1 Kings 11

Solomon’s Foreign Wives

1KingH4428 Solomon, howeverH8010, lovedH157 manyH7227 foreignH5237 womenH802 along with the daughterH1323 of PharaohH6547—women of MoabH4125, AmmonH5984, EdomH130, and SidonH6722, as well as Hittite womenH2850. 2These women were fromH4480 the nationsH1471 about whichH834 the LORDH3068 had toldH559H413 the IsraelitesH1121H3478, “You must notH3808 intermarryH935 with them, for surelyH403 they will turnH5186 your heartsH3824 afterH310 their godsH430.” Yet SolomonH8010 clungH1692 to these women in loveH160. 3He hadH1961 sevenH7651 hundredH3967 wivesH802 of royal birthH8282 and threeH7969 hundredH3967 concubinesH6370—and his wivesH802 turned his heartH3820 awayH5186.

4For whenH6256 SolomonH8010 grewH1961 oldH2209, his wivesH802 turnedH5186 his heartH3824 afterH310 otherH312 godsH430, and he wasH1961 notH3808 wholeheartedlyH3824 devotedH8003 toH5973 the LORDH3068 his GodH430H3824, as his fatherH1 David had beenH1732. 5SolomonH8010 followedH1980H310 AshtorethH6253 the goddessH430 of the SidoniansH6722H310 and MilcomH44451 the abominationH8251 of the AmmonitesH5984. 6So SolomonH8010 didH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068; unlike his fatherH1 DavidH1732, he did notH3808 followH310 the LORDH3068 completelyH4390.

7At that timeH227 on a hillH2022 eastH5921 ofH6440 JerusalemH3389, SolomonH8010 builtH1129 a high placeH1116 for ChemoshH3645 the abominationH8251 of MoabH4124 and for MolechH4432 the abominationH8251 of the AmmonitesH1121H5983. 8He didH6213 the sameH3651 for allH3605 his foreignH5237 wivesH802, who burned incenseH6999 and sacrificedH2076 to their godsH430.

God’s Anger against Solomon

9Now the LORDH3068 grew angryH599 with SolomonH8010, becauseH3588 his heartH3824 had turned awayH5186 fromH5973 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, who had appearedH7200 to himH413 twiceH6471. 10Although He had warnedH6680H413 Solomon explicitlyH5921H2088H1697 notH1115 to followH1980H310 otherH312 godsH430, Solomon did notH3808 keepH8104 the LORD’sH3068 commandH6680.

11Then the LORDH3068 saidH559 to SolomonH8010, “BecauseH3282 you have doneH1961H5973 thisH2063 and have notH3808 keptH8104 My covenantH1285 and My statutesH2708, whichH834 I have commandedH6680 youH5921, I will tearH7167 the kingdomH4467 awayH7167 from youH5921 and give itH5414 to your servantH5650. 12NeverthelessH389, for the sakeH4616 of your fatherH1 DavidH1732, I will notH3808 doH6213 it during your lifetimeH3117; I will tear itH7167 out of the handH3027 of your sonH1121. 13YetH7535 I will notH3808 tear the wholeH3605 kingdomH4467 away from himH7167. I will giveH5414 oneH259 tribeH7626 to your sonH1121 for the sakeH4616 of My servantH5650 DavidH1732 and for the sakeH4616 of JerusalemH3389, whichH834 I have chosenH977.”

Hadad’s Return

14Then the LORDH3068 raised upH6965 against SolomonH8010 an adversaryH7854, HadadH1908 the EdomiteH130, from the royalH4428 lineH2233 of EdomH123.

15EarlierH1961, when DavidH1732 wasH1961 in EdomH123, JoabH3097 the commanderH8269 of the armyH6635 had goneH5927 to buryH6912 the deadH2491 and had struck downH5221 everyH3605 maleH2145 in EdomH123. 16JoabH3097 and allH3605 IsraelH3478 had stayedH3427 thereH8033 sixH8337 monthsH2320, untilH5704 he had killedH3772 everyH3605 maleH2145 in EdomH123. 17But HadadH111H1931, still justH582 a youngH6996 boyH5288, had fledH1272 to EgyptH4714H1908, along withH854H935 some EdomitesH130 who were servantsH5650 of his fatherH1.

18Hadad and his men set outH6965 from MidianH4080 and wentH935 to ParanH6290. They tookH3947 menH582 from ParanH6290 with themH5973 and wentH935 to EgyptH4714, toH413 PharaohH6547 kingH4428 of EgyptH4714, who gaveH5414 Hadad a houseH1004 and landH776 and providedH559 him with foodH3899.

19There HadadH1908 foundH4672 such greatH3966 favorH2580 in the sightH5869 of PharaohH6547 that he gaveH5414 to him in marriageH802 the sisterH269 of QueenH1377 TahpenesH8472, his own wifeH802. 20And the sisterH269 of TahpenesH8472 boreH3205 Hadad a sonH1121 named GenubathH1592. Tahpenes herselfH8472 weaned himH1580 inH8432 Pharaoh’sH6547 palaceH1004, and GenubathH1592 livedH1961 thereH1004H6547 amongH8432 the sonsH1121 of PharaohH6547.

21When HadadH1908 heardH8085 in EgyptH4714 thatH3588 DavidH1732 had restedH7901 withH5973 his fathersH1 and thatH3588 JoabH3097, the commanderH8269 of the armyH6635, was deadH4191, heH1908 saidH559 toH413 PharaohH6547, “Let me goH7971, that I may returnH1980 toH413 my own countryH776.”

22But PharaohH6547 askedH559 him, “WhatH4100 have youH859 lackedH2638 here with meH5973 that you suddenlyH2005 wantH1245 to go backH1980 toH413 your own countryH776?”

“NothingH3808,” Hadad repliedH559, “butH3588 please let me goH7971.”

Rezon’s Hostility

23And GodH430 raised upH6965 against Solomon another adversaryH7854, RezonH7331 the sonH1121 of EliadaH450, whoH834 had fledH1272 fromH854 his masterH113, HadadezerH1909 kingH4428 of ZobahH6678, 24and had gatheredH6908 menH582 to himselfH5921. When DavidH1732 killedH2026 the ZobaitesH853, Rezon captainedH1961H8269 a bandH1416 of raiders and wentH1980 to DamascusH1834, where they settledH3427 and gained controlH4427.

25Rezon wasH1961 Israel’sH3478 enemyH7854 throughoutH3605 the daysH3117 of SolomonH8010, adding toH854 the troubleH7451 caused by HadadH1908. So Rezon ruledH4427 overH5921 AramH758 with hostilityH6973 toward IsraelH3478.

Jeroboam’s Rebellion

26Now JeroboamH3379 sonH1121 of NebatH5028 was an EphraimiteH673 fromH4480 ZeredahH6868 whose motherH517H802 was a widowH490 namedH8034 ZeruahH6871. Jeroboam was a servantH5650 of SolomonH8010, but he rebelledH7311H3027 against the kingH4428, 27and thisH2088 is the accountH1697 of his rebellionH7311H3027 against the kingH4428.

SolomonH8010 had builtH1129 the supporting terracesH44072 and repairedH5462 the gap in the wallH6556 of the cityH5892 of his fatherH1 DavidH1732. 28Now JeroboamH3379 was a mightyH1368 manH376 of valorH2428. So when SolomonH8010 noticedH7200 thatH3588 the young manH5288 wasH1931 industriousH4399H6213, he put him in chargeH6485 of the wholeH3605 labor forceH5447 of the houseH1004 of JosephH3130.

29DuringH1961 thatH1931 timeH6256, the prophetH5030 AhijahH281 the ShiloniteH7888 metH4672 Jeroboam on the roadH1870 asH3379 he was going outH3318 of JerusalemH3389. Now AhijahH1931 had wrapped himselfH3680 in a newH2319 cloakH8008, and the twoH8147 of them were aloneH905 in the open fieldH7704.

30And AhijahH281 took holdH8610 of the newH2319 cloakH8008 he was wearingH5921, tore itH7167 into twelveH8147H6240 piecesH7168, 31and saidH559 to JeroboamH3379, “TakeH3947 tenH6235 piecesH7168 for yourself, forH3588 this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, saysH559: ‘BeholdH2005, I will tearH7167 the kingdomH4467 out of the handH3027 of SolomonH8010, and I will giveH5414 you tenH6235 tribesH7626. 32But oneH259 tribeH7626 will remainH1961 for the sakeH4616 of My servantH5650 DavidH1732 and for the sakeH4616 of JerusalemH3389, the cityH5892 I have chosenH977 out of allH3605 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478.

33ForH3282 they haveH8343 forsaken MeH5800 to worshipH7812 AshtorethH6253 the goddessH430 of the SidoniansH6722, ChemoshH3645 the godH430 of the MoabitesH4124, and MilcomH4445 the godH430 of the AmmonitesH1121H5983. They have notH3808 walkedH1980 in My waysH1870, nor doneH6213 what is rightH3477 in My eyesH5869, nor kept My statutesH2708 and judgmentsH4941, as Solomon’s fatherH1 David didH1732.

34Nevertheless, I will notH3808 takeH3947 the wholeH3605 kingdomH4467 out of Solomon’s handH3027, becauseH3588 I have made himH7896 rulerH5387 allH3605 the daysH3117 of his lifeH2416 for the sakeH4616 of DavidH1732 My servantH5650, whomH834 I choseH977 becauseH834 he keptH8104 My commandmentsH4687 and statutesH2708. 35But I will takeH3947 tenH6235 tribesH7626 of the kingdomH4410 from the handH3027 of his sonH1121 and give themH5414 to you. 36I will giveH5414 oneH259 tribeH7626 to his sonH1121, so thatH4616 My servantH5650 DavidH1732 will alwaysH3605H3117 haveH1961 a lampH5216 before MeH6440 in JerusalemH3389, the cityH5892 whereH834 I choseH977 to putH7760 My NameH8034. 37But as for youH853, I will take youH3947, and you shall reignH4427 over allH3605 thatH834 your heartH5315 desiresH183, and you will beH1961 kingH4428 overH5921 IsraelH3478.

38

IfH518 you listen toH8085 allH3605 thatH834 I command youH6680, walkH1980 in My waysH1870, and doH6213 what is rightH3477 in My sightH5869 in order to keepH8104 My statutesH2708 and commandmentsH4687 asH834 My servantH5650 DavidH1732 didH6213, then I will beH1961 with youH5973. I will buildH1129 you a lastingH539 dynastyH1004 just asH834 I builtH1129 for DavidH1732, and I will giveH5414 IsraelH3478 to you. 39BecauseH4616 of thisH2063, I will humbleH6031 David’sH1732 descendantsH2233—butH389 notH3808 foreverH3605H3117.’”

40SolomonH8010 therefore soughtH1245 to killH4191 JeroboamH3379. But JeroboamH3379 aroseH6965 and fledH1272 to EgyptH4714, toH413 ShishakH7895 kingH4428 of EgyptH4714, whereH4714 he remainedH1961 untilH5704 the deathH4194 of SolomonH8010.

The Death of Solomon

(2 Chronicles 9:29–31)

41As for the restH3499 of the actsH1697 of SolomonH8010—allH3605 thatH834 he didH6213, as well as his wisdomH2451—are theyH1992 notH3808 writtenH3789 inH5921 the BookH5612 of the ActsH1697 of SolomonH8010? 42Thus the timeH3117 thatH834 SolomonH8010 reignedH4427 in JerusalemH3389 overH5921 allH3605 IsraelH3478 was fortyH705 yearsH8141.

43And SolomonH8010 restedH7901 withH5973 his fathersH1 and was buriedH6912 in the cityH5892 of his fatherH1 DavidH1732. And his sonH1121 RehoboamH7346 reignedH4427 in his placeH8478.