1 Kings 11:1-8. Strange wives turn away Solomon's heart (Not in Chronicles) 1. _Solomon loved many strange women_ Where polygamy was common there would be a great temptation to a powerful king to connect himself by marriage with all the nations about him. At the same time a large harem was an elemen... [ Continue Reading ]
_of the nations_concerning _which the Lord said_ The prohibition of intermarriage with the nations of Canaan is given in Exodus 34:16; Deuteronomy 7:3-4. Like so much else in the Law, it was a great ideal toward which neither the people nor their rulers were earnest in advancing, when they once beca... [ Continue Reading ]
_seven hundred wives, princesses_ The numbers in this verse are far in excess of those in the Song of Solomon, which makes mention (1 Kings 6:8) of threescore queens. But from the instances known of other monarchs there is little reason to question what is stated in this verse. Philippson (_die Isra... [ Continue Reading ]
_when Solomon was old_ At least half of the king's reign was over before the Temple and the king's house and the other buildings were completed. It was therefore in the latter half of his reign, and probably towards the close of that, when the influence of his wives gained undue sway over him. _perf... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians_ Ashtoreth was the chief female divinity of the Phœnicians, as Baal was their chief male deity. As Baal has been identified with the sun, so Ashtoreth has by some been thought to be the moon. Recent investigations have however connected the name of Ashtoreth w... [ Continue Reading ]
_a high place_ That -high places" were not abolished in Solomon's time we can see from 1 Kings 3:2-3, where see notes. The idea was that on a lofty height the worshipper drew nearer to his god, and so was able to offer a more acceptable sacrifice. Hence the erection of altars on the tops of hills, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_and likewise did he for all his strange wives_ i.e. For such of them as desired a special place for their worship. Ashtoreth, Chemosh and Moloch would suffice for the greater number, but we know of other gods among the nations round about, and the text implies that all were equally regarded. In the... [ Continue Reading ]
Anger of the Lord at these offences (Not in Chronicles) 9. _which had appeared unto him twice_ See 1 Kings 3:5 for the first appearance of the Lord in Gibeon; and (1 Kings 9:2) for the second when the Temple and the king's house were finished.... [ Continue Reading ]
_and had commanded him concerning this thing_ The command is recorded in substance in 1 Kings 6:12 and 1 Kings 9:6. No allusion is made in either place to the sort of temptation which led Solomon into this sin. _but he kept not_that _which the Lord commanded_ Instead of these words the LXX. gives -... [ Continue Reading ]
_the Lord said unto Solomon_ The message was perhaps by the mouth of one of the Prophets. The visions vouchsafed to Solomon had been in the time of his obedience. _Forasmuch as this is done of thee_ Literally -this is with thee." This is not an unusual form of expression for the plan or course of a... [ Continue Reading ]
_in thy days I will not do it_ For a similar postponement of God's penalty, cf. the history of Ahab (1 Kings 21:29). _for David thy father's sake_ An example of God's mercy shewn towards the descendants of them that love Him, as promised in the second commandment (Exodus 20:6), and typifying that f... [ Continue Reading ]
but _will give one tribe_ The reference is to the tribe of Judah from which the southern kingdom took its name. Benjamin which went with Judah was so small as to be hardly worth accounting of, and Simeon was also absorbed in Judah. The same form of words is used below (1 Kings 11:32) in the account... [ Continue Reading ]
Hadad the Edomite raised up as an adversary to Solomon (Not in Chronicles) 14. _And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon_ In David's time Edom had been reduced, but in the later days of Solomon, when his heart was turned away, an opportunity is offered for the representative of Edom to see... [ Continue Reading ]
_when David was in Edom_ The time alluded to is the period of David's conquests (2 Samuel 8:14), when it is said that all Edom became his servants. The LXX. says -when David destroyed Edom," which was perhaps the fact, as this verse shews, but is not stated in the earlier history. He conquered the l... [ Continue Reading ]
_for six months_ Not too long a time to be spent in establishing garrisons which might hold the land. _with all Israel_ This like the last verse must be understood only of such forces as were engaged in this war. David with a sufficient bodyguard would retire northward, through a country all his ow... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hadad fled_ Here the Hebrew text by an error of the scribe gives _Adad_as the name. Or is it because the aspirate gave people trouble then as now? _his father's servants_ This seems conclusive that Hadad's father had been king of Edom. The LXX. says _all_his father's servants escaped with him. _t... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they arose out of Midian_ It is not easy to decide what place or district is meant by Midian. The country so called in the time of Moses (Exodus 2:15; Exodus 3:1) could not have been far away from Mt. Sinai, and the fugitives from Edom would hardly have made their way to such a distance before... [ Continue Reading ]
_the queen_ The Hebrew word נבירה (_g'birah_) is not the usual word for -queen," but a title of special honour, used occasionally (1 Kings 15:13; 1 Chronicles 15:16) for the -queen-mother," always a person of great influence in an Oriental court.... [ Continue Reading ]
_weaned_ The weaning of a child was a great event in Eastern families, and an occasion of much rejoicing. Abraham made a feast (Genesis 21:8) the same day that Isaac was weaned. This may account for the part taken by the queen in this event.... [ Continue Reading ]
_when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers_ Hadad's first attempt to depart from Egypt was therefore soon after Solomon's accession. It is clear however from the history that it was only after some pressure that the Egyptian king allowed him to go. The mischief that he did (see 1 K... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he answered, Nothing_ The Hebrew has for the last word only the simple negative -Not." (See A.V. marg.) The verb -I have lacked" is to be supplied. _let me go in any wise_ The verb is not the same as that translated -go" in the former part of the verse. The R.V. marks the difference by renderi... [ Continue Reading ]
Another adversary raised up against Solomon (Not in Chronicles) 23. _And God stirred him up_another _adversary_ R.V. RAISED UP, as in 1 Kings 11:14. There it is said -the Lord (i.e. Jehovah)" raised up the adversary; here it is -God (Elohim)" who does it. There are some who see in this variation an... [ Continue Reading ]
_and he gathered men unto him_ The LXX. (_Alex._) says -men were gathered unto him." This only indicates different vowel points to the same consonants. But the difference in the sense would point to Rezon as one whom his countrymen regarded as a leader. _and became captain over a band_ (R.V. TROOP)... [ Continue Reading ]
_all the days of Solomon_ Probably Rezon was able to establish himself in Damascus even before the death of David. For some time he would be obliged to collect his strength to be ready for future attacks on Israel, but he may well have been a source of anxiety to Solomon from the first. Damascus was... [ Continue Reading ]
Rise of Jeroboam's hostility to Solomon. Ahijah's prophetic action and message (Not in Chronicles) 26. _Jeroboam the son of Nebat_ This is the first mention of him who afterwards is so frequently spoken of as the man -who made Israel to sin." We know nothing more of his parentage than is told us in... [ Continue Reading ]
_Millo_ Read THE MILLO. See above on 1 Kings 9:15. _and repaired the breaches of the city of David_ The verb signifies -to close up" and the noun is in the singular. Hence -to close up the breach" has been thought to mean the building a wall across the valley between Zion and Moriah, and so making... [ Continue Reading ]
_and Solomon seeing_ The verb is finite, therefore render (with R.V.) SAW. _was industrious_ Literally -did work." _he made him ruler over all the charge of_, &c. Better (with R.V., AND HE GAVE HIM CHARGE OVER ALL THE LABOUR (_Heb_. burden) _of the house of Joseph_, i.e. the tribe of Ephraim. The... [ Continue Reading ]
_at that time_ i.e. While the building-works at the Millo and the completion of the wall was in progress. _Ahijah the Shilonite_ This prophet, whose home was in Shiloh (see 1 Kings 14:2), is mentioned in connexion with this prophecy to Jeroboam and again when Jeroboam has become king, and sends his... [ Continue Reading ]
_and Ahijah caught_ R.V. LAID HOLD OF. The word is frequently used of the taking prisoners captive.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Take thee ten pieces_ With this symbolical action of Ahijah may be compared the -horns of iron" which Zedekiah made (1 Kings 22:11) to express most significantly the way in which he prophesied that Ahab should repulse the Syrians. _out of the hand of Solomon_ i.e. Of his immediate successor, as is... [ Continue Reading ]
_he shall have one tribe_ Benjamin was so small a tribe as scarcely to be worth counting. Judah was to give name to the southern part of the divided kingdom. The LXX. says "two tribes," which seems to be a correction introduced by the translators. See above on 1 Kings 11:13. All the other versions s... [ Continue Reading ]
_they have forsaken_ The examples of men in high place are infectious. Solomon's idolatry had led away others, and involved the nation in the sin of the king. The LXX. and other versions however have the verb in the singular. _and_to _keep my statutes_ The verb which in the previous clause is render... [ Continue Reading ]
_one tribe_ Here again, as in 32, the LXX. has -two tribes." _a light_ Literally -a lamp." The idea is quite an Oriental one. In the tent was hung the lamp, for constant lighting, and the permanency of the home is implied in the lamp which is not extinguished. Cf. Psalms 132:17. David's line was to... [ Continue Reading ]
_according to all that thy soul desireth_ Or (as margin R.V.) -over all &c." The prophet was, as it appears, aware of Jeroboam's ambition. Events were leading up to the coming separation of the kingdoms, and there may have been many opportunities for Jeroboam to disclose his desires and aims.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And it shall be_&c. The condition on which Jeroboam is set up is the same as that laid down for the family of David. As in their case transgression involved a downfall. _and will give Israel unto thee_ These words and the whole of 1 Kings 11:39 are omitted in the LXX.... [ Continue Reading ]
_but not for ever_ The glorious promises made to David's line were not to be withdrawn, and in the Messiah were abundantly fulfilled.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam_ No doubt the aspirations of Jeroboam, and the prophetic act and words of Ahijah would come to the king's ears, and make him anxious to remove a rival who had such special encouragement to prosecute his designs. _unto Shishak king of Egypt_ This is the fir... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the rest of the acts_ The usual rendering of this phrase is NOW THE REST, &c. and this has been adopted for uniformity's sake by the R.V. in this place. The word rendered -acts," in this and similar passages, means also -words," and in the case of such a king as Solomon, whose fame arose greatl... [ Continue Reading ]
_forty years_ The same length of reign as that of Saul and David. If Solomon's accession were 1015 b.c., his death took place in 975 b. c. Josephus gives -eighty years" as the length of the reign. But this agrees with no other record, and must be regarded as a mistake. King Solomon was not more than... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Solomon slept with his fathers_ The LXX. (_Vat._) continues -and they buried him in the city of David his father," and then joins on the words of 1 Kings 12:2 about Jeroboam hearing of Solomon's death in Egypt, adding, what is not found there, that -he made ready and came into his own city, int... [ Continue Reading ]