1 Kings 11:32-42

32 (but ¹he shall have one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, ²the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel),

33 because they have^[a] forsaken me ³and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and they have not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my rules, as David his father did.

34 Nevertheless, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of David my servant whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes.

35 ⁴But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand and will give it to you, ten tribes.

36 Yet to his son ⁵I will give one tribe, that David my servant may always have ⁶a lamp before me in Jerusalem, ⁷the city where I have chosen to put my name.

37 And I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your soul desires, and you shall be king over Israel.

38 And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, ⁸I will be with you and ⁹will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.

39 And I will afflict the offspring of David because of this, but not forever. ’”

40 Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. But Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt, to ¹⁰Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

41 ¹¹Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon?

42 And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.

1 Kings 11:32-42 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. 11:32 ver. 13; ch. 12:21
• 2. 11:32 ch. 14:21; See Deut. 12:5
• 3. 11:33 ver. 5, 7
• 4. 11:35 ver. 12; ch. 12:16, 17
• 5. 11:36 [See ver. 32 above]
• 6. 11:36 ch. 15:4; 2 Sam. 21:17; 2 Kgs. 8:19; 2 Chr. 21:7
• 7. 11:36 [See ver. 32 above]
• 8. 11:38 Josh. 1:5
• 9. 11:38 1 Sam. 2:35; 2 Sam. 7:11, 27
• 10. 11:40 ch. 14:25; 2 Chr. 12:2, 5, 7, 9
• 11. 11:41 For ver. 41-43, see 2 Chr. 9:29-31

Footnotes

• [a] 11:33 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate 'he has'; twice in this verse