The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

LUKE 11:31KJV
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Luke 11:31 (KJV)

What does Luke 11:31 mean?

Luke 11:31 says that the "queen of the south" will stand up at the final judgment and condemn the people of Jesus’ generation, because she traveled a great distance to hear Solomon’s wisdom, yet someone greater than Solomon (Jesus) is present and not being listened to. The verse highlights the seriousness of ignoring Jesus’ message, especially when others in history went to great lengths to seek wisdom.

In this verse, Jesus is speaking to a crowd that is demanding more signs from him. He refers to the "queen of the south," known from the Old Testament as the Queen of Sheba, who visited King Solomon to hear his wisdom. Jesus points out that she recognized true wisdom and made a great effort to seek it, while the people listening to Jesus are ignoring someone even greater than Solomon. The verse uses this comparison to show the crowd’s lack of response to Jesus’ teaching.

The Greek behind Luke 11:31

  • "queen" (βασίλισσα, basilissa): This word refers to a female ruler, here pointing to the Queen of Sheba. The use of this specific title underlines her authority and status.
  • "south" (νότος, notos): This word means "south" and refers to the region from which the queen came, often understood as the area of Sheba, far from Israel.
  • "judgment" (κρίσις, krisis): This word means a decisive trial or judgment. It emphasizes the idea of a future time when all people will be evaluated.
  • "condemn" (κατακρίνω, katakrinō): This word means to judge against or declare guilty. The verse uses it to show that the queen’s actions will highlight the failure of Jesus’ generation to respond.

Why Luke 11:31 matters

  • Luke 11:31 clarifies that Jesus is claiming to be greater than Solomon, a highly respected figure in Jewish history, which would have been a bold and striking statement to his listeners.
  • The verse challenges the assumption that being close to religious truth is enough; it emphasizes the need to respond to God’s message, not just witness it.
  • This comparison with the Queen of Sheba connects Jesus’ ministry to the larger story of God’s work among all nations, not just Israel, showing that outsiders sometimes recognize God’s wisdom more readily than insiders.

Where else these words appear

“queen” Greek G938 · used in 4 verses

  • Matthew 12:42 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.
  • Acts 8:27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
  • Revelation 18:7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

“parts” Greek G4009 · used in 4 verses

  • Matthew 12:42 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.
  • Romans 10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
  • Hebrews 6:16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.

“south” Greek G3558 · used in 7 verses

  • Matthew 12:42 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.
  • Luke 13:29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
  • Acts 28:13 And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli:

“Solomon” Greek G4672 · used in 10 verses

  • Matthew 1:6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
  • Matthew 12:42 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.
  • Acts 3:11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.