Lexical Summary basilissa: Queen Original Word: βασίλισσα Strong's Exhaustive Concordance queen. Feminine from basileuo; a queen -- queen. see GREEK basileuo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfem. from basileus Definition a queen NASB Translation Queen (2), queen (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 938: βασίλισσαβασίλισσα, βασιλίσσης, ἡ, queen: Matthew 12:42; Luke 11:31; Acts 8:27; Revelation 18:7. (Xenophon, oec. 9, 15; Aristotle, oec. 9 (in Bekker, Anecd. i., p. 84; cf. fragment 385 (from Pollux 8, 90), p. 1542{a}, 25); Polybius 23, 18, 2 (excerpt Vales. 7), and often in later writings; the Sept.; Josephus; the Atticists prefer the forms βασιλίς and βασιλεία; cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 225; (on the termination, corresponding to the English -ess, cf. Winers Grammar, 24; Buttmann, 73; Sophocles Lexicon, p. 37; Sturz, De dial. Maced. et Alex., p. 151ff; Curtius, p. 653).) Topical Lexicon Meaning and Scope Derived from the common Greek term for “king” (basileus), βασίλισσα designates a female monarch or consort with royal authority. In the New Testament its range stretches from a literal sovereign to a metaphor for arrogant world-power. Occurrences in the New Testament • Matthew 12:42 – “Queen of the South” Old Testament Background The title recalls well-known royal women: the unnamed wife of Pharaoh (Genesis 12:15), the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10), Jezebel (1 Kings 21), Athaliah (2 Kings 11), and Esther. Each illustrates either righteous use of power (Esther, Sheba) or its abuse (Jezebel, Athaliah), preparing readers to understand βασίλισσα as a moral lens on female leadership. The Queen of the South as Witness to Christ (Matthew 12:42; Luke 11:31) Jesus elevates the Queen of Sheba as a standard by which His hearers are judged: “The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now one greater than Solomon is here.” (Matthew 12:42) Her long journey underscores sincere pursuit of divine wisdom, contrasting with the complacency of those refusing Christ’s greater revelation. She becomes a Gentile forerunner of faith, anticipating the worldwide expansion of the gospel. Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians, and Early Missions (Acts 8:27) Philip meets an official “in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians.” Classical historians use “Candace” as a dynastic title for the female rulers of Nubian Meroë. The Ethiopian eunuch’s conversion places the gospel within Africa’s royal sphere only months after Pentecost, illustrating Acts’ programmatic promise: “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). His return with Isaiah’s scroll likely seeded the ancient Ethiopian church, showing God’s concern for nations beyond Rome’s orbit. Babylon as Boastful Queen: A Prophetic Warning (Revelation 18:7) End-times Babylon declares, “I sit as queen; I am not a widow and will never see mourning.” Her self-exaltation echoes Isaiah 47:7-9 and typifies worldly systems that trust in luxury and power rather than God. The use of βασίλισσα in this verse is ironic: the apparent security of human empires crumbles under divine judgment. Thus Revelation contrasts two destinies: Babylon’s fleeting throne versus the Lamb’s eternal reign. Theological and Practical Reflections 1. Pursuit of Wisdom: The Queen of the South urges believers to seek Christ with wholehearted zeal. Related Biblical Concepts • Royal titles applied to nations (Isaiah 47) Basilissa, though rare, threads together wisdom, mission, and judgment, calling every generation to honor the true King. Forms and Transliterations βασιλισσα βασίλισσα βασίλισσαι βασίλισσαν βασιλίσση βασίλισση βασιλισσης βασιλίσσης basilissa basílissa basilisses basilissēs basilísses basilíssēsLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 12:42 N-NFSGRK: βασίλισσα νότου ἐγερθήσεται NAS: [The] Queen of [the] South will rise KJV: The queen of the south shall rise up INT: The queen of [the] south will rise up Luke 11:31 N-NFS Acts 8:27 N-GFS Revelation 18:7 N-NFS Strong's Greek 938 |
    |