Nechemyah 13:26

26 Did not Sh’lomo Melech Yisroel sin by these things? Yet among many Goyim was there no melech like him, who was beloved of Elohav, and Elohim made him melech over kol Yisroel. Nevertheless even him did foreign women cause to sin.

Nechemyah 13:26 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 13:26

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things?
&c.] By marrying strange wives, by whom he was drawn into idolatry, ( 1 Kings 11:3 1 Kings 11:4 ) ,

yet among many nations was there no king like him;
as not for grandeur and riches, so not for wisdom, and yet was ensnared by his idolatrous wives:

who was beloved of God;
alluding to his name Jedidiah, which signifies beloved of the Lord, ( 2 Samuel 12:24 2 Samuel 12:25 )

and God made him king over all Israel;
which was a proof of his love to him, and so he was under the greater obligation to serve him, and him only, and yet his heart, through his wives, was turned after other gods:

even him did outlandish women cause to sin;
and if so great and wise a man was enticed by them to idolatry, much more may you, and therefore it was very dangerous to marry with them.

Nechemyah 13:26 In-Context

24 And their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the language of the Yehudim, but according to the language of each people.

25 And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by Elohim, saying, Ye shall not give your banot unto their banim, nor take their banot unto your banim, or for yourselves.

26 Did not Sh’lomo Melech Yisroel sin by these things? Yet among many Goyim was there no melech like him, who was beloved of Elohav, and Elohim made him melech over kol Yisroel. Nevertheless even him did foreign women cause to sin.

27 Shall we then pay heed unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against Eloheinu in marrying strange wives?

28 And one of the Bnei Yoyada ben Elyashiv, the Kohen HaGadol, was son-inlaw to Sanvalat the Choroni; therefore I drove him away from me.