Keter malkut

work by Ibn Gabirol

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

The "Keter Malkhut" (Crown of the Kingdom) is a renowned rhymed prose poem by the 11th-century Spanish Jewish poet and philosopher Solomon ibn Gabirol. This work is a profound meditation on the vastness of the universe and humanity's place within it. It begins by emphasizing the reader's smallness in the face of cosmic immensity but then builds towards a proclamation of divine grace.1

The poem is a significant example of religious poetry from the Jewish Golden Age in Moorish Spain and reflects Neoplatonic philosophical influences. It is structured as a morning meditation, exploring themes of creation, divine attributes, and the relationship between the human and the divine. The "Keter Malkhut" is considered a masterpiece of Hebrew literature and is included in many Jewish prayer books worldwide.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Ibn Gabirol
Poetry
…famed rhymed prose poem “Keter malkhut” (“The Crown of the Kingdom”), a meditation stating the measurements of the spheres of the universe, jolts the reader into the abject feeling of his smallness but, subsequently, builds him up by a proclamation of the divine grace.
Read More
…famed rhymed prose poem “Keter malkhut” (“The Crown of the Kingdom”), a meditation stating the measurements of the spheres of the universe, jolts the reader into the abject feeling of his smallness but, subsequently, builds him up by a proclamation of the divine grace.
Read More