Chronological timeline of texts tagged with King of Kings
About This Tag
The titles "King of Kings", "Lord of Lords", or "God of Gods", often used in some combination, emerged early in Ancient Near Eastern literature and was first attested in royal inscriptions from third-millennium Ebla and became common in Old Babylonian, Assyrian, and Persian traditions. This language later made its way into the Hebrew Bible and was then again later incorporated into Pseudepigraphic, Deuterocanonical, Christian and eventually Rabbinic tradition and literature.
Note: Dates shown in this timeline are approximate and based on scholarly estimates.
Back to Tag1800 - 1750 B.C.E.
Enuma Elish VI
Ancient Near East
The great gods assembled, They exalted the destiny of Marduk and did obeisance. They invoked a curse on themselves And took an oath with water and oil, and put their hands to their throats. They granted him authority as King of Kings, They confirmed him as lord of the gods of heaven and netherworld. Anšar gave him his exalted name, Asalluhi At the mention of his name, let us show submission! When he speaks, let the gods heed him, Let his command be superior in upper and lower regions. May the son, our avenger, be exalted, Let his lordship be superior and himself without rival.
1200 B.C.E.
KAI 26.iii
Ancient Near East
And may this city possess fullness and wine, and may this people who dwell in it become owners of oxen and owners of sheep and owners of fullness and wine. And may they bear children in abundance, and may they grow mighty in abundance, and may they serve Azatiwada in abundance and the house of Mopsos, by the grace of Baʿal and the gods. But if any king of kings, or prince of princes, or any man who is a man of renown, should erase the name of Azatiwada from this gate and put (his own) name (on it), or even should he covet this city and tear out this gate which Azatiwada made, and make for it a different gate and put his name upon it
6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition)
Deuteronomy 10:17
Hebrew Bible
15 However, only to your ancestors did he show his loving favor, and he chose you, their descendants, from all peoples—as is apparent today. 16 Therefore, circumcise your hearts and stop being so stubborn! 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God who is unbiased and takes no bribe, 18 who justly treats the orphan and widow, and who loves resident foreigners, giving them food and clothing. 19 So you must love the resident foreigner because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
6th Century B.C.E.
Ezekiel 26:7
Hebrew Bible
6 and her daughters who are in the field will be slaughtered by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord. 7 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take note that I am about to bring King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, king of kings, against Tyre from the north, with horses, chariots, and horsemen, an army and hordes of people. 8 He will kill your daughters in the field with the sword. He will build a siege wall against you, erect a siege ramp against you, and raise a great shield against you.
6th-3rd Centuries B.C.E.
Psalm 136:2
Hebrew Bible
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his loyal love endures. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his loyal love endures. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his loyal love endures. 4 To the one who performs magnificent, amazing deeds all by himself, for his loyal love endures.
4th Century B.C.E.
Ezra 7:12
Hebrew Bible
11 What follows is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priestly scribe. Ezra was a scribe in matters pertaining to the commandments of the Lord and his statutes over Israel: 12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven: 13 I have now issued a decree that anyone in my kingdom from the people of Israel—even the priests and Levites—who wishes to do so may go up with you to Jerusalem.
2nd Century B.C.E.
Daniel 2:37
Hebrew Bible
35 Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were broken in pieces without distinction and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors that the wind carries away. Not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a large mountain that filled the entire earth. 36 This was the dream. Now we will set forth before the king its interpretation. 37 “You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has granted you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. 38 Wherever human beings, wild animals, and birds of the sky live—he has given them into your power. He has given you authority over them all. You are the head of gold.
200-50 B.C.E.
1 Enoch 9:4
Pseudepigrapha
1 And then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much blood being shed on the earth, and all lawlessness being committed on the earth. 2 And they said to one another: 'The earth, left without inhabitants, cries out, and the voice of their crying reaches the gates of heaven.' 3 'And now to you, the holy ones of heaven, the souls of men plead, saying, "Present our case before the Most High."' 4 And they said to the Lord of the ages: 'Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings, and God of the ages, the throne of Your glory stands through all generations, and Your name is holy and glorious and blessed through all ages! 5 You have created all things, and over all things, You have power: all things are open and visible in Your sight, and You see all things, and nothing can hide from You. 6 You see what Azâzal has done, who has taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets that were kept in heaven, which men were eager to learn: 7 And Semjâzâ, to whom You gave authority to lead his companions. 8 And they have gone to the daughters of men on the earth, and have lain with the women, and have defiled themselves, and revealed to them all kinds of sins.
200-50 B.C.E.
1 Enoch 84:2
Pseudepigrapha
1 And I raised my hands in righteousness and blessed the Holy and Great One, and spoke with the breath of my mouth and with the tongue of flesh, which God has created for the children of men, that they should speak with it, and He gave them breath and a tongue and a mouth to speak with: 2 'Blessed are You, O Lord, King, Great and mighty in Your greatness, Lord of the entire creation of heaven, King of kings, and God of the entire world. And Your power and kingship and greatness endure forever and ever, And through all generations Your dominion; And all the heavens are Your throne forever, And the whole earth Your footstool forever and ever. 3 For You have created and You rule all things, And nothing is too difficult for You, Wisdom does not depart from the place of Your throne, Nor turns away from Your presence. And You know and see and hear everything, And there is nothing hidden from You, for You see everything.
100-50 B.C.E.
3 Maccabees 5:35
Pseudepigrapha
33 So Hermon suffered an unexpected and dangerous threat, and his eyes wavered and his face fell. 34 The king's Friends one by one sullenly slipped away and dismissed the assembled people to their own occupations. 35 Then the Jews, on hearing what the king had said, praised the manifest Lord God, King of kings, since this also was his aid that they had received. 36 The king, however, reconvened the party in the same manner and urged the guests to return to their celebrating.
30 BCE
6 In the same way he brought all the rest of Asia into subjection as well as most of the Cyclades islands. And after he had crossed into Europe and was on his way through the whole length of Thrace he nearly lost his army through lack of food and the difficult nature of the land. 7 Consequently he fixed the limits of his expedition in Thrace, and set up stelae in many parts of the regions which he had acquired; and these carried the following inscription in the Egyptian writing which is called "sacred": "This land the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Sesoösis, subdued with his own arms." 8 And he fashioned the stele with a representation, in case the enemy people were warlike, of the privy parts of a man, but in case they were abject and cowardly, of those of a woman, holding that the quality of the spirit of each people would be set forth most clearly to succeeding generations by the dominant member of the body.
65 C.E. (If authentic), 90-100 C.E. (If anonymous)
1 Timothy 6:15
New Testament
11 But you, as a person dedicated to God, keep away from all that. Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness. 12 Compete well for the faith and lay hold of that eternal life you were called for and made your good confession for in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you before God who gives life to all things and Christ Jesus who made his good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 to obey this command without fault or failure until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ 15 —whose appearing the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, will reveal at the right time. 16 He alone possesses immortality and lives in unapproachable light, whom no human has ever seen or is able to see. To him be honor and eternal power! Amen.
92-96 C.E.
Revelation 4:11
New Testament
8 Each one of the four living creatures had six wings and was full of eyes all around and inside. They never rest day or night, saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the All-Powerful, Who was, and who is, and who is still to come!” 9 And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders throw themselves to the ground before the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and they offer their crowns before his throne, saying: 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, since you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created!”
92-96 C.E.
Revelation 17:4
New Testament
12 The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive ruling authority as kings with the beast for one hour. 13 These kings have a single intent, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those accompanying the Lamb are the called, chosen, and faithful.” 15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw (where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.
92-96 C.E.
Revelation 17:14
New Testament
12 The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive ruling authority as kings with the beast for one hour. 13 These kings have a single intent, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those accompanying the Lamb are the called, chosen, and faithful.” 15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw (where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. 16 The ten horns that you saw, and the beast—these will hate the prostitute and make her desolate and naked. They will consume her flesh and burn her up with fire. 17 For God has put into their minds to carry out his purpose by making a decision to give their royal power to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 As for the woman you saw, she is the great city that has sovereignty over the kings of the earth.”
92-96 C.E.
Revelation 19:16
New Testament
11 Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! The one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and goes to war. 12 His eyes are like a fiery flame and there are many diadem crowns on his head. He has a name written that no one knows except himself. 13 He is dressed in clothing dipped in blood, and he is called the Word of God. 14 The armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth extends a sharp sword so that with it he can strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod, and he stomps the winepress of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful. 16 He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.” 17 Then I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the sky: “Come, gather around for the great banquet of God, 18 to eat your fill of the flesh of kings, the flesh of generals, the flesh of powerful people, the flesh of horses and those who ride them, and the flesh of all people, both free and slave, and small and great!”
190-230 C.E.
Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5
Rabbinic
And this was done due to the importance of maintaining peace among people, so that one person will not say to another: My father, i.e., progenitor, is greater than your father. And it was also so that the heretics who believe in multiple gods will not say: There are many authorities in Heaven, and each created a different person. And this serves to tell of the greatness of the Holy One, Blessed be He, as when a person stamps several coins with one seal, they are all similar to each other. But the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He, stamped all people with the seal of Adam the first man, as all of them are his offspring, and not one of them is similar to another. Therefore, since all humanity descends from one person, each and every person is obligated to say: The world was created for me, as one person can be the source of all humanity, and recognize the significance of his actions.