1 Kings 11:1

1 Kings 11:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
• New International Version (NIV)King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women,
• New King James Version (NKJV)But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites—

Context of 1 Kings 11:1

King Solomon fell in love with many foreign women (besides Pharaoh’s daughter), including Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites. 2They came from nations about which the Lord had warned the Israelites, “You must not establish friendly relations with them! If you do, they will surely shift your allegiance to their gods.” But Solomon was irresistibly attracted to them. 3He had 700 royal wives and 300 concubines; his wives had a powerful influence over him.

1 Kings 11:1 word by word

וְהַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֗ה אָהַ֞ב נָשִׁ֧ים נָכְרִיּ֛וֹת רַבּ֖וֹת וְאֶת־בַּת־פַּרְעֹ֑ה מוֹאֲבִיּ֤וֹת עַמֳּנִיּוֹת֙ אֲדֹ֣מִיֹּ֔ת צֵדְנִיֹּ֖ת חִתִּיֹּֽת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• Solomonשְׁלֹמֹהshelômôh · SolomonH8010
• lovedאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
• manyרַבrab · manyH7227
• strangeנׇכְרִיnokrîy · foreignH5237
• womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• together with the daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
• of Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
• women of the Moabitesמוֹאָבִיmô'âbîy mô'âbîyâh mô'âbîyth · MoabiteH4125
• Ammonitesעַמּוֹנִי‛ammônîy · AmmonH5984
• Edomitesאֲדֹמִי'ĕdômîy · EdomiteH130
• Zidoniansצִידֹנִיtsîydônîy tsidônîy · SidonianH6722
• Hittitesחִתִּיchittîy · HittiteH2850

Cross-references for 1 Kings 11:1

• 1 Kings 11:8He built high places for all his foreign wives so they could burn incense and make sacrifices to their gods.
• Genesis 6:2the sons of God saw that the daughters of humankind were beautiful. Thus they took wives for themselves from any they chose.
• Deuteronomy 17:17Furthermore, he must not marry many wives lest his affections turn aside, and he must not accumulate much silver and gold.
• Nehemiah 13:23Also in those days I saw the men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
• Proverbs 2:16to deliver you from the adulteress, from the sexually loose woman who speaks flattering words;
• Proverbs 5:8Keep yourself far from her, and do not go near the door of her house,
• Proverbs 6:24by keeping you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the loose woman.
• Proverbs 7:5so that they may keep you from the adulterous woman, from the loose woman who flatters you with her words.
• Proverbs 22:14The mouth of an adulteress is like a deep pit; the one against whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
• Proverbs 23:33Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will speak perverse things.
• 1 Kings 3:1Solomon made an alliance by marriage with Pharaoh, king of Egypt; he married Pharaoh’s daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he could finish building his residence and the temple of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem.
• Leviticus 18:18You must not take a woman in marriage and then marry her sister as a rival wife while she is still alive, to have sexual intercourse with her.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 11:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Many strange women - That is, idolaters; together with the daughter of Pharaoh: she was also one of those strange women and an idolater. But many think she became a proselyte to the Jewish religion; of this there is no evidence.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1In noticing successively Solomon‘s excessive accumulation of silver and gold 1 Kings 10:14-25, his multiplication of horses 1 Kings 10:26-29, and his multiplication of wives, the writer has in mind the warning of Moses against these three forms of princely ostentation, all alike forbidden to an Israelite monarch (marginal reference). Zidonians - i. e., Phoenician women. A tradition states that Solomon married a daughter of Hiram, king of Tyre.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Solomon's wives and concubines, His idolatry. (1-8) God's anger. (9-13) Solomon's adversaries. (14-25) Jeroboam's promotion. (26-40) The death of Solomon. (41-43) Verses 1-8 There is not a more melancholy and astonishing instance of human depravity in the sacred Scriptures, than that here recorded. Solomon became a public worshipper of abominable idols! Probably he by degrees gave way to pride and luxury, and thus lost his relish for true wisdom. Nothing…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. 1-81Ki 11:1-8. Solomon's Wives and Concubines in His Old Age. 1-2. But King Solomon loved many strange women--Solomon's extraordinary gift of wisdom was not sufficient to preserve him from falling into grievous and fatal errors. A fairer promise of true greatness, a more beautiful picture of juvenile piety, never was seen than that which he exhibited at the commencement of his reign. No sadder, more humiliating, or awful spectacle can be imagined than the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 11:1

• Ammonites
• Fellowship
• Hittites
• Instability
• Lasciviousness
• Moabites
• Molech
• Polygamy
• Rulers
• Sidon
• Solomon
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Pharaoh
• Solomon
• Clad
• Harlot
• Notwithstanding
• Rend
• Zidon
• Agriculture
• Gods
• Hittites

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