1 Kings 11:1–11:13

But king Solomon loved many {a} strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; (a) Who were idolaters.

But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, [and] Hittites; But king Solomon loved many strange women. — Praeceps ruit in libidinem, as if he had been born pro l’amore delle donne, - as Boccace saith of himself, - merely for love of fair ladies, to putrify and perish daily Quotidie perire me sentio. under a tabes of impure lusts, as Tiberius did at Caprea - though a good prince at first, as was also Alexander the Great, Nero, and some others. This was a bitterness beyond that of death. Ecclesiastes 7:26 And surely it had been better for Solomon to have been buried alive, than thus to have miscarried in his old age, to the great dishonour of God, and offence of his people Israel, the beginning of whose sins, causing the destruction of Solomon’s temple, and ruin of that commonwealth, is reckoned from the seven and twentieth year of Solomon’s reign; about which began this his foul revolt here related, Ezekiel 4:5 as Junius observeth. Together with the daughter of Pharaoh. — Or, Besides her; by a monstrous kind of polygamy and γυναικομανια , such as hath hardly been heard of in any other. His father, David, cannot be excused for his many wives and concubines, but himself much less; who could not but know that it was a direct violation of the law, Deuteronomy 17:17 and that in the kingdom of pleasure, virtue could not consist.

But King Solomon loved many strange women,.... His love was a lustful and not a lawful one, and of women who were not only of foreign countries, but not his lawful wives, and these many: together with the daughter of Pharaoh; besides her, or as he loved her, and perhaps more; his sin was not that he loved her who was his lawful wife, but others with her; it is very probable she was a proselytess, and had no hand in turning him to idolatry, since we read not of any high place built for an Egyptian idol: women of the Moabites, Anmonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; all of the neighbouring nations. Some think he did this with political views, to get intelligence of the state of those countries, or to abate and extinguish their enmity; but it rather seems to be the fruit of lust or pride.

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 forms in itself a security against the deceitfulness and depravity of the human heart. Nor will old age cure the heart of any evil propensity. If our sinful passions are not crucified and mortified by the grace of God, they never will die of themselves, but will last even when opportunities to gratify them are taken away. Let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall. We see how weak we are of ourselves, without the grace of God; let us therefore live in constant dependence on that grace. Let us watch and be sober: ours is a dangerous warfare, and in an enemy's country, while our worst foes are the traitors in our own hearts.

CHAPTER 11 1Ki 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 besotted apostasy of his old age; and to him may be applied the words of Paul (Ga 3:3), of John (Re 3:17), and of Isaiah (Isa 14:21). A love of the world, a ceaseless round of pleasure, had insensibly corrupted his heart, and produced, for a while at least, a state of mental darkness. The grace of God deserted him; and the son of the pious David—the religiously trained child of Bath-sheba (Pr 31:1-3), and pupil of Nathan, instead of showing the stability of sound principle and mature experience became at last an old and foolish king (Ec 4:13). His fall is traced to his "love of many strange women." Polygamy was tolerated among the ancient Hebrews; and, although in most countries of the East, the generality of men, from convenience and economy, confine themselves to one woman, yet a number of wives is reckoned as an indication of wealth and importance, just as a numerous stud of horses and a grand equipage are among us. The sovereign, of course, wishes to have a more numerous harem than any of his subjects; and the female establishments of many Oriental princes have, both in ancient and modern times, equalled or exceeded that of Solomon's. It is probable, therefore, that, in conformity with Oriental notions, he resorted to it as a piece of state magnificence. But in him it was unpardonable, as it was a direct and outrageous violation of the divine law (De 17:17), and the very result which that statute was ordained to prevent was realized in him. His marriage with the daughter of Pharaoh is not censured either here or elsewhere (see on [311]1Ki 3:1). It was only his love for many strange women; for women, though in the East considered inferiors, exert often a silent but powerful seductive influence over their husbands in the harem, as elsewhere, and so it was exemplified in Solomon.Solomon’s wives and concubines, which in his old age seduce him to idolatry, 1 Kings 11:1-8 . God threateneth him, 1 Kings 11:9-13 . His adversaries are, Hadad, who fleeth into Egypt, and is entertained there, 1 Kings 11:14-22 ; Rezon, who reigned in Damascus, 1 Kings 11:23-25 ; Jeroboam, to whom Ahijah foretelleth that he shall be king: Solomon seeketh his life, 1 Kings 11:26-40 . His acts, reign, and death. Rehoboam succeedeth him, 1 Kings 11:41-43 . He loved them inordinately and lustfully, and he sinned against God’s known law, both in their number, Deu 17:17 , and in their quality.

In 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.