6. Solomon's Legacy (1 Kings 11)


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James J. Tissot, 'Solomon and His Harem' (1896-1902)
James J. Tissot, 'Solomon and His Harem' (1896-1902), gouache on board, 8.6 x 8.5 in, The Jewish Museum, New York. Larger image.

So far, in our study of Solomon's life, we've looked at a host of positive achievements, wide acclaim, and fabulous wealth. But in Solomon's later years, all is not well within either Solomon or his kingdom. Indeed, several time bombs are ticking that after his death will wipe out much of his legacy.

In this final lesson we examine Solomon's foreign wives, his fatal sin, and his foreign conflicts. Finally, we evaluate the pros and cons of his legacy to come to a conclusion about Solomon -- the man God chose to be king at this time in history.

Accounts of Solomon's Sins and Weaknesses

It is interesting that we learn about Solomon's sins only in 1 Kings,249 not in 2 Chronicles, which omits any mention of his sin. David's sin with Bathsheba isn't mentioned in 1 Chronicles either.250

Why is this? The Chronicler expects the readers to be familiar with the accounts in 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings. The Chronicler, of course, isn't unaware of Solomon's sin. He mentions Ahijah, who prophesied to Jeroboam about the kingdom to be ripped from Solomon, but doesn't explain the reason why it was taken from him.251 He assumes that his readers know the story. Selman observes,

"A wider survey of the Chronicler's use of Kings shows that substantial positive aspects of Solomon's reign have also been left out.... As in the case of David, the Chronicler has excluded most of his private life and several secular concerns. The effect of these changes is a sharper focus on the relationship between [2 Chronicles chapter 9] and Solomon's encounter with God at Gibeon (2 Chronicles 1)."252

Solomon's sin has been dealt with elsewhere in Scripture. Here, the Chronicler is inspired by God to place the focus on something else.

6.1 Solomon's Foreign Wives and Idolatry (1 Kings 11:1-8)

Edward John Poynter, detail of 'The Visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon' (1881-90)
Edward John Poynter, detail of 'The Visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon' (1881-90), oil on canvas, 234.5 x 350.5 cm, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Full image.

In 1 Kings 11:1-8 we read a damning account of Solomon's sins. None of these sins lead directly to a downfall during his lifetime, but each has noticeable negative consequences after his death.

Solomon the Womanizer (1 Kings 11:1-3)

Let's analyze the first three verses of chapter 11:

"1 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh's daughter -- Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2 They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, 'You must not intermarry 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,253 and his wives led him astray." (1 Kings 11:1-3)

Solomon's Foreign Wives
Solomon's Foreign Wives (larger map)

Verse 1 contains the key verb "loved." ʾAhēb, "love, like, be in love" has a wide range of meaning, in the same way "love" has in English. Alden tells us about the Hebrew verb: "The intensity of the meaning ranges from God's infinite affection for his people to the carnal appetites of a lazy glutton."254 The verb is used of adulterous relations, of marital love, of love of a father for a son, of love one's neighbor as oneself, of love for God, and all in between.

You can take "love" in 1 Kings 11:1 in several ways, but as I read it, I see a man driven by a voracious sexual appetite or a vain man trying to appear virile to his subjects.

"King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women." (1 Kings 11:1)

It was customary for pagan kings of that day to have multiple wives for diplomatic purposes -- marriage alliances designed to cement bonds with allies. That's the meaning of his 700 wives "of royal birth." They were daughters of kings and nobles of surrounding countries. Solomon's heir Rehoboam, for example, was the daughter of Naamah, an Ammonite princess (1 Kings 14:21). As mentioned in Lesson 2.1, marriage with non-Jews is forbidden (Deuteronomy 7:3--4a). Whether the marriage was for diplomatic purposes or not, is not the issue.

We cannot judge Solomon by Christian standards. In that culture, as in Africa in past generations, to have multiple wives is a sign of power and wealth.255 Nevertheless, polygamy does not accord with the one-man, one-woman, one-flesh ideal of Genesis 2:24 that Jesus points to as God's plan (Matthew 19:4-6). And we know that it causes all sorts of problems and tensions -- some of which are evident in the families of Abraham, Jacob, and David.

Why do I think Solomon had a voracious sexual appetite? Because he would only need a dozen or two wives to create adequate marriage alliances with the few surrounding nations and demonstrate his wealth and power. To have 700 wives is excessive! Not to mention the 300 concubines! Solomon's possession of women is neither normal nor righteous.

In Hebrew, the number "thousand" can be taken literally, but it can also be used to refer generally to a very large number.256 You can see 700 + 300 = 1000 as a very large number, I suppose, but in the end it matters little. Solomon has a huge number of wives and concubines!

Husband and Father

Solomon doesn't seek his women to be true partners. None has a good, reliable husband who loves and cares for her.

Along the same line, I can't help but conclude that Solomon does a poor job as a father, in that he doesn't produce a wise heir in Rehoboam. We are told nothing at all of his other numerous children. But by necessity, Solomon's sons have no father to care for them personally and guide them to manhood.

Solomon is a man of excess in a number of venues. Again, it is hard to read the passage in Deuteronomy without Solomon coming to mind.

"16 The king ... must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, 'You are not to go back that way again.' 17 He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold." (Deuteronomy 17:16--17)

Q22. (1 Kings 11:3) Is it fair to conclude that Solomon is a womanizer who lusts after women? How does a womanizer treat a wife? How does having a womanizer for a father affect the children? Is sexual excess compatible with Christian discipleship?
https://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/2265-q22-excess/

Commands against Intermarriage and Idolatry (Deuteronomy 7:5-6)

The Israelites were commanded concerning the countries around them:

"2 Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. 3 Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, 4 for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord's anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols in the fire. For you are a people holy to the Lord your God." (Deuteronomy 7:2-6a).257

As we saw in Lesson 2.1, Solomon disregards this command

"1 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh's daughter -- Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2 They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, 'You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.'" (1 Kings 2:1-2)

Many of Solomon's royal-born wives represent some kind of specific or implied treaty with the nations from which they come. Many came from the lands of Israel's longtime enemies who worship false gods.

Solomon's Sin of Idolatry (1 Kings 11:4-6)

Here is the paradox. How can Solomon, the wisest man in all the earth, be so stupid? In his later years, his love for women corrupts him and he fails to heed the commands in the Law. His love for his women and their approval becomes greater than his love for God. He becomes careless regarding God's commands. He is disobedient. The writer of Kings tells us:

"4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5 He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done." (1 Kings 11:4--6)

Solomon doesn't require his wives to forsake their former religions. Even worse, to keep them happy he accommodates them -- actively.

"7 On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molech 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." (1 Kings 11:7--8)

Contrast this to the First and Second Commandments:

  1.  "You shall have no other gods before me.
  2. "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God...." (Exodus 20:3-5)

Five Tragic Truths about Solomon (1 Kings 11:4-8)

Solomon's building of worship sites for false gods is a most serious breach with Yahweh!

I see five important phrases in 1 Kings 11:4-8. Solomon ....

  1. Turned away his heart (verse 4a),
  2. Not fully devoted to Yahweh his God (verse 4b),
  3. Followed other gods (verse 5),
  4. Did evil (verse 6), and
  5. Built a high place (verse 7).

Let's consider the import of each of these phrases.

1. "Turned away his heart after other gods" (verse 4a)

Solomon had once "shown his love for Yahweh" by following God's commands (1 Kings 3:3). But his heart, once steadfast for Yahweh whose temple he builds, now turns away, changed. "Turned" (NIV), "turned away" (ESV, NRSV, KJV) is the Hiphil of nāṭâ, here figuratively, one's heart may "turn away" (that is, shift its loyalty, apostatize).258

What is Solomon's motive? Does he have to promise pagan worship locations for his wives in order to get kings to agree to give their daughters to him as wife? No. Solomon is the dominant king in the region. He doesn't have to offer such concessions. His turning away from God is not really about politics or political weakness.

Rather, I think it has to do with Solomon's hunger to be loved. Is that a weakness? Many men learn to accommodate their wives so they'll be happy. "Happy wife, happy life." But it is a weakness when it means compromising your core belief that Yahweh is the only true God, solely deserving of all honor, glory, and worship.

That is what happens to Solomon. His wives, or more accurately, his desire to please his wives, redirects Solomon's sole loyalty from Yahweh to polytheism. Perhaps he has adopted the belief like the Unitarian-Universalists that there are many paths to God, and that each religion is a path to the same God.

What a tragedy! What a loss! What a stupendous mistake! It makes me think of Jesus' strong teaching.

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." (Matthew 6:24)

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26)

When we put anything -- money, status, wives, children -- before our allegiance and devotion to the one God, we insult God, even though we may not see it at the time.

2. "Not fully devoted to Yahweh his God" (verse 4b)

The next phrase that breaks our heart is in verse 4.

"His heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been." (1 Kings 11:4b)

"Not fully devoted" (NIV), "not wholly true" (ESV), "not true" (NRSV), "not perfect" (KJV) is a word related to Shalom, "peace, wholeness." The Hebrew adjective is shālēm, "perfect, whole, full," that is, "undivided."259 Early in his reign at the dedication of the temple, Solomon had exhorted the people with this same word:

"Your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands." (1 Kings 8:61)

This is the same thing as "integrity of heart" that we discussed in Lesson 4.3 (1 Kings 9:4). Elijah castigates the people for "wavering between two opinions" (1 Kings 8:21). Jesus teaches about the "single eye" (Matthew 6:22-23, KJV).260 James condemns the "double-minded" man (James 1:8; 4:8). Solomon's heart becomes divided between Yahweh and his wives. The women win. David sins, but he repents deeply (Psalm 51). Solomon does not.

3. "Followed" other gods (verse 5)

Solomon begins to show allegiance to other gods than Yahweh.

"He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites." (1 Kings 11:5)

The verb translated "followed" or "went after" is hālak, "walk,"261 used very commonly to describe one's manner of life. God had used this word when he appeared to Solomon early in his reign:

"And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life." (1 Kings 3:14)

In the desert, the people rejected Yahweh and made a golden calf: "Come, make us gods who will go before us" (Exodus 32:1). They want gods they can follow as they had followed Yahweh, leading them with the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.

To "follow" or "go after" other gods, as Solomon has done, means to apostatize, to turn away from Yahweh as the one true God. Solomon has moved from monotheism, the worship of one God, to polytheism, the worship of multiple gods. Or, perhaps, syncretism, "the combination of different forms of belief or practice."262 On the one hand, he vigorously supports worship of Yahweh in the temple he has built; on the other hand, he begins to "follow" false gods.

Three false gods are listed in verses 5 and 33, but there were, no doubt, others. Ashtoreth (Asherah), clay figurine (8th to 7th century BC), Lachish, 7.25 in (18.4 cm) high,
Three false gods are listed in verses 5 and 33, but there were, no doubt, others. Ashtoreth (Asherah), clay figurine (8th to 7th century BC), Lachish, 7.25 in (18.4 cm) high, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Larger image.

Ashtoreth, Asherah or Astarte is the goddess of the Sidonians (verse 5). Asherah (plural Ashtoreth) is the name of a major fertility goddess whose worship was widely spread throughout Syria and Canaan, with a special cult center in the Phoenician city of Sidon (1 Kings 11:5). Asherah is the consort of the male god Baal. Often, a Canaanite high place would have an altar to the god Baal and an Asherah pole for the worship of the goddess, such as the ones God instructed Gideon to cut down.263 In Babylon, this goddess is known as Ishtar.264

Molech is the national deity of the Ammonites (verses 5, 7), otherwise known as Milcom. Especially abhorrent are child sacrifices by fire to the god Molech.265 The mother of Solomon's heir, Rehoboam, is Naamah, an Ammonite princess (1 Kings 14:21). She, and perhaps her son, worship at the shrine Solomon builds for them.

Chemosh is the national deity of Moab (verse 7). Human sacrifices were offered to this god (2 Kings 3:27).266 Both Chemosh and Molech seem to be local manifestations of the astral deity, the Venus star, Athtar.267

4. "Did evil" (verse 6)

"So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done." (1 Kings 11:6)

The act of building shrines to false gods is evil, wickedness "in the eyes of the Lord."268 In the judgment of Yahweh, who is the Judge of All the Earth (Genesis 18:25), Solomon has crossed an important line -- from righteousness to wickedness.

5. "Built a high place" (verse 7)

"7 On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place269 for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molech 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." (1 Kings 11:7-8)

Perhaps Solomon doesn't burn incense or make sacrifices to the gods himself -- or maybe he does -- but he builds shrines to these gods to enable pagan worship on a high place east of Jerusalem. As mentioned in Lesson 2.1, pagan cultic locations were usually located on natural heights. A high place (bāmâ) or cultic platform would typically have an idol, an Asherah pole, perhaps one or more stone pillars or standing stones to symbolize the male deity, and a stone altar.270

Isn't it ironic that the famous builder of the temple on Mount Moriah is also the builder of pagan shrines on a nearby hilltop?

These pagan high places Solomon builds continue long after Solomon's death. Only after 300 years are they destroyed during a revival of Yahweh worship under Josiah (about 628 BC).

Solomon's Pagan Shrines on the Hill of Corruption
Solomon's Pagan Shrines on the Hill of Corruption (larger map)

"13 King [Josiah] also desecrated the high places that were east of Jerusalem on the south of the Hill of Corruption -- the ones Solomon king of Israel had built ... 14 Josiah smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles and covered the sites with human bones." (2 Kings 23:13-14)

The location of the Mount of Corruption isn't known for certain, but early Christians identified it with the southern knoll of the ridge properly known as the Mount of Olives, known today as Jebel bāṭn el-Hawā, "the ridge of the wind."271

What is the effect of a quasi-officially-sanctioned worship place for foreign gods adjacent to the capital city itself? It makes openly pagan worship acceptable. It is impossible to ban high places and demand strict adherence to Yahweh so long as pagan high places remain in Jerusalem. By his actions, Solomon has created permission for false worship that will plague his people for hundreds of years.

Yahweh Appears to Solomon a Third Time (1 Kings 11:9-10)

The narrative continues.

"9 The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord's command." (1 Kings 11:9-10)

Only a few in the Bible have God actually appear to them. Solomon experiences three recorded appearances of God:

  1. Promise. At Gibeon (1 Kings 3:5-15) where Solomon asks for wisdom to govern God's people.
  2. Covenant. After the completion of the temple (1 Kings 9:1-9), where God reaffirms to Solomon the Davidic Covenant and the importance of obedience and shunning idolatry.
  3. Rebuke. As we'll see in a moment, after Solomon's idolatry with his foreign wives' gods (1 Kings 11:9-13), God tells him that part of the kingdom will be torn from his son.

Yahweh's Rebuke of Solomon (1 Kings 11:11-13)

It is bad to have the God of the Universe angry with you! Yahweh doesn't mince words:

"11 So the Lord said to Solomon, 'Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear272 the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates.
12 Nevertheless, for the sake of David 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 for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.'" (1 Kings 11:11--13)

I've wondered how God's words to Solomon have come down to us. Solomon, of course, would have every motive to keep them secret. So I expect that these words came through a prophet sent by God, who recorded them. (2 Chronicles omits Yahweh's rebuke of Solomon completely.) Let's look at this prophecy carefully.

Yahweh calls out Solomon's actions273 of building shrines to false gods, which clearly demonstrate that he intends to keep neither God's covenant ("You shall have no other gods before me") nor numerous commandments against idolatry in the Law.

The result will be fulfillment of the warning God had given him in his second appearance to him of what will happen if the nation falls into idolatry -- ultimately cutting off Israel from her land and rejecting the temple (1 Kings 9:6-7). At this point, the idolatry is centered in King Solomon and his wives, but rapidly spreads among his subjects. The punishment isn't fully realized yet -- that will wait until the destruction of the temple in 587 BC by the Babylonians. The punishment here is severe, but mitigated.

I see three aspects to the punishment that Yahweh outlines in his appearance:

1. Replacement. The kingdom ruled by the House of David will be torn away and given to another.

"... I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates." (verse 11b)

This subordinate is Jeroboam, currently in exile, who had managed the corvée workforce for the tribe of Joseph (1 Kings 11:28)

2. Timing. Punishment will place after Solomon's death

"Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son." (verse 12)

3. Mitigation. The tearing away will not be complete, but Solomon's sons will henceforth rule over only the tribe of Judah.

"Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe274 for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen." (verse 13)

That Solomon's son Rehoboam retains kingship over the tribe of Judah is important for two reasons: (1) it fulfills the promise of the Davidic Covenant that a son of David will always have the throne; and (2) it protects Jerusalem, the center of Yahweh worship, from the gross idolatry that rapidly takes over the northern kingdom that splits off.

The tragedy of Solomon is highlighted by two verses we've seen before -- one early in the account of Solomon's life and the other from the Book of Nehemiah, written after the return from exile.

"Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places." (1 Kings 3:3)

"Among the many nations there was no king like [Solomon]. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women." (Nehemiah 13:26)

What a strong legacy Solomon could have left if he had remained faithful to Yahweh!

6.2 Solomon's Adversaries (1 Kings 11:14-40)

Like all kings, Solomon has constant adversaries and small rebellions to deal with. But in Solomon's case, God is the Instigator.

"Then the Lord raised up against Solomon an adversary..." (1 Kings 11:14)

Three adversaries foment rebellion in three neighboring lands controlled by Solomon -- Edom, Aram (Syria), and Moab.

Rebellion in Edom and Syria (1 Kings 11:12-25)

Hadad the Edomite has a history. He is a royal prince who escapes when David's general Joab was destroying the defeated land of Edom. While still a boy, he is given refuge in Egypt, ruled by David's enemy, a different Pharaoh -- not Solomon's father-in-law. Pharaoh favors Hadad and gives him his wife's sister in marriage. When David dies, Hadad returns to Edom and foments rebellion in Edom during Solomon's reign.

Another adversary who evades David's army is Rezon, an escaped slave of the king of Zobah. He leads a guerilla band that goes to Damascus, capital of Aram, and takes control. From there he causes constant trouble in the land of Aram, northeast of Israel.

Jeroboam Son of Nebat (1 Kings 11:26-40)

A much more dangerous adversary is Jeroboam, son of Nebat, a man from the tribe of Ephriam who has been one of Solomon's officials over the labor crew or corvée from the tribe of Ephraim (Solomon's District 1) that was shoring up defenses in the old city of David, specifically the Millo, mentioned in Lesson 5.2. When Solomon sees how capable he was, he places him over all the workers in his corvée.

Ahijah the Prophet

Richard Andre, 'Ahijah Caught the New Garment' (1890)
Richard Andre, 'Ahijah Caught the New Garment' (1890), illustration in Look and Lear, Bible book published by SPCK (larger image)

As Jeroboam is leaving Jerusalem late in Solomon's reign, he is met by a prophet.

"29 About that time Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, and Ahijah 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 it into twelve pieces." (1 Kings 11:29-30)

You recall that when Yahweh appears a third time to Solomon says, "I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates" (1 Kings 11:11).

The prophet demonstrates this to Jeroboam in a literal tearing of a garment in a kind of enacted prophecy. Then the prophet tells Jeroboam to take ten pieces of the cloak for himself, and speaks to him an awesome prophecy from "Yahweh, the God of Israel" (1 Kings 11:31a-33).275 The prophet states the reason for dividing the kingdom: as a punishment because Solomon and the people have "forsaken me and worshiped" the false gods.

In verses 34-36, the prophet talks about the mitigation of the punishment mentioned in Lesson 6:1 above (1 Kings 11:11--13). The mitigation is due to the promises God had given David decades previously in what is known as the Davidic Covenant. The rebellious tribes nominally include all the 12 tribes except Judah and Benjamin (2 Chronicles 11:12). In practice, many of the priests and Levites also immigrate to Judah so they can participate in temple worship (2 Chronicles 11:13-15; 15:9). So do other loyal worshippers of Yahweh (2 Chronicles 11:16; 15:9).

Yahweh's Stunning Offer to Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:37-39)

Now we come to an astounding promise Yahweh makes to Jeroboam: If you walk in my ways, I will make an everlasting dynasty for you and your descendants! (1 Kings 11:37-39).

Jeroboam has an opportunity, but because of his desire to quickly consolidate his new kingdom, he doesn't continue to follow Yahweh. Nevertheless, Jeroboam is privileged to be a tool in God's hands, if only for a time.

Solomon learns of Jeroboam's threat -- perhaps of the prophecy itself -- and issues an all-points bulletin for Jeroboam's arrest and execution. But Jeroboam is too quick for Solomon and flees to Egypt (1 Kings 11:40). As we'll see, Jeroboam returns after Solomon's son Rehoboam becomes king, and rebels against him, seizing kingship of the 10 northern tribes to form the Kingdom of Israel.

6.3 Solomon's Death and Heir (1 Kings 11:41-43; 2 Chronicles 9:29-31)

Solomon's death takes place in about 932 BC after a long reign of 40 years. I am sure they had an extended time of mourning in the extravagant manner of King Solomon, but there is no mention of it. Not now. Not after Solomon's great sin.

"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 fathers and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king." (1 Kings 11:41--43)

Though we are not told Solomon's age at his succession, scholars believe he was 20 to 25 when he ascended the throne, and 60 to 65 when he died. It is not a particularly long life according to the standard of Psalms 90:10.

"The years of our life are seventy,
or even by reason of strength eighty." (Psalm 90:10a)

I find it curious that we learn nothing about any of Solomon's dozens of children except for one, Rehoboam, his successor! Perhaps Solomon had wisely dealt with them as Rehoboam deals with his own children,276 to keep them from rising up against him.

6.4 Dispersal of What Solomon Had Built

Solomon is the last monarch of the united kingdom and Israel's last great king. Now comes the sad story of what happens after his death, once his strong grip on the levers of power is released.

Most of what Solomon has built over forty years is dispersed within a few years. It reminds me of the cynicism of the Preacher of Ecclesiastes:

"For who knows what is good for a man in life, during the few and meaningless days he passes through like a shadow? Who can tell him what will happen under the sun after he is gone?" (Ecclesiastes 6:12)

1. Disappearance of Solomon's Wisdom (1 Kings 12:1-15)

Hans Holbein the Younger, detail of 'Rehoboam' (1497), fragment of wall painting from Basel Town Hall Council Chamber.
Hans Holbein the Younger, detail of 'Rehoboam' (1497), fragment of wall painting from Basel Town Hall Council Chamber.

The written legacy of Solomon remains for us today in Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and two of the Psalms. Some of these Solomon either writes or inspires during the revival of Wisdom literature in his court.

But the wisdom by which Solomon balances the opposing forces that threaten his kingdom does not long survive him. 1 Kings 12 takes up the story of his son, Rehoboam and the rebel Jeroboam.

"1 Rehoboam went to Shechem,277 for all the Israelites had gone there to make him king. 2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt." (1 Kings 12:1--2)

There had long been tension between the northern tribes and Judah, the tribe of David and Solomon. David struggles with this tension on his return to Jerusalem following his son Absalom's revolt (2 Samuel 18:19b-43). Solomon makes it worse by taxing the northern tribes with corvée labor for his building projects while seemingly passing over Judah (Lesson 2.5). Now the alienation of these ten northern tribes confronts Solomon's son Rehoboam.

The northern tribes know of Solomon's enmity with Jeroboam, of Jeroboam's obvious administrative gifts, and that he is one of them. He is a member of the northern tribe of Ephraim. The northern tribes make the rebel Jeroboam their spokesman -- which must have galled Rehoboam no end!

The heavy labor requirements of the corvée on the northern tribes has caused a great deal of resentment. They demand significant relief as their price of allegiance to the new king.

"Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you." (1 Kings 12:4)

Rehoboam consults with his father's counselors, selected by Solomon for their wisdom, and they counsel lightening the requirement.

"If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants." (1 Kings 12:7)

Then Rehoboam asks his friends, the young men he has grown up with, who advise a show of strength and defiance in the face of the northern tribes' demands. So Rehoboam answers harshly.

"My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions." (1 Kings 12:14)

Almost immediately after Solomon's death, Rehoboam rejects Solomon's wisdom that has kept the kingdom at peace for forty years.

2. Dissolution of the Kingdom

The united kingdom of the twelve tribes, the sons of Jacob, quickly falls apart. When Israel hears Rehoboam's harsh answer, their response is swift:

"What share do we have in David,
what part in Jesse's son?
To your tents, O Israel!
Look after your own house, O David!" (1 Kings 12:16)

With that, the Israelites leave for home and refuse to serve Rehoboam. When Rehoboam raises an army to compel them, God speaks to them through the Prophet Shemaiah:

"This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing." (1 Kings 12:24)

When they hear that, the troops obey and return home.

Divided Kingdom under Rehoboam (931 BC).
Divided Kingdom under Rehoboam (931 BC). larger map

The ten northern tribes make Jeroboam king of the new Kingdom of Israel. Rehoboam remains king of the southern Kingdom of Judah, comprised of Judah and the tiny tribe of Benjamin (and whatever is left of the tribe of Simeon located in southern Judah).

In order to prevent people of the northern tribes from going to worship at the temple in Jerusalem -- which would perpetuate Rehoboam's influence -- Jeroboam sets up two golden calves, one in the south, Bethel, and one in north, Dan. The "sin of Jeroboam" (1 Kings 13:34) quickly leads the northern tribes into worship of these false gods, precipitating the final destruction of the northern kingdom in 722 BC at the hands of Assyria. Jeroboam chooses priests for these pagan worship sites who are not the priests and Levites of the temple. So gradually, those faithful to Yahweh, migrate south to Judah.

"13 The priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel sided with [Rehoboam]. 14 The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property, and came to Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the Lord.... 16 Those from every tribe of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the Lord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their fathers." (2 Chronicles 11:13-14, 16)

3. Loss of Regional Domination

Solomon had positioned troops to maintain an empire. Now, with Rehoboam's loss of Israel and, with it, suzerainty over Syria and Phoenicia to the north, Rehoboam strengthens the defenses of Judah (2 Chronicles 11:5-12). But Rehoboam's military weakness becomes known throughout the region. Five years after his ascension to the throne, a new and vigorous Pharaoh of Egypt attacks with twelve hundred chariots, sixty thousand horsemen, and vast forces, including Libyans, Sukkiim,278 and Ethiopians. A new world power has arisen!

4. Seizure of Solomon's Wealth

The 21st Dynasty in Egypt has been weak during most of Solomon's reign. However, a new Pharaoh displaces the former ruler and begins the 22nd (Libyan) Dynasty in 945 BC. Pharaoh Shishak of the Bible is identified with Shoshenq I of the Egyptian monuments. After consolidating his power within Egypt, the new Pharaoh sends his armies north.

"25 In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. 26 He carried off the treasures of the temple of the Lord and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made." (1 Kings 14:25-27)

Suddenly, about 925 BC, the fabulous wealth that Solomon had accumulated in his palace and the treasures of Solomon's temple disappear and go to Egypt.

5. Desecration of Solomon's Pagan Shrines

Sadly, some of the most enduring legacies of Solomon's reign are the pagan shrines he has erected on the Mount of Corruption across the Kidron from Jerusalem. Their presence gives permission for idolatry for 300 years until they are desecrated and destroyed by Josiah about 628 BC (2 Kings 23:13).279

Under Solomon's son, Rehoboam, pagan worship flourishes. Immediately after mentioning that his mother was an Ammonite, we read:

"22 Judah did evil in the eyes of the Lord. By the sins they committed they stirred up his jealous anger more than their fathers had done. 23 They also set up for themselves high places, sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. 24 There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land; the people engaged in all the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites." (1 Kings 14:22--24)

Had Solomon set an example of clear allegiance to Yahweh, the story of the nation could have been very different.

6. Destruction of Solomon's Temple

The northern kingdom of Israel ends in 722 BC when the Assyrians deport its leaders. The southern kingdom of Judah endures another 135 years until Jerusalem and Solomon's glorious temple is destroyed in 587 BC by the Babylonians. Whatever was left of the treasure is now gone for good.

"Nebuchadnezzar removed all the treasures from the temple of the Lord and from the royal palace, and took away all the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made for the temple of the Lord." (2 Kings 24:13)

Even the massive bronze pillars in front of the temple, the moveable bronze stands, and the huge bronze laver in front of the temple are broken up and taken to Babylon (2 Kings 25:13-17). Then the Babylonians set fire to the temple before leaving Jerusalem in ruins. It is gone. The temple is rebuilt nearly 70 years later when some of the Jews return from exile, after the Persian Empire defeats the Babylonians (Ezra 3). Some of the gold articles from the temple now in the treasury of King Cyrus of Persia are returned to the Jews to be used in the new temple (Ezra 1:7-11).

This Second Temple is extensively remodeled by Herod the Great (reigned 40 to 4 BC). This is where Jesus, Solomon's descendant (Matthew 1:6-7), teaches in "Solomon's Colonnade," a covered porch named in memory of Solomon (John 10:23; Acts 3:11; 5:12).280

Solomon's Legacy and Our Own

One of the questions a reflection on Solomon's legacy brings home is: What will be your legacy when you are gone? What will your family remember of you? Your church? Your community? Your neighbors? Your fellow workers?

Solomon started well, but ended poorly. But it is possible for us to start poorly and end well. My prayer for you is that you will assess your own life, and seek to build from this point on a godly legacy to leave to your world -- with Christ's help.

6.5 Solomon's Strengths and Weaknesses

We've spent time looking rather closely at Solomon's life. It is time to assess his strengths and achievements -- and he had many -- and contrast them with his weaknesses, which become more apparent in his declining years.

Solomon's Strengths and Achievements

Solomon is greatly gifted and blessed.

1. God chooses Solomon to be king. Solomon isn't king because he is the oldest living son. He is king because God tells David that Solomon is God's choice to build the temple. At his birth, the prophet gives him the name Jedediah, "Loved by God." God appears to him twice to encourage him. That God is his strength is no platitude. Yahweh loves him and gives him the talents and abilities to accomplish his calling (Lesson 1.2).

2. Solomon loves God and walks in David's statues. Early in his reign, Solomon demonstrates his love for God by his obedience to the Torah. His choice to ask for wisdom and his exhortations and prayers at the dedication of the temple indicate a man who loves and believes in Yahweh (Lesson 4.2 and Lesson 4.6).

3. Solomon is extremely intelligent, a genius of sorts. It is hard to read of Solomon's life and not conclude that he has an amazing intellect and a desire to learn. In some areas, he may have been at a genius level. Much of what he is able to accomplish is due to the native intelligence God generously gives him, as well as the special wisdom to govern that God bestows on him (Lesson 2.2).

4. Solomon follows a successful monarch and builds on David's successes. Solomon's father, David, is a man of faith and extremely successful in his own right. Solomon builds on the suzerainty David had established over the surrounding nations and takes advantage of David's extensive preparations for the temple. But Solomon doesn't live in his father's shadow for too long. He carves out his own achievements as well.

5. Solomon builds the Temple. This is a massive seven-year project, but Solomon gets it done. He will always be remembered for this achievement (Lesson 3).

6. Solomon supports and codifies temple worship. Solomon not only builds the temple, he provides regular temple sacrifices to atone for the nation's sins. He sets in place a regular order of priestly and Levitical worship and care for a temple that endures for hundreds of years (Lesson 4.5).

7. Solomon is a man of prayer. His prayer of dedication of the temple in the eleventh year of his reign is a model of humility and insight (Lesson 4.2)

8. Solomon reforms government. The bureaucracy of government grows in complexity under Solomon, which enables him to accomplish much of what he does in building and defense (Lesson 2.4).

9. Solomon increases Israel's prominence in international affairs. During David's reign, Israel becomes a regional power with many vassal states under him reaching from the border with Egypt to the Euphrates River. Throughout his reign, Solomon maintains this suzerainty, despite various rebellions he has to put down. In addition, through a series of treaties -- including marriage treaties forbidden in the Law -- he partners with other regional powers such Egypt and Phoenicia. He is a skillful diplomat (Lesson 2.5).

10. Solomon enjoys trading successes. Solomon partners with Phoenicia to develop a fleet of Israelite trading ships both in the Mediterranean as well as the Far East through his port in the Red Sea. His negotiation of trade routes with the Queen of Sheba and others ensures growing wealth from tariffs when caravans cross lands controlled by Israel (Lesson 5.3).

11. Solomon supports justice in courts. Though he gains a personal reputation for justice with his famed decision about which woman is the true mother of the living child, Solomon insists upon justice and sets up courts that exercise the rule of law throughout Israel (Lesson 2.4).

12. Solomon takes special care for the needy in his kingdom. In Psalm 72 and some of the Proverbs, it is clear that Solomon sees care for the poor as the king's God-given responsibility (Lesson 2.4).

13. Solomon strengthens Israel's defenses. Many of Solomon's building projects are intended to strengthen defenses both in Jerusalem and in key fortified cities that protect the interior of his country. He also garrisons troops, horses, and chariots in key locations (Lesson 5.2).

14. Solomon enjoys peace during his reign. Of course, peace depends upon God's plan and what is going on in the affairs of great nations that are Solomon's neighbors. But Solomon is not a warrior bent on conquest of new territory. While Solomon successfully defends Israel, God allows him a season of peace (Introduction and Lesson 2.5).

15. Solomon accumulates fabulous wealth (Lesson 5.5). Without a doubt, Solomon is one of the wealthiest kings in the entire region. This wealth enables him to do much building as well as shoring up of defenses (Lesson 5.2), but it also has a downside, as we'll see under weaknesses.

16. Solomon curates and writes proverbs and Wisdom Literature. We know that Solomon actively writes proverbs and songs. He is a brilliant poet. Certainly, he has a large hand in the Book of Proverbs, and may have authored (or inspired authorship of) the Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes (Lesson 2.6). It could be said that Solomon's literary interest creates an intellectual environment in which knowledge, proverbs, and other Wisdom literature can flourish in his court and kingdom.

17. Solomon serves as a "poster boy" for Yahweh in the Middle East. Solomon's widely-known successes point to the power of Yahweh his God. So long as he follows the Lord, Solomon's glory redounds to the glory of God (1 Kings 10:9).

If we were grading on relative strengths vs. perceived weaknesses, Solomon would win easily. He is probably the most accomplished man, let alone king, of his time.

Q23. From the list above, which do you think are Solomon's five or six greatest strengths and accomplishments? Why is Solomon so gifted?
https://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/2266-q23-strengths/

Solomon's Weaknesses and Sins

Everyone, no matter how little known or famous, has both strengths and weaknesses. Every leader on earth is a flawed leader. Now that we have examined Solomon's life, we can assess Solomon's weaknesses and learn from these.

It is important that we judge Solomon by the moral standards of his day, not ours, though we can take note of Christian moral standards. Solomon is a man of his times, but a man who lives large.

He is the first king of whom it is said, that he "did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely...." (1 Kings 11:6). Sadly, this phrase is repeated again and again in 1 and 2 Kings,281 but it is spoken first of Solomon.

1. Solomon worships on the High Places. Early in the account of Solomon, we learn one of his mistakes.

"Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places." (1 Kings 3:3)

In one sense, 1 and 2 Kings use this kind of formulaic sentence to assess the various kings (Lesson 2.1). But in this disobedience are the seeds of the apostasy that is Solomon's fatal flaw.

2. Solomon is a womanizer with an excessive number of wives and concubines. As we discussed in Lesson 6.1 above, God doesn't fault Saul, David or Solomon for the number of their wives. But by any measure, Solomon's 700 wives and 300 concubines are excessive. I conclude that Solomon's womanizing and sexual desire constitute a weakness that leads to his fatal flaw. Deuteronomy warns future kings:

"He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold." (Deuteronomy 17:17)

Solomon cares amply for his harem's food, clothing, and lodging, but keeps his women isolated from the outside world for the rest of their lives under guard. Solomon's wives lead him astray. If sacrificing on high places is one ingredient in Solomon's fatal flaw, his love of women is another. The way Solomon treats women and oppresses the foreigners in Israel would cause us concern, but for his time, what he is doing is considered normal.

3. Solomon accumulates unsustainable family and bureaucratic expenses. The result of having a huge harem of wives and concubines is the number of children begotten, as well as the army of servants and resources needed to feed and serve those at the king's table. Solomon's 12 tax district governors are created to support not only his building projects, but "supplied provisions for the king and the royal household. Each one had to provide supplies for one month in the year" (1 Kings 4:7). I can't help but believe that Solomon's wives are deeply resented by the Israelites who are taxed to pay for their upkeep.

4. Solomon accumulates excessive wealth. By any measure, Solomon is fabulously wealthy. The annual tribute from foreign countries he receives is 666 talents of gold, which on today's gold market would be the equivalent of nearly three trillion US dollars (See Lesson 5.5). Yet he continues to tax his districts to pay for household expenses. Solomon doesn't know what to do with all his wealth, so he makes gold shields to hang on the palace walls. We consider again the warning of Deuteronomy:

"He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold." (Deuteronomy 17:17)

5. Solomon seems to favor his own tribe at the expense of the others. For all of Solomon's justice, he seems to be unfair to the tribes of Israel. From the Hebrew text of 1 Kings, it appears that Solomon sets up 12 tax districts that include his whole territory, except for the tribe of Judah.282 As a result of the heavy burden of taxation and corvée for Solomon's building projects, the ten northern tribes rebel after Solomon's death. (See Lesson 2.5 and Lesson 3.2.)

6. Fatherhood. I can't help but conclude that Solomon does a poor job as a father, in that he does not produce a wise heir in Rehoboam. We are told nothing at all of his other numerous children. But by necessity, Solomon's sons have no father to care for them personally and guide them to manhood, nor do his wives have a husband who really loves them.

7;. Idolatry. Solomon becomes an idolator!

Solomon's Fatal Flaw - Idolatry

All of us have strengths and weaknesses. All of us. But Solomon's seventh weakness is a fatal flaw that becomes a damning legacy. Later in his reign, he sets up pagan worship centers for his foreign wives, high places on a hill east of Jerusalem (See Lesson 6.1 above). His polygamy turns Solomon into a polytheist.283

The God who loves him is now angry with him. Idolatry is apostasy, the ultimate sin of turning away from God to worship other gods. We serve a forgiving God, whose mercy is beyond understanding. But his grace requires repentance. The story we have of Solomon's life and death indicates no repentance.

Centuries after Solomon, the Prophet Ezekiel put it this way:

"If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die." (Ezekiel 18:24)

On the other hand, in God's promise to David concerning his son Solomon, we see a significant promise:

"14 When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you." (2 Samuel 7:14--15)

We know that God mitigates the timing of Solomon's punishment for the sake of God's love for David (1 Kings 11:12-13). Does that mean that God ultimately forgives Solomon his idolatry? We're not told.

Solomon comes to a sad end. So intelligent! So loved by God! Capable of so much! But in the end, he is an idolator whose sin of idolatry accelerates idolatry in Israel and Judah for the next 300 years.

Q24. Of the list of 7 of Solomon's weaknesses, which two or three do you think are most damaging. Why does persistent sin ruin such an accumulation of good works that Solomon did?
https://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/2267-q24-weaknesses/

Drifting

Solomon starts out well. Only at the end of his reign does he begin to move away from Yahweh and begin to favor and follow false gods. I see this as drifting, gradually, imperceptibly at first, moving away from his first love. We all must resist this danger. The writer of Hebrews exhorts us.

"We must pay more careful attention,284 therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away."285 (Hebrews 2:1)

Christ's letters to the Seven Churches of Revelation should be a warning for us.

Church at Ephesus: "I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love." (Revelation 2:4)

The Church at Laodicea is a wealthy church, but Jesus tells them that they are like insipid, lukewarm water.

"'Because you are lukewarm -- neither hot nor cold -- I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked." (Revelation 3:16--17)

Solomon drifts. His wealth and power gradually make him imagine himself a law to himself. He slowly leaves the God who loves him and replaces this allegiance to Yahweh with a desire to follow gods of wood and stone. How blind! How very sad!

Q25. (Hebrews 2:1) Why is gradual drifting more dangerous than suddenly giving in to a temptation? How can you protect yourself from drifting away from the Lord?
https://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/2268-q25-drifting/

6.6 Solomon's Descendant Is Jesus the Messiah

Solomon's descendants on the throne of Judah share many of his weaknesses. There are a few highlights of God-loving kings of Judah, but not many. Matthew's genealogy lists Solomon as an ancestor of the Messiah:

"David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife,
Solomon the father of Rehoboam..." (Matthew 1:6b-7)

The genealogy continues with century after century of descendants, until it concludes this way:

"And Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary,
of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ." (Matthew 1:16)

Jesus Messiah is descended from a series of sinners, both mothers and fathers, down through the ages. Unique among them all, Jesus alone is sinless.

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are -- yet was without sin." (Hebrews 4:15)

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Jesus died for our sins, so that we might not die in them. If we repent and trust in him there is hope for us. The Apostle John wrote:

"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense -- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:1-2)

Indeed, Jesus Christ is here, sent by God, the One with whom we have to reckon. As Jesus sees the crowds increasing, seeking some kind of miracle, he reflects on Solomon's life.

"The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here." (Luke 11:31; cf. Matthew 12:42)

When Jesus came to his hometown of Nazareth, those who "heard him were amazed. 'Where did this man get these things?' they asked. 'What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!'" (Mark 6:2). Paul explains,

"... You are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God -- that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption." (1 Corinthians 1:30)

Life of Solomon, by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
Available in book formats - PDF, Kindle, Paperback

"In [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Colossians 2:3)

My friend, Jesus is the One Greater than Solomon, who shares God's wisdom with all who will hear. Seek with all your heart Jesus the Messiah, the holy descendant of Solomon, that you might know God's life-saving wisdom for your life.

Prayer

Father, thank you for Solomon's greatness due to your gifting and blessing. Help each of us to enjoy your blessings without letting them tempt us to drift away from following You with all our hearts. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Lessons for Disciples

As we assess Solomon's life, we see many lessons for followers of the Lord.

  1. Solomon's extremely large harem seems to indicate that he is driven by a large sexual appetite, rather than just a desire to show power, wealth, and make marriage alliances (1 Kings 11:3).
  2. Solomon's huge harem means that he cannot be a true husband to any of his wives or father to his children.
  3. Solomon breaks the commandments that prohibit intermarriage with non-believers (Deuteronomy 7:5-6; 1 Kings 2:1-2).
  4. Solomon is faithful to God early in his reign, but when he is older, he builds shrines for his wife's pagan gods and "follows" them, making him a polytheist in disobedience to the 10 Commandments (1 Kings 11:4-8; Ex 20:3-5).
  5. A desire to please his wives turns Solomon away from wholehearted, single-minded worship of the One God (1 Kings 11:4-5; Nehemiah 13:26; Matthew 6:24; Luke 14:26).
  6. Solomon "did evil" in God's sight (1 Kings 11:6).
  7. Solomon's sin in building pagan high places perpetuates idolatry in Jerusalem and the kingdom for the next 300 years (2 Kings 23:13-14). Our sins can affect those who follow us.
  8. God rebukes Solomon for his idolatry, but mitigates the punishment by delaying it until after Solomon's death and leaving Judah two tribes (1 Kings 11:9-13).
  9. God offers Jeroboam, Solomon's adversary, his own everlasting dynasty if he will follow Yahweh faithfully -- though Jeroboam rejects it (1 Kg11:37-39).
  10. The wisdom that characterizes Solomon's reign, the United Kingdom he has ruled, his regional domination, and his wealth do not survive for long after his death.
  11. The pagan shrines Solomon builds are not destroyed for 300 years under King Josiah. Solomon's temple is destroyed after 372 years in 587 BC.
  12. Solomon had many gifts, strengths, and achievements including: God's backing, love for God, wisdom, intelligence, regional dominance, building a temple, supporting and establishing temple worship, prayer, government reform, trading success, concern for justice and for the poor, peace, fabulous wealth, literary achievements in proverbs and songs, and serving as a visible representative of Yahweh's greatness in the Middle East.
  13. Solomon's sins and weaknesses include worshiping on the high places, being a womanizer, accumulating unsustainable expenses for his family and bureaucracy, accumulating excessive wealth, favoring his own tribe at the expense of the others, being a poor father and husband, and worshiping false gods as a polytheist.
  14. Solomon drifts gradually from being a faithful follower of Yahweh to becoming a polytheist (Hebrews 2:1).
  15. Solomon's descendant Jesus the Messiah is the only one who is without sin (Matthew 1;6-7, 16; Hebrews 4;15; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
  16. Jesus is the One who is greater than Solomon (Luke 11:31), and is our Wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30; Colossians 2:3).

Endnotes

References and Abbreviations

[249] 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings were originally all part of a single document (see the Introduction). David's adultery and murder of Bathsheba's husband are detailed in 2 Samuel 11 and 12, and mentioned in the ascription to David's penitential Psalm 51, and in Jesus' genealogy in Matthew 1:6.

[250] 1 Chronicles 21 does record David's sin in conducting a census of Israel. Perhaps this is included since Solomon's Temple is a major theme in 2 Chronicles, and David's atonement takes place at the threshing floor of Arunah, the future site of the temple.

[251] 2 Chronicles 9:29; 1 Kings 11:29-39; 2 Chronicles 10:1-15.

[252] Selman, 2 Chronicles, p. 350.

[253] Full wives have greater status. But we must understand a concubine not as a kept mistress, but as a wife of secondary rank (Wiseman, 1&2 Kings, p. 68).

[254] Robert L. Alden, ʾāhēb, TWOT #29.

[255] Abraham, and Jacob all have multiple wives without any rebuke from God. Saul has at least one wife and one concubine (1 Samuel 14:50; 2 Samuel 3:7; 12:8). David has eight wives, plus at least ten concubines -- plus Saul's wives and concubines -- in his harem (2 Samuel 3:1-4; 5:13; 16:21-22; 20:3). Rehoboam, Solomon's son, has 18 wives and 60 concubines (2 Chronicles 11:21).

[256] Wiseman (1&2 Kings, p. 84) says that "a thousand" can be used as a generalization that means "very many" (Deuteronomy 1:11). "The basic meaning is one thousand, but is often to be taken as a figurative term" (Jack B. Scott, ʾelep, TWOT #109a).

[257] Also Exodus 23:24; 34:13; Deuteronomy 12:2-3. High places were not removed until the time of King Josiah (2 Kings 23:6-14).

[258] Also, "redirect someone's loyalty to." Or, more positively, one's heart may be "inclined" to God and his commands (Joshua 24:23; 1 Kings 8:58; Psalm 119:36) (Marvin R. Wilson, nāṭâ, TWOT #1352). Holladay (p. 235) notes related meanings of nāṭâ in the Hiphil, including (5) "bend," pervert, warp justice; (6) "turn aside, divert," (7) "mislead," and (8) "turn" someone else's heart, that is, redirect someone's loyalty to (1 Kings 11:2, 4), or make someone's loyalty to pliable (2 Samuel 19:15).

[259] "Fully devoted" (NIV), "wholly devoted" (NASB), "wholly true" (ESV), "true" (NRSV), "perfect" (KJV) is the adjective shālēm, "perfect, whole, full," from shālēm, "to be complete, sound." It is related to a familiar Hebrew word, shālôm, or Shalom. Holladay (p. 373) sees three meanings: (1) uninjured, safe, (2) "complete," and (3) as in our verse, "peaceable, in relation of peace." With "heart" it means "undivided, peaceable heart or mind" (1 Kings 8:61; Isaiah 38:3).

[260] "Good" (NIV), "healthy" (ESV, NRSV), "single" (KJV) is aplous, "single, sincere, straightforward" (BDAG 104).

[261] "Followed" (NIV, NRSV), "went after" (ESV, KJV) is two words: the Qal of hālak, "go, walk," denoting movement in general (TWOT #498); and the preposition ʾaḥar, "after, behind" (of place) (TWOT #68b). "Apostasy is described as their "going after" other/false gods (Ex 32:1; Jer 5:23)" (Leonard J. Coppes, hālak, TWOT #498).

[262] Merriam Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary.

[263] Judges 3:7; 6:25, 26, 28, 30.

[264] K. G. Jung, "Asherah," ISBE 1:318.

[265] Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-5; 2 Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 32:35. R. K. Harrison, "Molech," ISBE 3:401.

[266] William Sanford La Sor, "Chemosh," ISBE 1:641.

[267] L. T. Geraty, "High Place," ISBE 2:710, I.G.

[268] "Did evil" is two words: the Qal verb ʿāśâ, "do, make" (TWOT #1708); and the noun raʿ, "evil, bad," In moral contexts, the word can mean, "evil, wickedness" (G. Herbert Livingston, rāʿaʿ, TWOT #2191). "Bad, evil," bad in the eyes of (= judgment) (Holladay, p. 341).

[269] "Built a high place" is two words: (1) the Qal of the verb bānâ, "build, rebuild" (TWOT #255); and (2) the noun bāmâ, "high place, bamah" (technical name for cultic platform) (TWOT #253).

[270] Elmer A. Martens, bāmâ, TWOT #253. L. T. Geraty, "High Place," ISBE 2:710, Sec. I.H.

[271] William Sanford La Sor, "Corruption, Mount of," ISBE 1:785.

[272] "Surely tear" or "most certainly tear" is the Qal of qāraʿ, "tear, tear in pieces." For emphasis, the word is doubled. The word has to do with rending cloth or a similar substance. It is most often used of tearing one's clothes in grief (Leonard J. Coppes, TWOT #2074).

[273] The first phrase in verse 11 has been variously translated, "Since this is your attitude...." (NIV), "your mind" (NRSV), "your practice" (ESV), "you have done this" (NASB), "behaved like this" (NJB), "is done of thee" (KJV). The Hebrew text doesn't refer to mind or attitude, however, but rather what Solomon has actually done.

[274] The author of Kings refers to "one tribe" (1 Kings 11:13, 32, 36; 12:20b; 2 Kings 17:18), since Judah essentially merges with Benjamin at this point (Wiseman, 1&2 Kings, p. 136). However, the Chronicler emphasizes that the tribe of Benjamin remains loyal to the southern Kingdom of Judah (2 Chronicles 11:1, 3, 10, 12, 23; 14:8; 15:2, 8, 9; 17:17; 25:5; 31:1; 34:9, 32). The tribe of Simeon, whose territory is in the south, is also gradually merged into Judah (Joshua 19:9; 2 Chronicles 15:9), and isn't mentioned in Kings. Of the three tribes, only Judah keeps its tribal integrity, so it is referred to in 1 Kings as "one tribe."

[275] It is obvious that the Chronicler knows of this prophecy (2 Chronicles 9:29), but chooses not to tell this part of the story.

[276] 2 Chronicles 11:22-23.

[277] Shechem is a regional center in the tribal area of Ephraim.

[278] The Sukkiim are speculated to be auxiliary Libyan forces from the western desert oases ("Sukkiim," ISBE 4:653, citing K.A. Kitchen in Williamson, 1 & 2 Chronicles, p. 247).

[279] S. J. Schultz, "Josiah," ISBE 2:1138-1139.

[280] Since Solomon's Temple is destroyed in 587 BC, Solomon's Colonnade in Herod's Temple wasn't part of Solomon's original temple, but perhaps reminiscent of one in the earlier temple (Willam Sanford LaSor, "Jerusalem," ISBE 2:1028, Sec. III, H, 22). Or perhaps it was named after the colonnade in Solomon's Palace compound (1 Kings 7:6, Lesson 5.1).

[281] "Did evil in the eyes of the Lord" is used a total of 26 times in 1 and 2 Kings (1 Kings 11:6; 14:33; 15:26, 34; 16:25, 30; 22:52; 2 Kings 3:2; 8:18, 27; 13:2, 11; 14:24; 15:9, 18, 24, 28; 17:2; 21:6, 9, 16, 20; 23:32, 37; 24:9, 19).

[282] According to the Greek Septuagint translation of 1 Kings 4:19, Judah also had its own officer.

[283] This great line is from Ryken, Solomon, p. 177.

[284] "Pay more careful attention" (NIV), "give the more earnest heed" (KJV), etc. is two words: the verb prosechō, "to pay close attention to something, pay attention to, give heed to, follow" (BDAG 879, 2b); and the adverb perissoterōs, "comparative, "even more" (BDAG 806).

[285] "Drift away" (NIV), "drift from" (ESV, NRSV), "let slip" (KJV) is pararreō, in imagery of flowing water ('flow by'), "be washed away, drift away" (BDAG 770).

King Solomon: Wisdom, Wealth, and Weakness

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