as heard in what that person says.
ALSO GROWS
sophós: Wise or skilled.
σοφός
This related form names a person characterized by the wisdom the queen comes to hear.
sophízō: To make wise or instruct.
σοφίζω
It shares σοφ- and connects wisdom with the act of imparting understanding.
THE PATTERN
Wisdom is recognized through attentive seeking, and the response to it reveals the hearer.
And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.THE THREAD
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.Matthew’s κρίσις (krísis, judgment) and κατακρίνω (katakrínō, condemn) belong to the κρίνω (krínō, decide or judge) word family. Romans uses that same family to turn judgment back on the one who judges, opening how the queen’s testimony exposes the generation beside which she rises.
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