1 Kings 11

Solomon’s Foreign Wives

1King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh—women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidon, as well as Hittite women.

1And King Solomon loved many foreign women as well as the daughter of Pharaoh—Moabitesses, Ammonitesses, Edomitesses, Sidonianesses, and Hittitesses—

2These women were from the nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, for surely they will turn your hearts after their gods.” Yet Solomon clung to these women in love.

2from the nations of whom YHWH had said to the sons of Israel, “You must not enter into them and they must not enter into you; surely they will stretch away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love.

3He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines—and his wives turned his heart away.

3And there were unto him seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. And his wives stretched away his heart.

4For when Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD his God, as his father David had been.

4And it was, at the time of the old age of Solomon, that his wives stretched his heart after other gods, and his heart was not loyal to YHWH his God like the heart of David his father.

5Solomon followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

5And Solomon walked after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

6So Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD; unlike his father David, he did not follow the LORD completely.

6And Solomon did evil in the eyes of YHWH, and he was not fully after YHWH like David his father.

7At that time on a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites.

7Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is on the front of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the sons of Ammon.

8He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

8And likewise he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

God’s Anger against Solomon

9Now the LORD grew angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.

9And YHWH became angry with Solomon, because his heart had stretched from YHWH, God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.

10Although He had warned Solomon explicitly not to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD’s command.

10And He had commanded to him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. And he did not keep what YHWH had commanded.

11Then the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.

11And YHWH said to Solomon, “Because that you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant.

12Nevertheless, for the sake of your father David, I will not do it during your lifetime; I will tear it out of the hand of your son.

12Nevertheless in your days I will not do it, for the sake of David your father. From the hand of your son I will tear it.

13Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom away from him. I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

13However all the kingdom I will not tear away. One tribe I will give to your son for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

Hadad’s Return

14Then the LORD raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom.

14And YHWH raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was from the seed of the king in Edom.

15Earlier, when David was in Edom, Joab the commander of the army had gone to bury the dead and had struck down every male in Edom.

15And it came to pass in David being in Edom, in the going up of Joab the commander of the army to bury the slain, that he had struck down every male in Edom—

16Joab and all Israel had stayed there six months, until he had killed every male in Edom.

16for six months Joab had remained there, and all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom—

17But Hadad, still just a young boy, had fled to Egypt, along with some Edomites who were servants of his father.

17and Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of the servants of his father with him, to go to Egypt. And Hadad was a young boy.

18Hadad and his men set out from Midian and went to Paran. They took men from Paran with them and went to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house and land and provided him with food.

18And they arose from Midian and came to Paran. And they took men with them from Paran and came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt. And he gave to him a house, and he ordered food for him, and gave land to him.

19There Hadad found such great favor in the sight of Pharaoh that he gave to him in marriage the sister of Queen Tahpenes, his own wife.

19And Hadad found great favor in the eyes of Pharaoh, so that he gave to him as wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Queen Tahpenes.

20And the sister of Tahpenes bore Hadad a son named Genubath. Tahpenes herself weaned him in Pharaoh’s palace, and Genubath lived there among the sons of Pharaoh.

20And the sister of Tahpenes bore to him Genubath his son, and Tahpenes weaned him in the midst of the house of Pharaoh; and Genubath was in the house of Pharaoh in the midst of the sons of Pharaoh.

21When Hadad heard in Egypt that David had rested with his fathers and that Joab, the commander of the army, was dead, he said to Pharaoh, “Let me go, that I may return to my own country.”

21And Hadad heard in Egypt that David had rested with his fathers, and that Joab the commander of the army was dead. And Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me depart, that I may go to my own land.”

22But Pharaoh asked him, “What have you lacked here with me that you suddenly want to go back to your own country?”

“Nothing,” Hadad replied, “but please let me go.”

22And Pharaoh said to him, “But what are you lacking with me, that suddenly you seek to go to your own land?” And he answered, “Nothing, but you must surely send me away.”

Rezon’s Hostility

23And God raised up against Solomon another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah,

23And God raised up against him an adversary, Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from Hadadezer king of Zobah his lord.

24and had gathered men to himself. When David killed the Zobaites, Rezon captained a band of raiders and went to Damascus, where they settled and gained control.

24And he gathered to him men and became captain of a troop, when David killed them; and they went to Damascus and dwelt in it, and they made him king in Damascus.

25Rezon was Israel’s enemy throughout the days of Solomon, adding to the trouble caused by Hadad. So Rezon ruled over Aram with hostility toward Israel.

25And He was an adversary of Israel all the days of Solomon, besides the trouble that was of Hadad. And he abhorred Israel and reigned over Aram.

Jeroboam’s Rebellion

26Now Jeroboam son of Nebat was an Ephraimite from Zeredah whose mother was a widow named Zeruah. Jeroboam was a servant of Solomon, but he rebelled against the king,

26And Jeroboam son of Nebat was an Ephraimite from Zereda—the name of his mother was Zeruah, a widow, and a servant of Solomon—and he lifted up a hand against the king.

27and this is the account of his rebellion against the king.

Solomon had built the supporting terraces and repaired the gap in the wall of the city of his father David.

27And this is the thing for which he lifted up a hand against the king: Solomon had built the Millo and he had closed up the breach of the city of David his father.

28Now Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor. So when Solomon noticed that the young man was industrious, he put him in charge of the whole labor force of the house of Joseph.

28And the man Jeroboam was mighty in valor. And Solomon saw the young man, that he was doing business, and he appointed him over all the forced labor of the house of Joseph.

29During that time, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met Jeroboam on the road as he was going out of Jerusalem. Now Ahijah had wrapped himself in a new cloak, and the two of them were alone in the open field.

29And it came to pass at that time, that Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, and Ahijah the Shilonite, the prophet, met him on the way. And he had clothed himself with a new garment, and the two were alone in the field.

30And Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing, tore it into twelve pieces,

30And Ahijah took hold of the new garment that was on him and tore it into twelve pieces.

31and said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and I will give you ten tribes.

31And he said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces. For thus says YHWH, God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give to you ten tribes.

32But one tribe will remain for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.

32And one tribe he shall have for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel,

33For they have forsaken Me to worship Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites. They have not walked in My ways, nor done what is right in My eyes, nor kept My statutes and judgments, as Solomon’s father David did.

33because that they have forsaken Me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon, and have not walked in My ways, to do right in My eyes, and My statutes and My ordinances, as David his father did.

34Nevertheless, I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon’s hand, because I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David My servant, whom I chose because he kept My commandments and statutes.

34And I will not take all the kingdom out of his hand, because I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David My servant, whom I chose because he kept My commandments and My statutes;

35But I will take ten tribes of the kingdom from the hand of his son and give them to you.

35and I will take the kingdom out of the hand of his son and give it to you—ten tribes.

36I will give one tribe to his son, so that My servant David will always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put My Name.

36And to his son I will give one tribe, that there may be a lamp to David My servant all the days before Me in Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen for Myself to put My name there.

37But as for you, I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your heart desires, and you will be king over Israel.

37And you I will take, and you shall reign over all that your heart desires, and you shall be king over Israel.

38If you listen to all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight in order to keep My statutes and commandments as My servant David did, then I will be with you. I will build you a lasting dynasty just as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.

38And it shall be, if you heed all that I command you, and walk in My ways, and do right in My eyes, to keep My statutes and My commandments as did David My servant, I will be with you and I will build for you an enduring house, as I built for David, and I will give to you Israel.

39Because of this, I will humble David’s descendants—but not forever.’”

39And I will afflict the seed of David on account of this, but not all the days.’”

40Solomon therefore sought to kill Jeroboam. But Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, where he remained until the death of Solomon.

40And Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam, and Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt; and he was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

The Death of Solomon

41As for the rest of the acts of Solomon—all that he did, as well as his wisdom—are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon?

41And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon?

42Thus the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.

42And the days that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel were forty years.

43And Solomon rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David. And his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.

43And Solomon rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.