The Meaning of 1 Kings 11:28 Explained

1 Kings 11:28

KJV: And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.

YLT: and the man Jeroboam is mighty in valour, and Solomon seeth the young man that he is doing business, and appointeth him over all the burden of the house of Joseph.

Darby: and the man Jeroboam was strong and valiant; and Solomon saw the young man that he was industrious, and he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.

ASV: And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor; and Solomon saw the young man that he was industrious, and he gave him charge over all the labor of the house of Joseph.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the man  Jeroboam  [was] a mighty man  of valour:  and Solomon  seeing  the young man  that he was industrious,  he made him ruler  over all the charge  of the house  of Joseph. 

What does 1 Kings 11:28 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 11:26-40 - The Kingdom Promised To His Servant
The opening chapters of Jeroboam's life were very promising. He sprang from the ranks of the toilers, but his business talent attracted the notice of Solomon, who set him over the forced labor which was levied from the great tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim, Whether Jeroboam had entertained the prospect of rulership before the prophet met him, we cannot tell, but after that interview his whole life was altered. And if only he had observed the injunction of 1 Kings 11:38, he might have lifted Israel to a level of prosperity and glory that would have blessed the world. But, alas! he sinned, and made Israel to sin- 1 Kings 12:30; 1 Kings 13:34; 1 Kings 14:16; 1 Kings 16:2; 1 Kings 16:9; 1 Kings 16:26, etc.
When God has given you your place, do not devise things out of your own heart, in order to retain it, 1 Kings 12:33. The plans that Jeroboam laid to secure the stability of his throne led to its undoing, and covered his name with undying infamy. "Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land." "Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil." "Thou maintainest my lot." Let those who feel compelled to do wrong in order to keep their business or position, dare to stand with God against the temptation. He will honor those who honor Him, 2 Samuel 2:30.
1 Kings 11:1-43 - 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 11

1  Solomon's wives and concubines
4  In his old age they draw him to idolatry
9  God threatens him,
14  Solomon's adversaries were Hadad, who was entertained in Egypt
23  Rezon, who reigned in Damascus
26  And Jeroboam, to whom Ahijah prophesied
41  Solomon's acts, reign, and death Rehoboam succeeds him

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 11:28 mean?

And the man Jeroboam [was] a mighty man of valor and seeing Solomon - the young man that was industrious industrious was and made the officer him over all the labor force of the house of Joseph -
וְהָאִ֥ישׁ יָרָבְעָ֖ם גִּבּ֣וֹר חָ֑יִל וַיַּ֨רְא שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה אֶת־ הַנַּ֗עַר כִּֽי־ עֹשֵׂ֤ה מְלָאכָה֙ ה֔וּא וַיַּפְקֵ֣ד אֹת֔וֹ לְכָל־ סֵ֖בֶל בֵּ֥ית יוֹסֵֽף ס

וְהָאִ֥ישׁ  And  the  man 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
יָרָבְעָ֖ם  Jeroboam  [was] 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָרָבְעָם  
Sense: the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel when the kingdom split at the death of Solomon and the 0 tribes split off from Judah and Benjamin and the kingdom under Solomon’s son Rehoboam; idolatry was introduced at the beginning of his reign.
גִּבּ֣וֹר  a  mighty  man 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: גִּבֹּור  
Sense: strong, mighty.
חָ֑יִל  of  valor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
וַיַּ֨רְא  and  seeing 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה  Solomon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁלֹמֹה  
Sense: son of David by Bathsheba and 3rd king of Israel; author of Proverbs and Song of Songs.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַנַּ֗עַר  the  young  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
עֹשֵׂ֤ה  was  industrious 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
מְלָאכָה֙  industrious 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְלָאכָה  
Sense: occupation, work, business.
וַיַּפְקֵ֣ד  and  made  the  officer 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
לְכָל־  over  all 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
סֵ֖בֶל  the  labor  force 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: סֵבֶל  
Sense: load, burden.
בֵּ֥ית  of  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יוֹסֵֽף  of  Joseph 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוסֵף  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation