1 Kings 11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 11:4

And it came to pass, when Solomon was old ,.... Toward the latter end of his reign, when he might be near sixty years of age; for Rehoboam his son and successor was forty one when he began to reign, 1 Kings 14:21 which is observed either as an aggravation of the sin of Solomon, that in his old age, when by long experience he might have been thought to be still wiser, and less lustful: and yet that his wives turned away his heart after other gods ; or as pointing at the advantage his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 11:5

And Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians ,.... Enticed by the Zidonian women, or woman, he had, 1 Kings 11:1 . According to the Phoenician histories F9 Apud Tatian. contr. Graecos, p. 171. , Solomon married a daughter of Hiram, king of Tyre and Zidon; so Clemens of Alexandria says F11 Stromat. l. 1. p. 325. , that Hiram gave his daughter to Solomon; Ashtoreth is Astarte, the same with the Venus of the Greeks, so Suidas F12 In voce Ασταρτη . ; and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 11:6

And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord ,.... As idolatry is, nothing more provoking to him: and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father ; for though he did not relinquish the worship of the true God, and the service of the temple, yet inasmuch as he worshipped other gods besides, or connived at the worship of them, he did not wholly, and constantly, and solely serve the Lord, as his father did. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 11:7

Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Mesh ,.... Of this idol see Gill on Jeremiah 48:7 , an high place for which he ordered to be built, or at least suffered it to be built, at the instigation of his Moabitish woman or women, 1 Kings 11:1 , this was built in the hill that is before Jerusalem; on the mount of Olives, as Jarchi, called from hence afterwards the mount of corruption, 2 Kings 23:15 and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon, 1... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 11:8

And likewise did he for all his strange wives ,.... That is, built high places for their idols, or suffered them to be built; for when he had done it for one, he could not refuse it to another, without greatly disobliging them; even for as many of them, which burnt incense, and sacrificed unto their gods ; the gods of the countries from whence they came, and in the worship of which they had been brought up: this shows that the best and wisest of men, when left to themselves, may do the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 11:9

And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel ,.... Or from the fear of him, as the Targum, which must in a great measure be cast off, or he could not have given in to idolatry in any shape as he did; for it was for that the Lord was displeased, the which nothing is more provoking to him, as may be often observed: which had appeared unto him twice ; once at Gibeon, and again after his prayer at the dedication of the temple, 1 Kings 3:5 ,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 11:10

And had commanded him concerning this thing that he should not go after other gods ,.... Which is another aggravation of his sin that it was against an express command of God, and was particularly given him, and he was warned to observe it, and threatened with evil should he break it: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded : see 1 Kings 9:5 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 11:11

Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon ,.... Not in a vision, as before, but by a prophet; the Jews say F14 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 20. p. 53. Kimchi in loc. , Ahijah the Shilonite, which is probable, see 1 Kings 11:29 . forasmuch as this is done of thee, that thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes which I have commanded thee ; but broke them by his idolatry: I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and I will give it to thy servant ; meaning Jeroboam, who was not only a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 11:12

Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake ,.... Not for the merits of David, but the promises made to him, 2 Samuel 7:12 , but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son ; and immediate successor, Rehoboam. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 11:13

Howbeit, I will not rend away all the kingdom ,.... The whole kingdom of Israel: but will give one tribe to thy son ; but it seems he had both Benjamin and Judah, and only ten tribes were rent from him; the reason of this mode of expression may be, either because he gave him one of the tribes of Israel, besides that of Judah, which was his own tribe; or only the tribe of Judah is meant, the whole tribe of Benjamin not being his, since Bethel, and some other places in that tribe, were in... read more

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