1 Kings 11:1-13

Solomon Turns from God

1 Now ¹King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women,

2 from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the sons of Israel, "²You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods." Solomon held fast to these in love.

3 ³He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away.

4 For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and ⁴his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.

5 For Solomon went after ⁵Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after ⁶Milcom the detestable idol of the Ammonites.

6 Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not follow the LORD fully, as David his father had done.

7 Then Solomon built a high place for ⁷Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab, on the mountain which is east * of Jerusalem, and for ⁸Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon.

8 Thus also he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

9 Now ⁹the LORD was angry with Solomon ¹⁰because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, ¹¹who had appeared to him twice,

10 and ¹²had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not observe what the LORD had commanded.

11 So the LORD said to Solomon, "Because * you have done * this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, ¹³I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant.

12 "Nevertheless I will not do it in your days for the sake of your father David, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son.

13 "However, ¹⁴I will not tear away all the kingdom, but ¹⁵I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David and ¹⁶for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen."

1 Kings 11:1-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 11

This chapter relates the false steps Solomon took, notwithstanding all his wisdom, in marrying strange wives, and worshipping other gods, 1Ki 11:1-8 upon which the Lord threatens him to rend the kingdom in his son's time, 1Ki 11:9-13 and he raised up adversaries against him, Hadad, Rezon, and Jeroboam, 1Ki 11:14-26 of which last an account is given, and of his being assured by Ahijah the prophet of his having ten of the tribes of Israel given to him; which Solomon having notice of sought to slay him, 1Ki 11:27-40 and the chapter is concluded with an account of Solomon's death and burial, 1Ki 11:41-43.

Cross References

• 1. Deuteronomy 17:17; Nehemiah 13:23-27
• 2. Exodus 23:31-33; Exodus 34:12-16; Deuteronomy 7:3
• 3. 2 Samuel 5:13-16
• 4. 1 Kings 9:4
• 5. Judges 2:13; Judges 10:6; 1 Samuel 7:3, 4
• 6. 1 Kings 11:7
• 7. Numbers 21:29; Judges 11:24; 2 Kings 23:13
• 8. Leviticus 20:2-5; 2 Kings 23:10; Acts 7:43
• 9. Psalms 90:7
• 10. 1 Kings 11:2, 4
• 11. 1 Kings 3:5; 1 Kings 9:2
• 12. 1 Kings 6:12; 1 Kings 9:6, 7
• 13. 1 Samuel 2:30; 1 Kings 11:29-31; 1 Kings 12:15, 16, 20; 2 Kings 17:15, 21
• 14. 2 Samuel 7:15; 1 Chronicles 17:13; Psalms 89:33
• 15. 1 Kings 11:32, 36; 1 Kings 12:20
• 16. 1 Kings 8:29

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "go among"
• [b]. Lit "go among"
• [c]. Lit "complete with"
• [d]. In Jer 49:1, 3, "Malcam"
• [e]. Lit "before"
• [f]. Lit "this is with you"