What does כִּסֵּא (kisēʾ) mean in the Bible?
H3678 is a Hebrew noun for a throne or royal seat and, by association, the place or exercise of rule. It can describe human kingship, the Davidic throne, and God's heavenly sovereignty.
Hebrew · H3678
כִּסֵּא
Properly, covered , i.e. a throne (as canopied )
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through theConnect page. Screenshots are helpful.
כִּסֵּאH3678
Pronunciationkisēʾ
What does כִּסֵּא (kisēʾ) mean in the Bible?
H3678 is a Hebrew noun for a throne or royal seat and, by association, the place or exercise of rule. It can describe human kingship, the Davidic throne, and God's heavenly sovereignty.
Reader summary
Full entry for כִּסֵּא (H3678) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3678?
The BSB source-word alignment has 135 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the throne (28), throne (21), his throne (20), my throne (8), a throne (7).
Where does כִּסֵּא (kisēʾ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 41:40. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Kings (34), Psalms (18), Jeremiah (17), 2 Chronicles (10).
What This Word Actually Means
H3678 is a Hebrew noun for a throne or royal seat and, by association, the place or exercise of rule. It can describe human kingship, the Davidic throne, and God's heavenly sovereignty. Psalm 103 places universal rule with the Lord, 2 Samuel 7 records covenant promise, Isaiah 6 contrasts a dead earthly king with the living holy Lord, and Proverbs 29 ties stable rule to justice for the poor.
The word does not declare every ruler divinely approved, make a leader immune from correction, or turn a modern office into sacred personal property. H3678 helps teachers address authority, succession, worship, public justice, and messianic hope while rejecting autocracy, divine-right claims, leader veneration, hereditary entitlement, and the use of God's sovereignty to excuse abuse, corruption, or neglect of vulnerable people.
Passage contextBook contextPastoral application
How the Bible Uses It
H3678 names a throne as a concrete royal seat and as a sign of rule. Its passages distinguish God's unrivaled sovereignty, covenant promise, human office, succession, worship, and the justice by which earthly rule is judged.
- Ps.103.19
The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.
The Lord establishes his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all, grounding sovereignty in God rather than a human office.
- 2Sam.7.16
Your house and kingdom will endure forever before Me, and your throne will be established forever.”
God's covenant promise to David joins house, kingdom, and throne while locating the dynasty's endurance in divine promise.
- Isa.6.1
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted; and the train of His robe filled the temple.
Isaiah sees the Lord high and exalted on a throne while earthly King Uzziah's death marks the vision's historical setting.
- Prov.29.14
A king who judges the poor with fairness—his throne will be established forever.
A king who judges the poor with fairness has a throne established, connecting durable rule with impartial justice.
Passage contextBook context
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itthe throne28×2 Samuel 3:10, 2 Samuel 7:13, 1 Kings 1:20, 1 Kings 1:27
throne21×Deuteronomy 17:18, 1 Kings 1:46, 1 Kings 2:45, 1 Kings 9:5
his throne20×Exodus 11:5, Exodus 12:29, 1 Kings 2:19, 1 Kings 3:6
my throne8×1 Kings 1:13, 1 Kings 1:17, 1 Kings 1:24, 1 Kings 1:30
a throne7×1 Samuel 2:8, Proverbs 16:12, Proverbs 20:8, Isaiah 6:1
and his throne5×2 Samuel 14:9, 1 Kings 2:33, 1 Chronicles 17:14, Psalms 89:36
your throne5×1 Kings 5:5, Psalms 45:6, Psalms 89:4, Psalms 93:2
the thrones4×2 Kings 25:28, Psalms 122:5, Jeremiah 52:32
their thrones4×1 Kings 22:10, 2 Chronicles 18:9, Jeremiah 1:15, Ezekiel 26:16
on Your throne3×Psalms 9:4, Psalms 132:11, Psalms 132:12
a chair2×1 Samuel 1:9, 2 Kings 4:10
his chair2×1 Samuel 4:13, 1 Samuel 4:18
of a throne2×Ezekiel 1:26, Ezekiel 10:1
. . .1×1 Kings 10:19
[and] on the throne1×Ezekiel 1:26
[his] seat1×Judges 3:20
a seat1×Proverbs 9:14
and make his throne1×1 Kings 1:37
and may He make his throne1×1 Kings 1:47
and your throne1×2 Samuel 7:16
are His throne’s1×Psalms 97:2
but He enthrones them1×Job 36:7
for the throne1×1 Kings 7:7
from his throne1×Jonah 3:6
from their thrones1×Isaiah 14:9
is My throne1×Isaiah 66:1
of My throne1×Ezekiel 43:7
of the full moon1×Job 26:9
of Your throne1×Psalms 89:14
than [that]1×1 Kings 1:37
than your throne1×1 Kings 1:47
Then [the king] had a throne1×1 Kings 2:19
thrones1×Haggai 2:22
to a position1×Esther 3:1
vvv1×2 Chronicles 9:18
who were under the authority1×Nehemiah 3:7
with regard to the throne1×Genesis 41:40
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 41:40הַכִּסֵּ֖אtowith regard to the throneArticle | Noun - masculine singularExodus 11:5כִּסְא֔וֹtohis throneNoun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularExodus 12:29כִּסְא֔וֹtohis throneNoun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularDeuteronomy 17:18כִּסֵּ֣אtothroneNoun - masculine singular constructJudges 3:20הַכִּסֵּֽא׃to[his] seatArticle | Noun - masculine singular1 Samuel 1:9הַכִּסֵּ֔אtoa chairArticle | Noun - masculine singular1 Samuel 2:8וְכִסֵּ֥אtoa throneConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct1 Samuel 4:13הַכִּסֵּ֜אtohis chairArticle | Noun - masculine singular1 Samuel 4:18הַ֠כִּסֵּאtohis chairArticle | Noun - masculine singular2 Samuel 3:10כִּסֵּ֣אtothe throneNoun - masculine singular construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 41:40
Aligned rows135
Books represented22
Genesis1Exodus2Deuteronomy1Judges11 Samuel42 Samuel41 Kings342 Kings81 Chronicles52 Chronicles10Nehemiah1Esther3Job2Psalms18Proverbs6Isaiah8Jeremiah17Lamentations1Ezekiel5Jonah1Haggai1Zechariah2
Source forms
כִּסֵּ֣א20xkis·sêDeuteronomy 17:18, 2 Samuel 3:10, 1 Kings 8:20, 1 Kings 8:25
כִּסֵּ֥א10xkis·sê2 Samuel 7:13, 1 Kings 1:20, 1 Kings 1:27, 1 Kings 1:46
כִּסְא֔וֹ10xkis·’ōwExodus 11:5, Exodus 12:29, 1 Kings 1:37, 1 Kings 2:19
כִּסְא֜וֹ4xkis·’ōw1 Kings 22:10, 2 Chronicles 18:9, Jeremiah 1:15, Jeremiah 13:13
כִּסְא֑וֹ4xkis·’ōw2 Kings 13:13, Psalms 103:19, Jeremiah 33:21, Zechariah 6:13
כִּסְאֽוֹ׃4xkis·’ōwPsalms 9:7, Psalms 97:2, Proverbs 20:28, Proverbs 25:5
כִּסֵּ֖א3xkis·sê1 Kings 2:12, Isaiah 6:1, Isaiah 47:1
כִּסֵּ֧א3xkis·sê1 Kings 9:5, 2 Kings 25:28, 1 Chronicles 22:10
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular construct42xDeuteronomy 17:18, 2 Samuel 3:10, 2 Samuel 7:13, 1 Kings 1:20
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular31xExodus 11:5, Exodus 12:29, 1 Kings 1:37, 1 Kings 1:47
Noun - masculine singular11x1 Kings 2:19, 1 Kings 10:18, 2 Chronicles 9:17, Job 26:9
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular10x1 Kings 1:13, 1 Kings 1:17, 1 Kings 1:24, 1 Kings 1:30
Article | Noun - masculine singular7xGenesis 41:40, Judges 3:20, 1 Samuel 1:9, 1 Samuel 4:13
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular7x2 Samuel 7:16, 1 Kings 5:5, Psalms 45:6, Psalms 89:4
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular5x2 Samuel 14:9, 1 Chronicles 17:14, Psalms 89:29, Psalms 89:36
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular5x1 Kings 10:19, 2 Chronicles 9:18, Job 36:7
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Build leadership structures with term clarity, financial controls, accessible complaints, independent review, anti-retaliation rules, and lawful reporting.
- Center worship on God, name leaders' limits publicly, and protect people who question decisions or report harm.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that H3678 grants divine-right authority or permanent office to a modern leader.
- Do not claim that accountability, succession, discipline, or removal denies God's sovereignty.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. A seat of authority and power, especially when royal; often symbolizes God's sovereignty and justice throughout Scripture.
Source Gloss
properly, covered , i.e. a throne (as canopied )
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
A seat of authority and power, especially when royal; often symbolizes God's sovereignty and justice throughout Scripture.
properly, covered, i.e. a throne (as canopied) BDB: seat Usage: seat, stool, throne.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
God's cosmic throne as seat of divine authority and heaven itself
Royal throne of Judean king, symbol of political power and kingship
The Lord's established throne governing over all creation and dominion
Ruler's throne as seat from which justice and authority are administered
Removal of wicked from king's throne to establish righteous rule
Showing 5 selected witnesses from 135 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
כִּסֵּא is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
H3678 gathers royal power under the rule of God. Psalm 103 does not merely picture height; it declares that the Lord's kingdom encompasses every other authority. Isaiah's temple vision places Judah's political loss beside the holiness of the living King, exposing the limits of every earthly reign. The promise to David matters for covenant history and messianic hope, but it never makes every descendant's conduct righteous.
Proverbs 29 gives a practical test: a throne is established through fairness toward the poor, not through image control or intimidation. This pattern gives churches a disciplined way to discuss leadership. Office carries real responsibility, yet no pastor, executive, donor, family patriarch, or civil ruler possesses God's unrestricted authority. Succession plans, financial controls, complaint channels, lawful reporting, and removal for misconduct do not deny divine sovereignty.
They recognize human limits. H3678 calls leaders to justice and communities to worship God alone, protecting vulnerable neighbors while refusing both cynical contempt for all authority and sacred immunity for those who hold it.
Anchor passage
Ps.103.19
Doctrinal connections
- God's heavenly throne declares sovereignty that no human ruler or institution can possess.
- The Davidic throne belongs to covenant promise and develops toward messianic hope.
- Isaiah's vision joins kingship with holiness, confession, cleansing, and commissioned service.
- Wisdom evaluates stable rule by impartial justice, especially toward the poor.
- Prophetic Scripture holds kings accountable for violence, idolatry, exploitation, and neglected covenant duty.
- Christian worship belongs to God and therefore resists the sacralizing of political or religious personalities.
H3678 is a Hebrew noun for a seat of honor or royal throne and can extend by metonymy to kingship, dynasty, or governing authority. The noun itself does not evaluate a ruler as righteous, permanent, legitimate, or divine.
From Old to New Testament
Old Testament throne language develops through God's kingship, Davidic covenant, prophetic judgment, royal justice, and messianic expectation. New Testament throne imagery centers final sovereignty, judgment, and worship in God and the Lamb while treating human authority as limited and accountable.
Canonical parallelPastoral application