CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
1 Kings 11
Chapter 11 of 22
Chapter Overview
What happens in 1 Kings 11
This tragic chapter marks the turning point of the book. Solomon's many foreign wives lead him into idol worship, and God tells him the kingdom will be torn away from his son. Enemies begin to rise against Solomon.
Scripture
1 Kings 11
Solomon's Foreign Wives Turn His Heart
Study note
Despite all his wisdom, Solomon loved many foreign women from nations God had forbidden. He had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. As he grew old, his wives turned his heart to their gods. He worshipped Ashtoreth, the goddess of Sidon, Milcom of the Ammonites, and Chemosh of Moab. He even built hilltop shrines for these false gods near Jerusalem.
1 King Solomon loved many foreign women. He loved them besides Pharaoh's daughter. They came from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and the Hittite nation. But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
2 These came from the very nations the Lord had warned Israel about: "Do not intermarry with them. They will pull your heart toward their gods." Yet Solomon clung to them in love. Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
3 He had 700 wives from royal families and 300 concubines. His wives gradually drew his heart away from God. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart to chase after foreign gods. He was no longer wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God the way his father David had been. For it came to pass, when Solomon 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 Solomon began to worship Ashtoreth, the goddess of Sidon. He also worshiped Milcom, the vile god of Ammon. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
6 Solomon did what was wrong in the Lord's sight. He did not follow the Lord fully as his father David had. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.
7 Solomon even built a shrine east of Jerusalem. He built one for Chemosh, the vile god of Moab. He built one for Molech, the vile god of Ammon. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.
8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, letting them burn incense and offer sacrifices to their own gods. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
God's Judgment on Solomon
Study note
God was angry because Solomon had turned away from the Lord who had appeared to him twice and specifically warned him not to follow other gods. God told Solomon that the kingdom would be torn from his family. However, for David's sake, God would not do it during Solomon's lifetime, and he would leave one tribe for Solomon's descendants.
9 The Lord was very angry with Solomon. His heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel — the very God who had appeared to him twice. And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
10 God had clearly warned him not to follow other gods. Yet Solomon refused to obey. And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
11 The Lord told Solomon, "You have done this. You have broken my covenant and my laws that I gave you. So I will definitely rip the kingdom away from you. I will hand it to one of your servants." Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
12 "However, out of respect for your father David, I will not do it while you are alive. I will tear it from your son's hands instead." Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
13 "Even then, I will not strip away the entire kingdom. I will leave your son one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for Jerusalem, the city I chose." Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.
God Raises Up Enemies
Study note
God stirred up adversaries against Solomon. Hadad was an Edomite prince who had escaped to Egypt as a child when David's army conquered Edom. Rezon gathered a band of rebels and seized control of Damascus, becoming an enemy of Israel throughout Solomon's reign.
14 The Lord then raised up a foe against Solomon. He was Hadad the Edomite, from Edom's royal family. And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.
15 Years before, David had fought in Edom. Joab the army chief went there to bury the dead. He killing every male in the country. For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom;
16 Joab and the entire Israelite army stayed in Edom for six months, until they had wiped out every male. (For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom:)
17 Hadad, just a young boy at the time, escaped to Egypt with some of his father's Edomite servants. That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad being yet a little child.
18 They left Midian, passed through Paran, picked up some men along the way, and arrived in Egypt. Pharaoh gave Hadad a house, food allowance, and land. And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran: and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land.
19 Pharaoh took such a liking to Hadad that he gave him a wife -- the sister of his own queen, Tahpenes. And Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.
20 Tahpenes's sister had a son named Genubath. Tahpenes raised him right in the palace along with Pharaoh's own children. And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house: and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh.
21 While still in Egypt, Hadad heard that David and Joab had both died. He asked Pharaoh, "Please let me go home to my own country." And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country.
22 Pharaoh asked, "What are you missing here that makes you want to leave?" Hadad replied, "Nothing, truly -- but please let me go." Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country? And he answered, Nothing: howbeit let me go in any wise.
23 God also raised up Rezon against Solomon. He was the son of Eliada. He had run away from King Hadadezer of Zobah. And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:
24 After David destroyed Zobah's army, Rezon assembled a gang of outlaws and became their leader. They moved to Damascus, settled there, and Rezon became its ruler. And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus.
25 Rezon was a constant thorn in Israel's side throughout Solomon's reign. He added to the trouble Hadad was causing. Rezon governed Aram and deeply hated Israel. And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.
The Prophet Ahijah and Jeroboam
Study note
Jeroboam was a capable official whom Solomon had placed in charge of labor. The prophet Ahijah met Jeroboam on the road, tore his new garment into twelve pieces, and told Jeroboam to take ten, symbolizing the ten tribes God would give him. God promised Jeroboam a lasting dynasty if he would obey God's commands. When Solomon learned of this, he tried to kill Jeroboam, who fled to Egypt.
26 Another person who rebelled was Jeroboam son of Nebat, one of Solomon's own officials. He came from the town of Zereda in Ephraim, and his mother Zeruah was a widow. And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.
27 Here is the background of his rebellion. Solomon was building the Millo terrace and repairing weak spots in the wall around the City of David. And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father.
28 Jeroboam was a talented and hardworking man. When Solomon noticed how capable the young man was, he put him in charge of all the labor crews from the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.
29 One day, as Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh met him on the road. Ahijah was wearing a new cloak, and the two men were alone in the open countryside. And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
30 Ahijah grabbed his new cloak and ripped it into twelve pieces. And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
31 He told Jeroboam, "Take ten of these pieces. Here is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'I am about to tear the kingdom out of Solomon's grip and give you ten tribes.'" And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
32 "Solomon will keep one tribe. This is for the sake of my servant David and for Jerusalem, the city I chose from all the tribes of Israel." (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)
33 "I am doing this because they have abandoned me. They have worshiped Ashtoreth of Sidon, Chemosh of Moab, and Milcom of Ammon. They have not walked in my ways, done what I consider right, or kept my laws and regulations the way David did." Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.
34 "I will not take the whole kingdom from Solomon. I will let him stay as ruler for the rest of his life, because of my servant David, whom I chose and who obeyed my commands and laws." Howbeit 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, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:
35 "But I will take the kingdom from his son and give you the ten tribes." But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.
36 "I will leave his son one tribe. This way David, my servant, will always have a light burning before me in Jerusalem, the city I chose for my name." And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.
37 "As for you, I will make you king over Israel, and you will rule everything your heart desires." And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.
38 "If you do everything I tell you, walk in my ways, and do what I think is right by keeping my laws and commands like my servant David did, then I will stand with you. I will build you a lasting family line, just as I did for David. I will give Israel to you." And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.
39 "I will humble David's descendants because of all this, but not permanently." And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.
40 Solomon tried to have Jeroboam killed, but Jeroboam escaped to Egypt and found refuge with King Shishak. He stayed there until Solomon died. Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.
Solomon's Death
Study note
Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. After he died, he was buried in the City of David. His son Rehoboam became king in his place.
41 All else Solomon did is in the book of his history. His feats and wisdom are there too. And 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 Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.
43 Solomon died and was buried in the City of David. His son Rehoboam became the next king. And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
Key Themes
Themes in 1 Kings 11
The tragic fall of the wise through compromised relationshipsNo amount of wisdom protects against a divided heartGod's discipline is proportional and justThe seeds of national division sown by personal sin
Apply This Today
Living 1 Kings 11
Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, was brought down by divided loyalties. This is a sobering warning that intellectual knowledge of God is not the same as wholehearted devotion. Our closest relationships powerfully shape our spiritual direction, for better or worse.
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