1 Kings 11

1 Now king Shlomo loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Par`oh, women of the Mo`avim, `Ammonim, Edom, Tzidonim, and Hitti;
2 of the nations concerning which the LORD said to the children of Yisra'el, You shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Shlomo joined to these in love.
3 He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.
4 For it happened, when Shlomo was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
5 For Shlomo went after `Ashoret the goddess of the Tzidonim, and after Milkom the abomination of the `Ammonim.
6 Shlomo did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and didn't go fully after the LORD, as did David his father.
7 Then did Shlomo build a high place for Kemosh the abomination of Mo'av, on the mountain that is before Yerushalayim, and for Molekh the abomination of the children of `Ammon.
8 So did he for all his foreign wives, who burnt incense and sacrificed to their gods.
9 The LORD was angry with Shlomo, because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, who had appeared to him twice,
10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he didn't keep that which the LORD commanded.
11 Therefore the LORD said to Shlomo, Because this is done of you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant.
12 Notwithstanding in your days I will not do it, for David your father's sake: but I will tear it out of the hand of your son.
13 However I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for David my servant's sake, and for Yerushalayim's sake which I have chosen.
14 The LORD raised up an adversary to Shlomo, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.
15 For it happened, when David was in Edom, and Yo'av the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, and had struck every male in Edom
16 (for Yo'av and all Yisra'el remained there six months, until he had cut off every male in Edom);
17 that Hadad fled, he and certain Edom of his father's servants with him, to go into Mitzrayim, Hadad being yet a little child.
18 They arose out of Midyan, and came to Paran; and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Mitzrayim, to Par`oh king of Mitzrayim, who gave him a house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land.
19 Hadad found great favor in the sight of Par`oh, so that he gave him as wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tachpenes the queen.
20 The sister of Tachpenes bore him Genuvat his son, whom Tachpenes weaned in Par`oh's house; and Genuvat was in Par`oh's house among the sons of Par`oh.
21 When Hadad heard in Mitzrayim that David slept with his fathers, and that Yo'av the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Par`oh, Let me depart, that I may go to my own country.
22 Then Par`oh said to him, But what have you lacked with me, that behold, you seek to go to your own country? He answered, Nothing: however only let me depart.
23 God raised up [another] adversary to him, Rezon the son of Elyada, who had fled from his lord Hadad`ezer king of Tzovah.
24 He gathered men to him, and became captain over a troop, when David killed them [of Tzovah]: and they went to Dammesek, and lived therein, and reigned in Dammesek.
25 He was an adversary to Yisra'el all the days of Shlomo, besides the mischief that Hadad [did]: and he abhorred Yisra'el, and reigned over Aram.
26 Yarov`am the son of Nevat, an Efratite of Tzeredata, a servant of Shlomo, whose mother's name was Tzeru`ah, a widow, he also lifted up his hand against the king.
27 This was the reason why he lifted up his hand against the king: Shlomo built Millo, and repaired the breach of the city of David his father.
28 The man Yarov`am was a mighty man of valor; and Shlomo saw the young man that he was industrious, and he gave him charge over all the labor of the house of Yosef.
29 It happened at that time, when Yarov`am went out of Yerushalayim, that the prophet Achiyah the Shiloni found him in the way; now [Achiyah] had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field.
30 Achiyah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it in twelve pieces.
31 He said to Yarov`am, Take ten pieces; for thus says the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Shlomo, and will give ten tribes to you
32 (but he shall have one tribe, for my servant David's sake and for Yerushalayim's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Yisra'el);
33 because that they have forsaken me, and have worshiped `Ashoret the goddess of the Tzidonim, Kemosh the god of Mo'av, and Milkom the god of the children of `Ammon; and they have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in my eyes, and [to keep] my statutes and my ordinances, as did David his father.
34 However I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand; but I will make him prince all the days of his life, for David my servant's sake whom I chose, who kept my mitzvot and my statutes;
35 but I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it to you, even ten tribes.
36 To his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a lamp always before me in Yerushalayim, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.
37 I will take you, and you shall reign according to all that your soul desires, and shall be king over Yisra'el.
38 It shall be, if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do that which is right in my eyes, to keep my statutes and my mitzvot, as David my servant did; that I will be with you, and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Yisra'el to you.
39 I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not forever.
40 Shlomo sought therefore to kill Yarov`am; but Yarov`am arose, and fled into Mitzrayim, to Shishak king of Mitzrayim, and was in Mitzrayim until the death of Shlomo.
41 Now the rest of the acts of Shlomo, and all that he did, and his wisdom, aren't they written in the book of the acts of Shlomo?
42 The time that Shlomo reigned in Yerushalayim over all Yisra'el was forty years.
43 Shlomo slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rechav`am his son reigned in his place.

1 Kings 11 Commentaries

The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.