1 Kings 11:3

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.

Context of 1 Kings 11:3

1King Solomon loved many foreign women in addition to Pharaoh’s daughter. He loved Hittite women and women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidon. 2They came from the nations about which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “Never intermarry with them. They will surely tempt you to follow their gods.” But Solomon was obsessed with their love. He had 700 wives who were princesses and 300 wives who were concubines. 4In his old age, his wives tempted him to follow other gods. He was no longer committed to the Lord his God as his father David had been. 5Solomon followed Astarte (the goddess of the Sidonians) and Milcom (the disgusting idol of the Ammonites).

1 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 8:30Gideon had 70 sons because he had many wives.
• Judges 9:5Then he went to his father’s home in Ophrah. There he executed his 70 brothers, Jerubbaal’s sons. But Jotham, Jerubbaal’s youngest son, survived because he hid.
• 2 Samuel 3:2Sons were born to David while he was in Hebron. His first son was Amnon, ⌞born⌟ to Ahinoam from Jezreel.
• 2 Samuel 5:13David married more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he had come there from Hebron, and he fathered more sons and daughters.
• 2 Chronicles 11:21Rehoboam loved Maacah, Absalom’s granddaughter, more than all his other wives and concubines. (He had 18 wives and 60 concubines. He fathered 28 sons and 60 daughters.)
• Ecclesiastes 7:28I am still seeking a reason for things, but have not found any. I found one man out of a thousand who had it, but out of all these I didn’t find one woman.

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

• Concubinage
• Fellowship
• Influence
• Instability
• Lasciviousness
• Molech
• Polygamy
• Rulers
• Solomon
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Clad
• Notwithstanding
• Rend
• Solomon
• Agriculture
• Deuteronomy
• Jeroboam
• Kings, Books of
• Princess
• Temple

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