English Standard Version
1 Kings 11:3
3He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart.
1 Kings 11:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
- New International Version (NIV)He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.
- New Living Translation (NLT)He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord.
Context of 1 Kings 11:3
1Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 2from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, "You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods." Solomon clung to these in love. He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. 4For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
Read all of 1 Kings 111 Kings 11:3 word by word
וַיְהִי־ל֣וֹ נָשִׁ֗ים שָׂרוֹת֙ שְׁבַ֣ע מֵא֔וֹת וּפִֽלַגְשִׁ֖ים שְׁלֹ֣שׁ מֵא֑וֹת וַיַּטּ֥וּ נָשָׁ֖יו אֶת־לִבּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he had sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
- hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
- wivesאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- princessesשָׂרָהώârâh · princessH8282
- and threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- concubinesפִּלֶ֫גֶשׁpîylegesh pilegesh · concubineH6370
- turned awayנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
- his heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
Cross-references for 1 Kings 11:3
- Judges 8:30Now Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, for he had many wives.
- Judges 9:5And he went to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself.
- 2 Samuel 3:2And sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel;
- 2 Samuel 5:13And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David.
- 2 Chronicles 11:21Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters).
- Ecclesiastes 7:28which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 11:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3He had seven hundred wives, princesses - How he could get so many of the blood royal from the different surrounding nations, is astonishing; but probably the daughters of noblemen, generals, etc., may be included. And three hundred concubines - These were wives of the second rank, who were taken according to the usages of those times; but their offspring could not inherit. Sarah was to Abraham what these seven hundred princesses were to Solomon; and the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3These numbers seem excessive to many critics, and it must be admitted that history furnishes no parallel to them. In Song of Song of Solomon 6:8 the number of Solomon‘s legitimate wives is said to be sixty, and that of his concubines eighty. It is, perhaps probable, that the text has in this place suffered corruption. For “700” we should perhaps read “70.”Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3Despite his wisdom from God, Solomon disobeyed the law of Moses by amassing wealth and marrying many wives (see Exodus 34:12–17; Deuteronomy 7:3–4; 17:17). He married to form alliances with other nations, which weakened his spiritual dedication and led him away from God. This had severe spiritual and political effects on his people (see 1 Kings 11:4–13; 12:4, 16; 2 Kings 17:5–23; 25:1–23).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. he had seven hundred wives, princesses--They were, probably, according to an existing custom, the daughters of tributary chiefs, given as hostages for good conduct of their fathers. concubines--were legitimate, but lower or secondary wives. These the chief or first wife regards without the smallest jealousy or regret, as they look up to her with feelings of respectful submission. Solomon's wives became numerous, not all at once, but gradually. Even at…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 11:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Kings 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries