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
The Fall of a King. Solomon was a king of men. Not only was he supreme civil ruler of his nation, he was also chief in wisdom and knowledge, and distinguished in the favour of God ( Nehemiah 13:26 ). This moral royalty is open to all. The prize is nobler than that of the most glittering "corruptible crown." From this kingship Solomon fell, though he retained the throne of the nation. The rascal often lurks in the heart that is under an anointed face. Let us consider— I. THE ... read more
Solomon's Sin. I. THE SIN . 1 . Its nature . He not only aided his wives to continue their idolatrous worship, he himself participated in it. He went after strange gods, seeking their favour and observing their ordinances. The worship of Jehovah was not discarded, but delight in the true God was gone, and the flame of that loving zeal for God's commandments died away: his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God. The worship now offered in the temple was the lingering... read more
The Sin of Solomon. Three questions will suffice to bring this subject before us. First, what was this sin? secondly, by whom was it committed? thirdly, when, and under what circumstances? But first, it is well we should understand what this sin was not . We see, then, that the essence of this sin was that having permitted himself, or purposes of state and pride and ostentation, the love of many strange women, he permitted them, and possibly some of his subjects also, to worship... read more
And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord [cf. 2:11 ; 3:7 , etc.], and went not fully [ לאֹ מִלֵא s.c. לֶלֶכֶת . A pregnant expression found also Numbers 14:24 ; Numbers 32:11 , Numbers 32:12 ; Deuteronomy 1:36 ] after the Lord, as did David his father. read more
1 Kings 11:5-7. Solomon went after Ashtoreth Called also Astarte. See on Judges 2:13. And after Milcom The same, it is thought, with Molech, who is here called an abomination, because highly detested by God. Solomon built a high place for Chemosh That is, an altar upon a high place, as the manner of the heathen was. Concerning Chemosh, see Numbers 21:29. In the hill that is before Jerusalem In the mount of Olives, which was nigh to Jerusalem, as if to confront the temple. From this... read more
Solomon’s idolatry (11:1-43)Although some of Solomon’s marriages were for political purposes, most of his wives and concubines were probably given to him as gifts. These women usually brought their gods into Israel, and Solomon’s weakness in worshipping these gods led finally to his downfall (11:1-8). God’s judgment on Solomon and Israel was to bring the long-standing friction between northerners and southerners to a climax in the division of the kingdom. Only Solomon’s tribe Judah (which had... read more
evil = the evil. Hebrew. ra'a' . App-44 . read more
Solomon’s foreign wives 11:1-8The writer’s condemnation of Solomon in 1 Kings 11:1-2 rests on Deuteronomy 23:3-9 as well as Deuteronomy 7:3-4. The phraseology goes back to Deuteronomy 23:3-9 and the motive to Deuteronomy 7:3-4 (cf. Exodus 23:31-33; Exodus 34:15-16; Ezra 9:1; Nehemiah 13:26). Solomon’s foreign wives were of two categories: Canaanites prohibited in Deuteronomy 7, and women from other nations prohibited in Deuteronomy 23. [Note: See Shaye Cohen, "Solomon and the Daughter of... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 11:1-8
This is a sad story, and very surprising, of Solomon's defection and degeneracy. I. Let us enquire into the occasions and particulars of it. Shall Solomon fall, that was the beauty of Israel, and so great a blessing of his generation? Yes, it is too true, and the scripture is faithful in relating it, and repeating it, and referring to it long after, Neh. 13:26. There was no king like Solomon who was beloved of his God, yet even him did outlandish women cause to sin. There is the summary of his... read more