of the nations concerning which Yahweh said to the children of Israel, “You shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon joined to these in love. He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. His wives turned his heart away.
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Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites; of the nations concerning which Yahweh said to the children of Israel, “You shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon joined to these in love. He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. His wives turned his heart away. When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as the heart of David his father was. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. Solomon did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and didn’t go fully after Yahweh, as David his father did. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the mountain that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. So he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. Yahweh was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from Yahweh, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he didn’t keep that which Yahweh commanded. Therefore Yahweh said to Solomon, “Because this is done by you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. Nevertheless, I will not do it in your days, for David your father’s sake; but I will tear it out of your son’s hand. However I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.”
Parallel Translations
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of the nations concerning which Yahweh said to the children of Israel, “You shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon joined to these in love.
He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. His wives turned his heart away.
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Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
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of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel: 'Ye shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods'; Solomon did cleave unto these in love.
And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.
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Contradictions (1)
Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.
Cross-references (27)
- Exodus 34:16 (v2) and you take of their daughters to your sons, and their daughters play the prostitute after their gods, and make your sons play the…
- Deuteronomy 7:3-4 (v2) You shall not make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to his son, nor shall you take his daughter for your son. For that…
- Joshua 23:12-13 (v2) “But if you do at all go back, and hold fast to the remnant of these nations, even these who remain among you, and make marriages with…
- Exodus 23:32-33 (v2) You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me, for if you…
- Numbers 25:1-3 (v2) Israel stayed in Shittim; and the people began to play the prostitute with the daughters of Moab; for they called the people to the…
Show all 27 cross-references
- 1 Corinthians 15:33 (v2) Don’t be deceived! “Evil companionships corrupt good morals.”
- 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 (v2) Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship do righteousness and iniquity have? Or what fellowship does light have with…
- Romans 12:9 (v2) Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good.
- 2 Samuel 5:13-16 (v3) David took more concubines and wives for himself out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to…
- Ecclesiastes 7:28 (v3) which my soul still seeks, but I have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all those.
- Malachi 2:11 (v2) Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of Yahweh…
- Romans 1:32 (v2) who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those…
- Revelation 2:4 (v2) But I have this against you, that you left your first love.
- Genesis 2:24 (v2) Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh.
- Genesis 34:3 (v2) His soul joined to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young lady, and spoke kindly to the young lady.
- Judges 3:6-7 (v2) They took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods. The children of Israel did…
- Judges 8:30-31 (v3) Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body, for he had many wives. His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named…
- Judges 9:5 (v3) He went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone; but Jotham the…
- Judges 16:4-21 (v2) It came to pass afterward that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. The lords of the Philistines came up to her…
- 2 Samuel 3:2-5 (v3) Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of…
- 1 Kings 16:31-33 (v2) As if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal…
- 2 Chronicles 11:21 (v3) Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and…
- 2 Chronicles 19:2 (v2) Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked, and love those who hate…
- 2 Chronicles 21:6 (v2) He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did Ahab’s house; for he had Ahab’s daughter as his wife. He did that which was evil in…
- Ezra 9:12 (v2) Now therefore don’t give your daughters to their sons. Don’t take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity…
- Ezra 10:2-17 (v2) Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of…
- Psalms 139:21 (v2) Yahweh, don’t I hate those who hate you? Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you?
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (15 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v3 To whom appertained no dowry.
To whom appertained no dowry.
Or, Queens.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv2–3 1Ki 11:2 Of the nations [concerning] which the LORD…
1Ki 11:2 Of the nations [concerning] which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: [for] surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
Ver. 2. Solomon clave unto these in love,] i.e., In lust; which, when once set on fire, is as hard to be quenched as the fire of Etna. See Jdg 16:16. Libidinous persons will not spare to bury name, substance, soul, carcass, all in the bosom of a filthy harlot.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv2–3 Ye shall not go in to them, i.e. marry…
Ye shall not go in to them, i.e. marry them. See Poole "Gen 6:4".
They will turn away your heart after their gods: possibly Solomon might think himself too wise to be drawn to idolatry by his wives, and therefore to be unconcerned in the reason of the law; and consequently free in some measure from the obligation of the law; and so, like our first parents, trusting his own fancy more than God’s word, he fell dreadfully.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv2–3 Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto…
Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you,.... That is, they should not intermarry with one another; this is to be understood of the last mentioned, the Hittites, who were one of the seven nations this law respected, Deu 7:1.
for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods; which is the reason given for the making the above law, and was sadly verified in Solomon:
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Solomon clave unto these in love; he not only took them, but kept them, and expressed a strong affection for them.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On v3 Seven hundred wives, &c. - God had particularly forbidden…
Seven hundred wives, &c. - God had particularly forbidden the kings to multiply either horses or wives, Deut. xvii, 16, 17, we saw chap.
chap. x, 29, how he broke the former law, multiplying horses: and here we see, how he broke the latter, multiplying wives. David set the example. One ill act of a good man may do more mischief than twenty of a wicked man. Besides, they were strange women, of the nations which God had expressly forbidden them to marry with. And to compleat the mischief, he clave unto these in love; was extravagantly fond of them, Solomon had much knowledge. But to what purpose, when he knew not how to govern his appetites?
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On v3 Verse 3. He had seven hundred wives, princesses] How…
Verse 3. He 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, c., 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 three hundred concubines stood in the same relation to the Israelitish king as Hagar and Keturah did to the patriarch.
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Here then are one thousand wives to form this great bad man's harem! Was it possible that such a person could have any piety to God, who was absorbed by such a number of women? We scarcely allow a man to have the fear of God who has a second wife or mistress; in what state then must the man be who has one thousand of them? We may endeavour to excuse all this by saying, "It was a custom in the East to have a multitude of women, and that there were many of those whom Solomon probably never saw," c., c. But was there any of them whom he might not have seen? Was it for reasons of state, or merely court splendour, that he had so many? How then is it said that he loved many strange women? - that he clave to them in love? And did he not give them the utmost proofs of his attachment when he not only tolerated their iniquitous worship in the land, but built temples to their idols, and more, burnt incense to them himself? As we should not condemn what God justifies, so we should not justify what God condemns. He went after Ashtaroth, the impure Venus of the Sidonians after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites after Chemosh, the abomination of the Moabites; and after the murderous Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. He seems to have gone as far in iniquity as it was possible.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv2–3 1Ki 11:2. Concerning which the Lord said — Ye…
1Ki 11:2. Concerning which the Lord said — Ye shall not go in unto them — This relates especially to the Hittites and the Zidonians, and consequently the rest of the seven nations of Canaan, with whom they were forbidden to make any marriage, (Exo 34:16; Deu 7:3,) for the weighty reason here mentioned. For though they might marry women of other nations, if these women embraced the true religion, yet of the seven nations of Canaan they might not, although they were converted to their religion; lest the venom should lurk and lie hid, and at last break out and infect them. Great was the foresight wherewith God endowed Moses in giving this precept, as Grotius remarks; and the not observing it was of fatal consequence to the Israelites, and laid the foundation of their utter ruin. Solomon clave unto these in love — Was extravagantly fond of them. He had much knowledge; but to what purpose, when he knew not how to govern his appetites?
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv2–3 Ye shall not go in unto them ... -…
Ye shall not go in unto them ... - These words are not a quotation from the Pentateuch. They merely give the general meaning of the two passages prohibiting intermarriage with neighboring idolators (marginal references). Strictly speaking, the prohibition in the Law of intermarriage was confined to the Canaanite nations. But the principle of the prohibition applied equally to the Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites who all bordered on the holy land; and was so applied by Ezra Ezr 9:1 and Nehemiah Neh 13:23.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv2–3 Gods. See Exodus xxxiv. 16., and Deuteronomy vii. 4.…
Gods. See Exodus xxxiv. 16., and Deuteronomy vii. 4. The law only forbids expressly the marrying of the women of Chanaan. But is was easy to discern, that the spirit of the law equally prohibited connexions with others who were addicted to idol-worship. See 1 Esdras x. 3. Such alliances are always dangerous, and generally prove fatal; (Calmet) unless there be good reason to believe that the parties are sincerely converted: in which case the prohibition ceases. (Haydock) --- Love. Thus, nitimur in vetitum semper, cupimusque negata; and, stolen waters are sweeter, says impure love; but her guests are in the depths of hell, Proverbs ix. 17, 18.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v3 he had seven hundred wives, princesses--They were, probably, according…
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 an early period his taste for Oriental show seems to have led to the establishment of a considerable harem (Sol 6:8).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On v3 3. Seven hundred wives — Some have thought by…
3. Seven hundred wives — Some have thought by a supposed corruption in the text to reduce the seven hundred to seventy, and the three hundred concubines to eighty, and have referred to Son_6:8, as giving support to this conjecture. But all this proceeds from the false idea that an Oriental sovereign has intercourse with all his wives and concubines. The harem of an Eastern monarch is even at the present day looked upon as a sort of state necessity, and the king’s rank and greatness is estimated according to its extent. He multiplies his wives according to his wealth and power, though many of them he never sees at all. Darius Codomannus is said to have taken three hundred and sixty concubines in his camp when he marched against Alexander. So Solomon, wishing to surpass all other kings in the fame of greatness, filled his harem with a thousand women. Among these he had his favourites, who at length turned his heart from God; but the large majority of the thousand he probably never knew personally at all.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv2–3 2. of the nations concerning which the Lord said]…
2. of the nations concerning which the Lord said] The prohibition of intermarriage with the nations of Canaan is given in Exo_34:16; Deu_7:3-4. Like so much else in the Law, it was a great ideal toward which neither the people nor their rulers were earnest in advancing, when they once became settled in some portion of the land.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On v3 (3) Seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines.—The harem…
(3) Seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines.—The harem of an Eastern king is simply an adjunct of his magnificence, and the relation of the wives to him little more than nominal. (Comp. Est_2:14.) Nor does the statement here made necessarily imply that at any one time the whole number existed. Still, the numbers here given, though found also in the LXX. and in Josephus, are not only extraordinarily large, but excessive in comparison with the “three- score queens and fourscore concubines” of Son_6:8, and disproportionate in the relative number of the superior and inferior wives. It is possible that, in relation to the former, at any rate, the text may be corrupt, though the corruption must be of ancient date.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv2–3 Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto…
Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel Of the nations just enumerated, the law expressly forbade marriage with the Hittites alone (Exo_34:11-16; Deu_7:1-4) though the Zidonians are probably to be included, as being Canaanites. (Gen_10:15) But the principle which applied in the ease of the seven nations of Canaan applied equally to all other idolaters. "They will turn away thy son from following me," etc. (Deu_7:4) The spirit of the law, consequently, was as much violated by an Edomite or Ammonite as by a Hittite alliance, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you much the same expression, Jos_23:12. The historian does not cite any specialScripture, however, but gives the substance of several warnings for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods cf.: Exo_34:16 Solomon clave same word Gen_2:4 unto these emphatic in Heb. "even to these," instead of cleaving to God, (Deu_4:4 Deu_10:20 Deu_30:20) each of which has the same word as here and despite the prohibitions of the law, etc. in love.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v3 seven hundred royal wives and three hundred concubines
seven hundred royal wives and three hundred concubines
"700 royal wives and 300 concubines" (See: Numbers)
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turned his heart away
To "turn someone's heart" is to convince that person to change his affection. See how you translated a similar phrase in 1 Kings 11:01. AT: "turned his heart away from Yahweh" or "persuaded him to stop worshiping Yahweh" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information and Metonymy)
his heart was not fully surrendered ... as was the heart of David
To "surrender" your heart refers to giving total allegiance and affection. AT: "he was not fully devoted ... as was David" (See: Metonymy)
translationWords
royal
concubine
God
David
ancestor
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.