“Melech” (king) appears frequently in the Torah, both as a noun and in the verb form “malach” (to reign), often referring to earthly kings. However, its association with G-d is surprisingly limited. In the Torah, G-d is called “king” only in poetic sections, such as the Song of the Sea, Bilaam’s prophecy, and Moshe’s blessing in V’Zot HaBeracha. This suggests that referring to G-d as melech in prose could be misleading, as the human understanding of kingship may not fully capture G-d’s role.
It’s also notable that while the Torah mentions many foreign kings, none of Israel’s leaders, including Moshe, are ever given the title melech. Even when the king’s role is described in Parashat Shoftim, it lacks many of the military, political, or economic powers typically associated with kingship. Instead, the Torah places restrictions on the king’s wealth and influence, with the only positive commandment being that he must carry a Torah scroll at all times. This highlights a key distinction: the king isn’t meant to wield absolute power but to remain guided by divine law.
These limitations reflect the Torah’s awareness of the potential dangers of earthly kingship (melech evyon). Human kings often exploit their power, whereas the Divine King (Melech Elyon) isn’t subject to such corruption. In Shmuel I 8:7, G-d tells the prophet that the people’s request for a human king represents a rejection of that divine kingship.
On Rosh Hashana, we pray for the day when G-d will be recognized as melech by all of humanity. For this to happen, we must first understand that G-d’s kingship is fundamentally different from the flawed leadership we have experienced throughout human history.
