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Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, besides the daughter of Pharaoh: women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and the Hittites,
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from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not associate with them, and they shall not associate with you, for surely they will turn your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to them in love.
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He had seven hundred wives of noble birth and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.
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For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, so that his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as David his father had been.
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So Solomon followed Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the detestable god of the Ammonites.
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Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not follow the LORD fully, as David his father had done.
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At that time Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the detestable god of Moab, on the mountain east of Jerusalem, and for Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites.
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He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.
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Therefore the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice,
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and had commanded him concerning this matter not to follow other gods; but he did not keep what the LORD had commanded.
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Then the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant.
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Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it in your days; I will tear it out of the hand of your son.
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Yet I will not tear away the whole kingdom; 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.”
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Then the LORD raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the royal line of Edom.
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After David had defeated Edom, Joab the commander went up to bury the slain, and he struck down every male in Edom;
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for Joab and all Israel remained there six months, until he had cut off every male in Edom.
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But Hadad fled with some Edomites from among his father’s servants, and went to Egypt; and Hadad was still very young.
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They set out from Midian and came to Paran; they took some men from Paran, and then they came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt. He gave Hadad a house, appointed his provisions, and assigned him a piece of land.
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Hadad found such favor in Pharaoh’s sight that he gave him a wife, the sister of his own wife, the sister of Queen Tahpenes.
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And the sister of Tahpenes bore him a son, Genubath by name; and Tahpenes weaned him in Pharaoh’s house, so that Genubath was in Pharaoh’s house among Pharaoh’s own sons.
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When Hadad heard in Egypt that David had rested with his fathers and that Joab the commander had also died, Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me go to my own land.”
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Then Pharaoh said to him, “But what have you lacked with me, that you now suddenly intend to go to your own land?” He answered, “I lack nothing; nevertheless, let me go also.”
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God also raised up another adversary against Solomon, Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master Hadadezer, king of Zobah.
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He gathered men and became the leader of a band. When David sought to kill them, they went to Damascus; they lived there, and there they made Rezon king.
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He was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon; he brought trouble, as Hadad did. He was hostile toward Israel and ruled over Aram.
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Also Jeroboam son of Nebat, an Ephraimite from Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow, rebelled against the king.
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And this was the reason why he rebelled against the king: Solomon built the Millo, and he closed up the breach in the wall of the city of David his father.
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Now Jeroboam was a capable man; and when Solomon saw that the young man was industrious, he appointed him over all the forced labor of the house of Joseph.
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At that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road, wearing a new garment. And the two of them were alone in the field.
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Then Ahijah took the new garment that was on him and tore it into twelve pieces;
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and he said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and will give you ten tribes.”
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But one tribe shall remain his, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.
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For he has forsaken Me and bowed down to Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, to Chemosh, the god of Moab, and to Milcom, the god of the Ammonites; and he has not walked in My ways, doing what is right in My sight and keeping My statutes and My ordinances, as David his father did.
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Yet I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand; I will let him remain king all the days of his life, for the sake of My servant David, whom I chose and who kept My commandments and My statutes.
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But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand and will give it to you, namely ten tribes.
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And to his son I will give one tribe, so that My servant David may always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen for Myself, to put My name there.
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So I will take you, that you may reign over all that your heart desires and be king over Israel.
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And if you listen to all that I command you, and walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, keeping My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and will build for you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.
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And for this I will humble the descendants of David, but not forever.”
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Then Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam; but Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and he remained in Egypt until Solomon died.
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Now 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?
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The length of Solomon’s reign in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.
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Then Solomon rested with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
💔⚠️👑 Summary of 1 Kings 11 – Solomon’s Fall because of Women and Idolatry
This chapter becomes a tragic turning point in King Solomon’s life. After the height of glory in chapter 10, 1 Kings 11 reveals a fatal spiritual decline: Solomon loved many foreign women and fell into idolatry. As a result, the Lord was angry and announced that the kingdom would be taken from his descendants. It is a reminder that wisdom without obedience does not save.
📌 1. Solomon Loved Foreign Women (verses 1–8)
➡️ Solomon loved 700 wives and 300 concubines, many from nations forbidden by the Lord (Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, Hittite)
➡️ His wives turned Solomon’s heart to follow the gods:
- Ashtoreth (the goddess of Sidon)
- Milcom and Chemosh (the gods of Moab & Ammon)
➡️ He built high places of sacrifice to please them
🎯 Love not governed by faith leads to fatal compromise.
📌 2. The Lord Is Angry and Judges (verses 9–13)
➡️ The Lord was angry because Solomon had turned aside, though it had been made known to him twice directly
➡️ The Lord declared:
- The kingdom will be taken from his descendants’ hand
- However not in Solomon’s lifetime, for David’s sake
- The kingdom will still leave one tribe for David’s descendants
🎯 The Lord’s promise to David remains firm, yet sin still brings consequences.
📌 3. The Lord’s Enemies Rise Up (verses 14–25)
➡️ The Lord raised up adversaries against Solomon as a form of judgment:
- Hadad, the Edomite, who returned from Egypt
- Rezon, from Damascus, who hated Israel
🎯 When the Lord no longer protects, spiritual and political enemies can easily arise.
📌 4. Prophecy to Jeroboam (verses 26–40)
➡️ Jeroboam, Solomon’s servant, became a key figure in the division of the kingdom
➡️ The prophet Ahijah the Shilonite foretold that 10 tribes would be given to him
➡️ Jeroboam would become king over Israel (the north) if he obeyed the Lord
➡️ Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but he fled to Egypt
🎯 The Lord can use anyone for His purpose, even a rebel.
📌 5. The Death of Solomon (verses 41–43)
➡️ Solomon reigned 40 years in Jerusalem
➡️ He was succeeded by his son, Rehoboam
🎯 Solomon’s life ended in decline, though it had begun in glory.
📖 Main Lessons
- Even the greatest wisdom is not enough without obedience and self-control
- Sin left unchecked will draw the heart away from the Lord
- Wrong relationships can destroy a true calling
- The Lord is faithful to His promise, but He does not tolerate disobedience
- Spiritual downfall can have generational and national impact
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
“Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall!”
➡️ Solomon is an example that no one is immune to spiritual downfall.
“Each person is tempted by his own desire…”
➡️ Solomon’s uncontrolled desires became the snare of his spiritual ruin.
“Do not be unequally yoked…”
➡️ Solomon ignored this principle and paid dearly for the consequences.
“For the Lord disciplines the one He loves…”
➡️ The adversaries raised up were not only punishment, but also a call to repentance.
🕊️ “Solomon’s heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel…” – 1 Kings 11:4
🕊️ “I will tear the kingdom from you…” – 1 Kings 11:11
🕊️ “I will give you ten tribes…” – 1 Kings 11:31
🕊️ “Then Solomon died and was buried…” – 1 Kings 11:43
