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 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. He had 700 royal wives and 300 concubines; his wives had a powerful influence over him. 4When Solomon became old, his wives shifted his allegiance to other gods; he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his father David had been. 5Solomon worshiped the Sidonian goddess Astarte and the detestable Ammonite god Milcom.

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 fathered seventy sons through his many wives.
• Judges 9:5He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and murdered his half-brothers, the seventy legitimate sons of Jerub-Baal, on one stone. Only Jotham, Jerub-Baal’s youngest son, escaped, because he hid.
• 2 Samuel 3:2Now sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, born to Ahinoam the Jezreelite.
• 2 Samuel 5:13David married more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he arrived from Hebron. Even more sons and daughters were born to David.
• 2 Chronicles 11:21Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than his other wives and concubines. He had eighteen wives and sixty concubines; he fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
• Ecclesiastes 7:28What I have continually sought, I have not found; I have found only one upright man among a thousand, but I have not found one upright woman among all of them.

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