Font Size
1 Kings 11
Expanded Bible
1 Kings 11
Expanded Bible
Solomon’s Many Wives
11 King Solomon loved many ·women who were not from Israel [L foreign women]. He loved the daughter of ·the king of Egypt [L Pharaoh], as well as women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites [Prov. 5–7]. 2 The Lord had told the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel], “You must not ·marry people of other nations [or associate with them; L come into them, and they must not come into you]. If you do, they will cause you to ·follow [L turn your hearts to] their gods.” But Solomon ·fell in love with these women [L clung/held fast to them in love]. 3 He had seven hundred wives who were from royal families and three hundred ·slave women who gave birth to his children [concubines; C a secondary wife of lower status than a primary wife, but higher than a common servant]. His wives ·caused him to turn away from God [led him astray; L turned his heart away]. 4 As Solomon grew old, his wives ·caused him to follow [led him astray after; L turned his heart away after] other gods. ·He did not follow the Lord completely [L His heart was not wholly devoted/faithful to the Lord his God] as ·his father David had done [the heart of his father David had been]. 5 Solomon ·worshiped [followed; went after] Ashtoreth, the goddess of the people of Sidon, and ·Molech [L Milcom], the ·hated [detestable] god of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord] and ·did not [refused to] follow the Lord completely as his father David had done.
7 On a hill east of Jerusalem [C the Mount of Olives], Solomon built two ·places for worship [L high places; 3:2]. One was a place to worship Chemosh, the ·hated [detestable] god of the Moabites, and the other was a place to worship Molech, the ·hated [detestable] god of the Ammonites. 8 Solomon did the same thing for all his foreign wives so they could burn incense and offer sacrifices to their gods.
9 The Lord had appeared to Solomon twice, but the ·king [L his heart had] turned away from following the Lord, the God of Israel. The Lord was angry with Solomon, 10 because he had ·commanded [warned] Solomon not to follow other gods. But Solomon did not ·obey [observe; keep] the Lord’s command. 11 So the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you have chosen to break your ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with me and have not obeyed my commands, I will tear your kingdom away from you and give it to one of your ·officers [L servants]. 12 But I will not take it away ·while you are alive [L in your days] ·because of my love for [for the sake of] your father David. I will tear it away from [L the hand of] your son. 13 I will not tear away all the kingdom from him, but I will ·leave [give] him one tribe to rule. I will do this ·because [for the sake] of David, my servant, and ·because [for the sake] of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen.”
Solomon’s Enemies
14 The Lord ·caused [L raised up] Hadad the Edomite, a member of the royal family of Edom, to become Solomon’s ·enemy [adversary]. 15 Earlier, David had defeated Edom. When Joab, the commander of David’s army, went into Edom to bury the dead [C Israelite soldiers], he ·killed [slaughtered] all the males. 16 Joab and all the Israelites stayed in Edom for six months and ·killed [exterminated; eliminated] every male in Edom. 17 At that time Hadad was only a young boy, so he ·ran away [fled; escaped] to Egypt with some of his father’s ·officers [servants]. 18 They ·left [set out from] Midian and went ·to Paran, where they were joined by other men [or with men from Paran]. Then they all went to Egypt to see Pharaoh the king, who ·gave [assigned] Hadad a house, some food, and some land.
19 ·The king liked Hadad so much [Hadad became such a great favorite of Pharaoh that] he gave Hadad a wife—the sister of Tahpenes, the king’s wife. 20 ·They had [L She bore for him] a son named Genubath. Queen Tahpenes ·brought him up [raised; or weaned him] in the royal palace with ·the king’s [L Pharaoh’s] own ·children [or sons].
21 While he was in Egypt, Hadad heard that David ·had died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and that Joab, the commander of the army, was dead also. So Hadad said to the king, “Let me go; I will return to my own country.”
22 “Why do you want to go back to your own country?” the king asked. “What ·haven’t I given you here [L do you lack with me]?”
“Nothing,” Hadad answered, “but please, let me go.”
23 God also caused another man to be Solomon’s ·enemy [adversary]—Rezon son of Eliada. Rezon had ·run away [fled] from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah. 24 After David ·defeated [slaughtered; massacred] the army of Zobah, Rezon gathered some men and became the leader of a ·small army [marauding band; gang of rebels]. They went to Damascus and settled there, and Rezon ·became king of [took control of] Damascus. 25 Rezon ruled Aram, and he ·hated [abhorred; despised; was hostile to] Israel. So he was an ·enemy [adversary] of Israel all the ·time Solomon was alive [L days of Solomon]. Both Rezon and Hadad made trouble for Israel.
26 Jeroboam son of Nebat was one of Solomon’s ·officers [L servants]. He was an Ephraimite from the town of Zeredah, and he was the son of a widow named Zeruah. Jeroboam ·turned [rebelled] against the king.
27 This is the ·story [account] of how Jeroboam turned against the king. Solomon was ·filling in the land [building the terraces/Millo; 9:15] and ·repairing [L closed the gap/breach in] the wall of Jerusalem, the city of David, his father. 28 Jeroboam was a ·capable [energetic] man, and Solomon saw that this young man was ·a good worker [industrious]. So Solomon put him over all the ·workers [labor force; or forced labor] from the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.
29 One day as Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, Ahijah, the prophet from Shiloh, who was wearing a new ·coat [cloak], met him on the road. The two men were alone out in ·the country [a field]. 30 Ahijah took his new ·coat [cloak] and tore it into twelve pieces [C representing the original twelve tribes of Israel]. 31 Then he said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces of this coat for yourself. The Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will tear the kingdom away from ·Solomon [L Solomon’s hand] and give you ten tribes. 32 But ·I will allow him to control [L he will have] one tribe. I will do this for the sake of my servant David and for Jerusalem, the city I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel. 33 I will do this because ·Solomon has [L they have][a] stopped following me and has worshiped the Sidonian goddess Ashtoreth, the Moabite god Chemosh, and the Ammonite god ·Molech [L Milcom]. Solomon has not ·obeyed me [walked in my ways] by doing what ·I said is right [L is right in my sight/eyes] and obeying my laws and commands, as his father David did.
34 “‘But I will not take all the kingdom away from ·Solomon [L his hand]. I will let him rule all ·his life [L the days of his life] ·because [for the sake of] of my servant David, whom I chose, who ·obeyed [observed; kept] all my commands and laws. 35 But I will take the kingdom away from his ·son [L son’s hand], and I will ·allow you to rule over [give you] the ten tribes. 36 I will ·allow Solomon’s son to continue to rule over [L give to his son] one tribe so that David, my servant will always have a ·descendant [L lamp before me; C possibly a metaphor for the reign of a king] in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to ·be worshiped [L put my name]. 37 But I will make you ·rule [reign] over everything you ·want [desire]. You will ·rule [be king] over all of Israel, 38 and I will always be with you if you ·do what I say [L walk in my ways/paths and do what] is right. You must obey all my commands. If you obey my laws and commands as David did, I will be with you. I will ·make your family a lasting family of kings [build you an enduring house/dynasty], as I did for David, and give Israel to you. 39 I will ·punish [afflict; humble] David’s children because of this, but I will not ·punish [afflict; humble] them forever.’”
Solomon’s Death(A)
40 Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but he ·ran away [fled] to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, where he stayed until Solomon died.
41 Everything else King Solomon did, and the wisdom he showed, ·is [L is it not …?] written in the book of the ·history [acts] of Solomon. 42 Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. 43 Then he ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried in the City of David [C Jerusalem], his father. And his son Rehoboam ·became king [reigned] in his place.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 11:33 they have Greek, Latin, and Syriac copies read “he has.”
1 Kings 11
New International Version
1 Kings 11
New International Version
Solomon’s Wives
11 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women(A) besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites,(B) Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2 They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry(C) with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines,(D) and his wives led him astray.(E) 4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods,(F) and his heart was not fully devoted(G) to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5 He followed Ashtoreth(H) the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek(I) the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did evil(J) in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.
7 On a hill east(K) of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh(L) the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek(M) the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.
9 The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared(N) to him twice. 10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods,(O) Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command.(P) 11 So the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees,(Q) which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear(R) the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. 12 Nevertheless, for the sake of David(S) your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe(T) for the sake(U) of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”(V)
Solomon’s Adversaries
14 Then the Lord raised up against Solomon an adversary,(W) Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom. 15 Earlier when David was fighting with Edom, Joab the commander of the army, who had gone up to bury the dead, had struck down all the men in Edom.(X) 16 Joab and all the Israelites stayed there for six months, until they had destroyed all the men in Edom. 17 But Hadad, still only a boy, fled to Egypt with some Edomite officials who had served his father. 18 They set out from Midian and went to Paran.(Y) Then taking people from Paran with them, they went to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house and land and provided him with food.
19 Pharaoh was so pleased with Hadad that he gave him a sister of his own wife, Queen Tahpenes, in marriage. 20 The sister of Tahpenes bore him a son named Genubath, whom Tahpenes brought up in the royal palace. There Genubath lived with Pharaoh’s own children.
21 While he was in Egypt, Hadad heard that David rested with his ancestors and that Joab the commander of the army was also dead. Then Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me go, that I may return to my own country.”
22 “What have you lacked here that you want to go back to your own country?” Pharaoh asked.
“Nothing,” Hadad replied, “but do let me go!”
23 And God raised up against Solomon another adversary,(Z) Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer(AA) king of Zobah. 24 When David destroyed Zobah’s army, Rezon gathered a band of men around him and became their leader; they went to Damascus,(AB) where they settled and took control. 25 Rezon was Israel’s adversary as long as Solomon lived, adding to the trouble caused by Hadad. So Rezon ruled in Aram(AC) and was hostile toward Israel.
Jeroboam Rebels Against Solomon
26 Also, Jeroboam son of Nebat rebelled(AD) against the king. He was one of Solomon’s officials, an Ephraimite from Zeredah, and his mother was a widow named Zeruah.
27 Here is the account of how he rebelled against the king: Solomon had built the terraces[a](AE) and had filled in the gap in the wall of the city of David his father. 28 Now Jeroboam was a man of standing,(AF) and when Solomon saw how well(AG) the young man did his work, he put him in charge of the whole labor force of the tribes of Joseph.
29 About that time Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, and Ahijah(AH) the prophet of Shiloh met him on the way, wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone out in the country, 30 and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore(AI) it into twelve pieces. 31 Then he said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘See, I am going to tear(AJ) the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes. 32 But for the sake(AK) of my servant David and the city of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, he will have one tribe. 33 I will do this because they have[b] forsaken me and worshiped(AL) Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molek the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked(AM) in obedience to me, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my decrees(AN) and laws as David, Solomon’s father, did.
34 “‘But I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon’s hand; I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose and who obeyed my commands and decrees. 35 I will take the kingdom from his son’s hands and give you ten tribes. 36 I will give one tribe(AO) to his son so that David my servant may always have a lamp(AP) before me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put my Name. 37 However, as for you, I will take you, and you will rule(AQ) over all that your heart desires;(AR) you will be king over Israel. 38 If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to me and do what is right(AS) in my eyes by obeying my decrees(AT) and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty(AU) as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you. 39 I will humble David’s descendants because of this, but not forever.’”
40 Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled(AV) to Egypt, to Shishak(AW) the king, and stayed there until Solomon’s death.
Solomon’s Death(AX)
41 As for the other events of Solomon’s reign—all he did and the wisdom he displayed—are they not written in the book of the annals of Solomon? 42 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 43 Then he rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam(AY) his son succeeded him as king.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 11:27 Or the Millo
- 1 Kings 11:33 Hebrew; Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac because he has
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.