Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - 1 Kings 11:31-39
(31, 39) Take thee ten pieces.—The message delivered by Ahijah first repeats exactly the former warning to Solomon (1 Kings 11:9-13), marking, by the two reserved pieces of the garment, the duality of the “one tribe” reserved for the house of David; next, it conveys to Jeroboam a promise like that given to David (so far as it was a temporal promise), “to build thee a sure house, as I built for David,” on condition of the obedience which David, with all his weakness and sin, had shown, and from... read more
John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 11:1-43
Solomon’s Errors and their Consequences. His DeathThis chapter furnishes an account of Solomon’s marriages with numerous foreign princesses, and traces the evil effect of such in the toleration of idolatry, which provoked the Lord’s anger. This was manifested in the growth of opposition abroad and disaffection at home, so that an otherwise brilliant reign had a cloudy ending.3. Seven hundred wives] The Persian king Darius Codomannus is said to have had, besides his own wife, 329 concubines. 4.... read more