1 Kings 11 Study Notes

11:1-43 This chapter describes Solomon’s failures, which began in the early years of his rule.

11:1-2 David had also married foreign wives, but they did not change either his religious life or that of the nation. Solomon’s wives, on the other hand, were known devotees of their national deities. Solomon’s Hethite wives had historical ties with the old Hethite aristocracies of the preceding millennium. Ruth, the Moabitess, showed that there was no offense in marrying a foreigner who had converted (Ru 4:13).

11:3 Solomon’s many political marriages demanded respect for the resident princesses and the political groups they represented, especially when he was old and needed help in controlling the empire (vv. 14-40). Princesses probably designated his political wives in contrast to his three hundred ordinary harem women, or concubines.

11:4-8 These religious compromises were likely seen as politically expedient acts of courtesy to Solomon’s foreign wives, comparable to extraterritorial privileges that allow embassies in our time to conduct themselves according to the laws and customs of their native lands, but these common-sense principles conflicted with faith in God and God’s covenant with Israel. Both Ashtoreth (Astarte, Ishtar) and Milcom (Molech) were international deities worshiped under numerous names in different countries. Milcom/Molech was associated with child sacrifice (2Kg 23:10). Chemosh, by contrast, was a god of Moab, probably a god of war.

11:9-13 Two divine visions were not enough to keep Solomon faithful. His departure from the Lord produced a sentence of judgment, the execution of which was deferred and mitigated on account of his father David’s faithfulness and Jerusalem’s reputation as the Lord’s city (v. 32).

11:14-40 God began to weaken Solomon so that his empire and most of his kingdom would be lost at his death. This was accomplished both by providential intervention in normal trends and, in the case of Jeroboam, by direct prophetic intervention (vv. 29-33).

11:14-17 Though God tolerated many character flaws, including excessive violence, in his chosen servants of Israel, this tolerance did not prevent their evil acts from yielding evil fruit. For instance, the resentment in Edom against Joab and David for their brutality (2Sm 8:13-14) helped to weaken Solomon years later. All Israel refers only to the group under discussion—the soldiers involved in the campaign against Edom.

11:18-22 God used Pharaoh’s opportunism to weaken Solomon. Pharaoh exploited both Hadad and Jeroboam to undermine Solomon. The presence of foreign threats such as these could explain why Solomon willingly compromised his faith in order to appease his wives. He hoped better relations with his Egyptian wife might prompt Egypt to enact a more favorable foreign policy toward Israel. Even while Solomon lived, control over Edom was weak enough to permit Hadad to return home. An insecure Edom threatened the caravan routes from Eloth (9:26) northward.

11:23-25 Rezon, in moving from an outlaw warrior to a legitimate king, paralleled the career of King David. With Rezon’s rule, Damascus became Israel’s main enemy in Aram. Again, this situation developed while Solomon ruled.

11:26-28 Jeroboam is introduced as a rebel in an introductory summary of his career under Solomon.

11:29-32 God intervened in governmental affairs through the prophecy of Ahijah. The fact that ten tribes and one tribe does not account for all twelve tribes of Israel should not be taken as problematic. Levi may or may not be counted in such groupings, or Ahijah may have meant that one tribe would remain in addition to Judah (see note at 12:20).

11:33-36 God rejected Solomon because he encouraged false worship (vv. 5-8). He would be judged, but out of loyalty to David God would not completely reject Solomon’s dynasty.

11:37-39 The only major idea of the Davidic covenant that was neither offered nor implied to Jeroboam was the relationship defined by the words, “I will be his father, and he will be my son” (2Sm 7:14).

11:40 Solomon’s attempt to kill Jeroboam reduced him to the same tyranny as Saul when Saul tried to kill David. By sheltering Jeroboam, King Shishak of Egypt again meddled in Solomon’s affairs. The corrosion in Solomon’s rule was clear.

11:41-43 The Book of . . . Events was probably the official, factual record of the king. This succession statement, like all future succession statements, ignored the traditional leaders of the tribes. This formal close to Solomon’s rule was the writer’s signal that he was finished with Solomon’s era. Now the story moves to Solomon’s successor.