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1 Kings Chapter
Eleven
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 11
This
chapter relates the false steps Solomon took
notwithstanding all his wisdom
in marrying strange wives
and worshipping other gods
1 Kings 11:1 upon
which the Lord threatens him to rend the kingdom in his son's time
1 Kings 11:9 and he
raised up adversaries against him
Hadad
Rezon
and Jeroboam
1 Kings 11:14 of
which last an account is given
and of his being assured by Ahijah the prophet
of his having ten of the tribes of Israel given to him; which Solomon having
notice of sought to slay him
1 Kings 11:27 and
the chapter is concluded with an account of Solomon's death and burial
1 Kings 11:41.
1 Kings 11:1 But
King Solomon loved many foreign women
as well as the daughter of Pharaoh:
women of the Moabites
Ammonites
Edomites
Sidonians
and Hittites—
YLT
1And king Solomon hath loved
many strange women
and the daughter of Pharaoh
females of Moab
Ammon
Edom
Zidon
[and] of the Hittites
But King Solomon loved many strange women
.... His love
was a lustful and not a lawful one
and of women who were not only of foreign
countries
but not his lawful wives
and these many:
together with the daughter of Pharaoh; besides her
or as he loved her
and perhaps more; his sin was not that he loved her who was
his lawful wife
but others with her; it is very probable she was a
proselytess
and had no hand in turning him to idolatry
since we read not of
any high place built for an Egyptian idol:
women of the Moabites
Anmonites
Edomites
Zidonians
and
Hittites; all of the neighbouring nations. Some think he did this with
political views
to get intelligence of the state of those countries
or to
abate and extinguish their enmity; but it rather seems to be the fruit of lust
or pride.
1 Kings 11:2 2 from the nations of whom
the Lord
had said to the children of Israel
“You shall not intermarry with them
nor
they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.”
Solomon clung to these in love.
YLT 2of the nations of which
Jehovah said unto the sons of Israel
`Ye do not go in to them
and they do not
go in to you; surely they turn aside your heart after their gods;' to them hath
Solomon cleaved for love.
Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of
Israel
ye shall not go in to them
neither shall they come in unto you
.... That is
they should not intermarry with one another; this is to be understood of the
last mentioned
the Hittites
who were one of the seven nations this law
respected
Deuteronomy 7:1.
for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods; which is the
reason given for the making the above law
and was sadly verified in Solomon:
Solomon clave unto these in love; he not only took them
but kept them
and expressed a strong affection for them.
1 Kings 11:3 3 And he had seven hundred
wives
princesses
and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his
heart.
YLT
3And he hath women
princesses
seven hundred
and concubines three hundred; and his wives turn
aside his heart.
And he had seven hundred wives
princesses
and three hundred
concubines
.... In all 1000
a prodigious number; though these might not be
all for use
but for state after the manner of the eastern monarchs; these were
a far greater number than are alluded to in Song of Solomon 6:8
unless the virgins without number there
were such of these as were not defiled
by him; but the number here seems plainly referred to in Ecclesiastes 7:28
and his wives turned away his heart; both from his duty to
his God
and from attendance to his business as a king
especially the former
as follows.
1 Kings 11:4 4 For it was so
when
Solomon was old
that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his
heart was not loyal to the Lord his God
as was
the heart of his father David.
YLT
4And it cometh to pass
at
the time of the old age of Solomon
his wives have turned aside his heart after
other gods
and his heart hath not been perfect with Jehovah his God
like the
heart of David his father.
And it came to pass
when Solomon was old
.... Toward
the latter end of his reign
when he might be near sixty years of age; for
Rehoboam his son and successor was forty one when he began to reign
1 Kings 14:21 which
is observed either as an aggravation of the sin of Solomon
that in his old
age
when by long experience he might have been thought to be still wiser
and
less lustful: and yet
that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; or as
pointing at the advantage his wives took of his age:
and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God
as was the
heart of David his father; who
though guilty of many sins
never
inclined to idolatry; his heart was always right in that point
and sincere in
his worship
see Psalm 18:20.
1 Kings 11:5 5 For Solomon went after
Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians
and after Milcom the abomination of the
Ammonites.
YLT
5And Solomon goeth after
Ashtoreth god[dess] of the Zidonians
and after Milcom the abomination of the
Ammonites;
And Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians
.... Enticed
by the Zidonian women
or woman
he had
1 Kings 11:1.
According to the Phoenician historiesF9Apud Tatian. contr. Graecos
p. 171.
Solomon married a daughter of Hiram
king of Tyre and Zidon; so
Clemens of Alexandria saysF11Stromat. l. 1. p. 325.
that Hiram
gave his daughter to Solomon; Ashtoreth is Astarte
the same with the Venus of
the Greeks
so SuidasF12In voce Ασταρτη.
; and LucianF13De Dea Syria. expressly says
the Sidonians had a
temple
said by them to belong to Astarte
which he takes to be the moon; and
both Venus and Juno signify the same planet; See Gill on Judges 2:13.
and after Milcom the abomination of the Amnonites; the same with
Molech
1 Kings 11:7. See
Gill on Leviticus 18:21.
See Gill on Amos 1:13. After
this he was drawn by his Ammonitish wife
or wives
1 Kings 11:1
though the Jewish writers think he did not worship these idols
but suffered
his wives to do it
and connived at it
which was his sin; so Ben Gersom and
Abarbinel.
1 Kings 11:6 6 Solomon did evil in the
sight of the Lord
and did not fully follow the Lord
as did his father
David.
YLT
6and Solomon doth the evil
thing in the eyes of Jehovah
and hath not been fully after Jehovah
like David
his father.
And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord
.... As
idolatry is
nothing more provoking to him:
and went not fully after the Lord
as did David his father; for though he
did not relinquish the worship of the true God
and the service of the temple
yet inasmuch as he worshipped other gods besides
or connived at the worship of
them
he did not wholly
and constantly
and solely serve the Lord
as his
father did.
1 Kings 11:7 7 Then Solomon built a high
place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab
on the hill that is east of
Jerusalem
and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon.
YLT
7Then doth Solomon build a
high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab
in the hill that [is] on the
front of Jerusalem
and for Molech the abomination of the sons of Ammon;
Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh
the abomination
of Mesh
.... Of this idol see Gill on Jeremiah 48:7
an
high place for which he ordered to be built
or at least suffered it to be
built
at the instigation of his Moabitish woman or women
1 Kings 11:1
this
was built in the hill that is before Jerusalem; on the mount of Olives
as
Jarchi
called from hence afterwards the mount of corruption
2 Kings 23:15 and
for Molech
the abomination of the children of Ammon
1 Kings 11:5.
1 Kings 11:8 8 And he did likewise for
all his foreign wives
who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
YLT
8and so he hath done for all
his strange women
who are perfuming and sacrificing to their gods.
And likewise did he for all his strange wives
.... That is
built high places for their idols
or suffered them to be built; for when he
had done it for one
he could not refuse it to another
without greatly
disobliging them; even for as many of them
which burnt incense
and sacrificed unto their gods; the gods of
the countries from whence they came
and in the worship of which they had been
brought up: this shows that the best and wisest of men
when left to
themselves
may do the worst and most foolish of all things; as nothing can be
more so than the worship of such wretched deities.
1 Kings 11:9 9 So the Lord became angry
with Solomon
because his heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel
who had appeared to him twice
YLT
9And Jehovah sheweth Himself
angry with Solomon
for his heart hath turned aside from Jehovah
God of
Israel
who had appeared unto him twice
And the Lord was angry with Solomon
because his heart was turned
from the Lord God of Israel
.... Or from the fear of him
as the Targum
which must in a great measure be cast off
or he could not have given in to
idolatry in any shape as he did; for it was for that the Lord was displeased
the which nothing is more provoking to him
as may be often observed:
which had appeared unto him twice; once at Gibeon
and
again after his prayer at the dedication of the temple
1 Kings 3:5
which
is mentioned here as an aggravation of his sin
that he should fall into it
when the Lord had condescended to appear to him so graciously.
1 Kings 11:10 10 and had commanded him
concerning this thing
that he should not go after other gods; but he did not
keep what the Lord
had commanded.
YLT
10and given a charge unto him
concerning this thing
not to go after other gods; and he hath not kept that
which Jehovah commanded
And had commanded him concerning this thing that he should not go
after other gods
.... Which is another aggravation of his sin that it was against
an express command of God
and was particularly given him
and he was warned to
observe it
and threatened with evil should he break it:
but he kept not that which the Lord commanded: see 1 Kings 9:5.
1 Kings 11:11 11 Therefore the Lord said to Solomon
“Because you have done this
and have not kept My covenant and My statutes
which I have commanded you
I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and
give it to your servant.
YLT
11and Jehovah saith to
Solomon
`Because that this hath been with thee
and thou hast not kept My
covenant and My statutes that I charged upon thee
I surely rend the kingdom
from thee
and have given it to thy servant.
Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon
.... Not in a
vision
as before
but by a prophet; the Jews sayF14Seder Olam
Rabba
c. 20. p. 53. Kimchi in loc.
Ahijah the Shilonite
which is probable
see 1 Kings 11:29.
forasmuch as this is done of thee
that thou hast not kept my
covenant and my statutes which I have commanded thee; but broke
them by his idolatry:
I will surely rend the kingdom from thee
and I will give it to
thy servant; meaning Jeroboam
who was not only a subject
but in office
under him
1 Kings 11:26.
1 Kings 11:12 12 Nevertheless I will not do
it in your days
for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the
hand of your son.
YLT
12`Only
in thy days I do it
not
for the sake of David thy father; out of the hand of thy son I rend it;
Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy
father's sake
.... Not for the merits of David
but the promises made to him
2 Samuel 7:12
but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son; and immediate
successor
Rehoboam.
1 Kings 11:13 13 However I will not tear
away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My
servant David
and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.”
YLT
13only all the kingdom I do
not rend away; one tribe I give to thy son
for the sake of David My servant
and for the sake of Jerusalem
that I have chosen.'
Howbeit
I will not rend away all the kingdom
.... The whole
kingdom of Israel:
but will give one tribe to thy son; but it seems he had both
Benjamin and Judah
and only ten tribes were rent from him; the reason of this
mode of expression may be
either because he gave him one of the tribes of
Israel
besides that of Judah
which was his own tribe; or only the tribe of
Judah is meant
the whole tribe of Benjamin not being his
since Bethel
and
some other places in that tribe
were in the possession of Jeroboam; or rather
both these are called but one
because their inheritances lay together
and
were mixed with one another; and particularly both had a share in the city of
Jerusalem
and the kingdom always after the division went by the name of Judah
only: and this tribe was given
for David my servant's sake; because of the promise
to him
that there should not want one of his seed to sit on his throne
1 Kings 9:5.
and for Jerusalem's sake
whom I have chosen; to have the
house of his sanctuary and worship in
and therefore thought fit to have one
rule there
that
would have a regard to his service in it.
1 Kings 11:14 14 Now the Lord raised up an
adversary against Solomon
Hadad the Edomite; he was a descendant of the
king in Edom.
YLT
14And Jehovah raiseth up an
adversary to Solomon
Hadad the Edomite; of the seed of the king [is] he in
Edom;
And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon
Hadad the
Edomite
.... Though he did not take his kingdom from him for his sin
he
chastised him with the rod of men
as he said he would; suffering one
and then
another
to rise up and disturb his peace in his old age
see 2 Samuel 7:14.
he was of the king's seed in Edom; of the blood royal.
1 Kings 11:15 15 For it happened
when
David was in Edom
and Joab the commander of the army had gone up to bury the
slain
after he had killed every male in Edom
YLT
15and it cometh to pass
in
David's being with Edom
in the going up of Joab head of the host to bury the
slain
that he smiteth every male in Edom –
For it came to pass
when David was in Edom
.... Fighting
with the Edomites
and subduing them
and putting garrisons in the land
2 Samuel 8:14.
and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain: the
Israelites that fell in battle
or whom the Edomites afterwards
through
stratagem and surprise
fell upon in their garrisons and destroyed
and which
caused Joab to go thither to bury them
and take vengeance on the Edomites for
it; or these were the Edomites slain by David and Joab; and it has been always
reckoned a piece of humanity to bury the dead of an enemy
and is to the honour
of the conqueror
see Ezekiel 39:12 or to
suffer the enemy to bury them themselves: it is saidF15Aelian. Var.
Hist. l. 12. c. 27.
that Hercules was the first that brought up this
practice
and that before they were left on the field
to be devoured by dogs;
so they were in the times of the Trojan war
as appears by the writings of
Homer; but burying them
in later times
was used by the RomansF16Liv.
Hist. l. 39. c. 21. Vid. Kirchman. Append. ad. lib. de Funer. Roman. c. 3
4
& 5. and Greeks; and JosephusF17Antiqu. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 24.
contr. Apion. l. 2. c. 29. delivers it as a law of Moses to bury enemies
and
not suffer any dead to lie without partaking of the earth
nor to pass by or
overlook any unburied; but from whence he took it
or grounds it upon
is not
very evident; this is the first mention of it; though the Targum is
"to
strip the slain:'
after he had smitten every male in Edom; as he
thought
intending to root out the name of them; being enraged at their falling
upon the garrisons
if that was the case.
1 Kings 11:16 16 (because for six months
Joab remained there with all Israel
until he had cut down every male in Edom)
YLT
16for six months did Joab
abide there
and all Israel
till the cutting off of every male in Edom –
For six months did Joab remain with all Israel
.... With the
whole army:
until he had cut off every male in Edom; as he
supposed; for it was not fact
since after this they increased again
and
became a powerful people
and had a king over them
and revolted from Judah
2 Kings 8:20.
1 Kings 11:17 17 that Hadad fled to go to
Egypt
he and certain Edomites of his father’s servants with him. Hadad was
still a little child.
YLT
17and Hadad fleeth
he and
certain Edomites
of the servants of his father
with him
to go in to Egypt
and Hadad [is] a little youth
That Hadad fled
.... While Joab was burying the slain:
he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him; who either
was a king
and these some of his officers and courtiers; or however was of the
royal family
and had an equipage
and these some of them:
to go into Egypt; that was their view at first setting out
where they might hope for help
at least shelter:
Hadad being yet a little child; whom his father's
servants hid
while Joab was making the slaughter he did
and took the
opportunity of fleeing with him while he was burying the dead.
1 Kings 11:18 18 Then they arose from
Midian and came to Paran; and they took men with them from Paran and came to
Egypt
to Pharaoh king of Egypt
who gave him a house
apportioned food for
him
and gave him land.
YLT
18and they rise out of
Midian
and come into Paran
and take men with them out of Paran
and come in
to Egypt
unto Pharaoh king of Egypt
and he giveth to him a house
and bread
hath commanded for him
and land hath given to him.
And they arose out of Midian
.... A country which lay
in their way to Egypt
and where it seems they made some stay
and then
departed:
and came to Paran; near to which was a wilderness of the same
name
in which the Israelites wandered when they came out of Egypt
and which
lay between Edom and Egypt:
and they took men with them out of Paran; either as
guides and guards through the wilderness
or to make the better appearance
before Pharaoh
and that they might meet with the better reception:
and they came to Egypt
unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; and told
their case
and informed him who Hadad was: who
pitying an unfortunate young
prince
gave him an house; for him and his servants to dwell in:
and appointed him victuals; a daily provision for
him and his men:
and gave him land; for his servants to cultivate
and from
thence to raise a revenue for his support; the Jewish writers say he gave him
cities to rule over; but as he was but a little child when he came
it cannot
be thought that was done
at least directly.
1 Kings 11:19 19 And Hadad found great
favor in the sight of Pharaoh
so that he gave him as wife the sister of his
own wife
that is
the sister of Queen Tahpenes.
YLT
19And Hadad findeth grace in
the eyes of Pharaoh exceedingly
and he giveth to him a wife
the sister of his
own wife
sister of Tahpenes the mistress;
And Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh
.... Perhaps
for his comely personage
princely qualities
and good behaviour
as he grew
up:
so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife
the sister
of Tahpenes the queen; it seems the kings of Egypt used to marry their favourites to
great personages; see Genesis 41:45.
1 Kings 11:20 20 Then the sister of
Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son
whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house.
And Genubath was in Pharaoh’s household among the sons of Pharaoh.
YLT
20and the sister of Tahpenes
beareth to him Genubath his son
and Tahpenes weaneth him within the house of
Pharaoh
and Genubath is in the house of Pharaoh in the midst of the sons of
Pharaoh.
And the sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son
.... Which
signifies "stealth"
and the name might be given in memory of himself
being carried away by stealth from his own land:
whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house: who was so
fond of the child
that she took it
and weaned it for her in the king's
palace:
and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh; brought up
among them
as if he was one of them.
1 Kings 11:21 21 So when Hadad heard in
Egypt that David rested with his fathers
and that Joab the commander of the
army was dead
Hadad said to Pharaoh
“Let me depart
that I may go to my own
country.”
YLT
21And Hadad hath heard in
Egypt that David hath lain with his fathers
and that Joab head of the host is
dead
and Hadad saith unto Pharaoh
`Send me away
and I go unto my land.'
And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers
.... Was dead
and buried
as the death of princes is soon known in other countries
and
especially a king of such fame as David:
and that Joab the captain of the host was dead: whose name
might be terrible to Hadad
because of the slaughter of men he had made in his
country:
Hadad said unto Pharaoh
let me depart
that I may go to mine own
country; with a view and an hope to recover it
now David and Joab were
dead.
1 Kings 11:22 22 Then Pharaoh said to him
“But what have you lacked with me
that suddenly you seek to go to your own
country?” So he answered
“Nothing
but do let me go anyway.”
YLT
22And Pharaoh saith to him
`But
what art thou lacking with me
that lo
thou art seeking to go unto thine
own land?' and he saith
`Nay
but thou dost certainly send me away.'
Then Pharaoh said unto him
but what hast thou lacked with me
.... Either of
an equipage suitable to his birth and marriage
or of provisions for his
household
or of honour and respect
or of any favour from him:
that
behold
thou seekest to go into thine own country? as if not
well used where he was
or would be better provided for there:
and he answered
nothing; he wanted nothing at
all
had all he could wish for:
howbeit
let me go in any wise: he had such an extreme
desire to go
that he begged it might not be denied him on any account; whether
he acquainted Pharaoh with his view in this request is not said
but it is
probable he did
and it is certain Pharaoh gave him leave to go
see 1 Kings 11:25.
1 Kings 11:23 23 And God raised up another
adversary against him
Rezon the son of Eliadah
who had fled from his lord
Hadadezer king of Zobah.
YLT
23And God raiseth to him an
adversary
Rezon son of Eliadah
who hath fled from Hadadezer king of Zobah
his lord
And God stirred him up another adversary
.... One from
the north
as the other was from the south:
Rezon
the son of Eliadah
which fled from his lord Hadadezer king
of Zobah: when David fought with him; and this man seeing the battle go
against his master
and that he was like to be worsted
deserted him and fled
see 2 Samuel 8:3.
1 Kings 11:24 24 So he gathered men to him
and became captain over a band of raiders
when David killed those of
Zobah. And they went to Damascus and dwelt there
and reigned in Damascus.
YLT
24and gathereth unto himself
men
and is head of a troop in David's slaying them
and they go to Damascus
and dwell in it
and reign in Damascus;
And he gathered men unto him
.... Perhaps some of the
scattered forces of his master:
and became captain over a band
when David slew them of Zobah; some that
escaped enlisted under this man
and lived by plunder the remainder of David's
reign
and so in the reign of Solomon unto his old age
when his heart was
turned away from God to idols
by his wives:
and they went to Damascus
and dwelt therein
and reigned in
Damascus; Rezon and his men went thither
not in David's time
for he put
a garrison there
2 Samuel 8:6 but
towards the close of Solomon's days
and when Hadad set up in Edom
which gave
him the hint to do the same at Damascus
of which he became king
and was the founder
of that kingdom; after him there was a long race of kings there.
1 Kings 11:25 25 He was an adversary of
Israel all the days of Solomon (besides the trouble that Hadad caused);
and he abhorred Israel
and reigned over Syria.
YLT
25and he is an adversary to
Israel all the days of Solomon
(besides the evil that Hadad [did])
and he
cutteth off in Israel
and reigneth over Aram.
And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon
.... Not all
the days of his life
see 1 Kings 5:4
but
all his days
from his first going into idolatry
to the end of his life:
beside the mischief that Hadad did; and which
whatever it
was
was not done till this time; for either
when he got leave from Pharaoh to
go into his country
he lay hid there
waiting an opportunity to seize upon it;
or by means of Pharaoh he got himself to be king of it
through the permission
of Solomon
paying a tribute to him; but when Solomon was grown old
he
revolted and refused to pay it
and rebelled against him
and gave him much
trouble:
and he abhorred Israel
and reigned over Syria; not Hadad
but Rezon; he had an aversion to them
was a thorn in their side
and gave them
much trouble
as well as had them in contempt
and bid them defiance
having
made himself not only master of Damascus
but of all Syria.
1 Kings 11:26 26 Then Solomon’s servant
Jeroboam the son of Nebat
an Ephraimite from Zereda
whose mother’s name was
Zeruah
a widow
also rebelled against the king.
YLT
26And Jeroboam son of Nebat
an Ephrathite of Zereda -- the name of whose mother [is] Zeruah
a widow woman
-- servant to Solomon
he also lifteth up a hand against the king;
And Jeroboam the son of Nebat
.... According to some
Jewish writersF18Shalshalet Hakabala
p. 11.
this was Sheba the
son of Bichri; but
as Kimchi observes
he was of the tribe of Benjamin
this
of Ephraim; and besides
his head was cut off
and thrown over the wall to
Joab
2 Samuel 20:1
an Ephrathite of Zereda; some where in the tribe
of Ephraim
but nowhere else mentioned. There was a famous Jewish doctor
before the times of Christ
of this place
as it seems
who was called Jose ben
Joezer
a man of ZeredaF19Pirke Abot
c. 1. sect. 4. :
Solomon's servant; not only his subject
but one that had been
advanced by him to an office
and served under him
1 Kings 11:28
whose mother's name was Zeruah
a widow woman; who very
probably was supported by this her son
an industrious and ingenious man:
even he lifted up his hand against the king; either
against Solomon
by reproaching and reproving him for some things he did; or
rather against Rehoboam his son
which was very ungrateful.
1 Kings 11:27 27 And this is what
caused him to rebel against the king: Solomon had built the Millo and repaired
the damages to the City of David his father.
YLT
27and this [is] the thing
[for] which he lifted up a hand against the king: Solomon built Millo -- he
shut up the breach of the city of David his father
And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king
.... The
occasion of it
his being advanced to some posts under Solomon
which elated
him
and what passed between him and the prophet Ahijah
after related:
Solomon built Millo
and repaired the breaches of the city of
David his father: in the oversight of which
it is supposed by the Jews
he
employed this man
who reproached him for doing these works; building an house
in Millo for Pharaoh's daughter
and stopping up the passage to the city of
David
and the people's access thither upon occasion.
1 Kings 11:28 28 The man Jeroboam was
a mighty man of valor; and Solomon
seeing that the young man was industrious
made him the officer over all the labor force of the house of Joseph.
YLT
28and the man Jeroboam [is]
mighty in valour
and Solomon seeth the young man that he is doing business
and appointeth him over all the burden of the house of Joseph.
And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour
.... A man of
great strength of body
and fortitude of mind:
and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious; in what he
was set about in the above buildings and repairs:
he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph; the tribes of
Ephraim and Manasseh
to be a prince or a deputy governor of them; or rather to
collect the king's tax from them
or the revenues of that part of the country
see Proverbs 22:29.
1 Kings 11:29 29 Now it happened at that
time
when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem
that the prophet Ahijah the
Shilonite met him on the way; and he had clothed himself with a new garment
and the two were alone in the field.
YLT
29And it cometh to pass
at
that time
that Jeroboam hath gone out from Jerusalem
and Ahijah the
Shilonite
the prophet
findeth him in the way
and he is covering himself with
a new garment; and both of them [are] by themselves in a field
And it came to pass at that time
when Jeroboam went out of
Jerusalem
.... Either to enter upon his new office: or having been with
Solomon to pay in the revenues
and to make up his accounts with him was going
back to the country to do the duty of his office:
that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; not
accidentally
but purposely was in the way to meet him
and converse with him;
this prophet was of the city of Shiloh
and where was now his abode
see 1 Kings 14:2.
and he had clad himself with a new garment; not Jeroboam
but the prophet
and that by the direction of the Lord
for the following
purpose:
and they two were alone in the field: it is
possible Jeroboam might have some servants with him; but Ahijah desiring some
private conversation with him
he sent them onwards
or bid them stay at some
distance; who yet might be capable of observing what was done
though not of
hearing what was said; or otherwise how should Solomon come to the knowledge of
it? 1 Kings 11:40.
1 Kings 11:30 30 Then Ahijah took hold of
the new garment that was on him
and tore it into twelve pieces.
YLT
30and Ahijah layeth hold on
the new garment that [is] on him
and rendeth it -- twelve pieces
And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him
.... This
looks as if it was Jeroboam's garment
having got a new one to appear before
the king in; though the sense may be this
that the prophet took hold of his
own garment that was upon himself:
and rent it in twelve pieces; as symbolical of the
twelve tribes of Israel.
1 Kings 11:31 31 And he said to Jeroboam
“Take for yourself ten pieces
for thus says the Lord
the God of
Israel: ‘Behold
I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will
give ten tribes to you
YLT
31and saith to Jeroboam
`Take to thee ten pieces
for thus said Jehovah
God of Israel
lo
I am
rending the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon
and have given to thee the ten
tribes
And he said to Jeroboam
take thee ten pieces
.... Of the
twelve
an emblem of the ten tribes he was to have:
for thus saith the Lord God of Israel
behold
I will rend the
kingdom out of the hand of Solomon; that is
out of his
family:
and will give ten tribes unto thee; to rule over.
1 Kings 11:32 32 (but he shall have one
tribe for the sake of My servant David
and for the sake of Jerusalem
the city
which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel)
YLT
32and the one tribe he hath for
My servant David's sake
and for Jerusalem's sake
the city which I have fixed
on
out of all the tribes of Israel.
But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake
.... See Gill
on 1 Kings 11:13.
1 Kings 11:33 33 because they have[a] forsaken
Me
and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians
Chemosh the god of
the Moabites
and Milcom the god of the people of Ammon
and have not walked in
My ways to do what is right in My eyes and keep My statutes and
My judgments
as did his father David.
YLT
33`Because they have forsaken
Me
and bow themselves to Ashtoreth
god[dess] of the Zidonians
to Chemosh god
of Moab
and to Milcom god of the sons of Ammon
and have not walked in My
ways
to do that which [is] right in Mine eyes
and My statutes and My
judgments
like David his father.
Because that they have forsaken me
.... My worship
as the
Targum; both Solomon and the children of Israel following his example; which is
not to be wondered at
considering how prone they always were to idolatry:
and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians
Chemosh the god of the Moabites
and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon; of which
deities; see Gill on 1 Kings 11:5
1 Kings 11:7.
and have not walked in my ways
to do that which is right in mine
eyes
and to keep my statutes and my judgments
as did David his father; the several
laws of God relating to religious worship especially
which David was a strict
observer of; and therefore Solomon
having such a pattern before him
was the
more blameworthy.
1 Kings 11:34 34 However I will not take
the whole kingdom out of his hand
because I have made him ruler all the days
of his life for the sake of My servant David
whom I chose because he kept My
commandments and My statutes.
YLT
34`And I do not take the
whole of the kingdom out of his hand
for prince I make him all days of his
life
for the sake of David My servant whom I chose
who kept My commands and
My statutes;
Howbeit
I will not take the kingdom out of his hand
.... Not any
part of it
1 Kings 11:12
but I will make him prince all the days of his life; that is
he
shall continue to hold the government of all the tribes so long as he lives:
for David my servant's sake
whom I chose
because he kept my
commandments and my statutes; see 1 Kings 11:12
or
was well pleased with
as the Targum; for keeping the commands of God from
right principles
and with right views
is well pleasing to him.
1 Kings 11:35 35 But I will take the
kingdom out of his son’s hand and give it to you—ten tribes.
YLT
35and I have taken the
kingdom out of the hand of his son
and given it to thee -- the ten tribes;
But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand
.... All but
the tribes of Judah and Benjamin:
and will give it unto thee
even ten tribes: signified by
ten pieces of the rent garment he had given him
1 Kings 11:31.
1 Kings 11:36 36 And to his son I will give
one tribe
that My servant David may always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem
the city which I have chosen for Myself
to put My name there.
YLT
36and to his son I give one
tribe
for there being a lamp to David My servant all the days before Me in
Jerusalem
the city that I have chosen to Myself to put My name there.
And unto his son will I give one tribe
.... Judah and
Benjamin reckoned as one; See Gill on 1 Kings 11:13
that
David my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem
the city which
I have chosen me to put my name there; or a kingdom
as the Targum; or an illustrious
prince
a successor
shining in royal majesty and glory
to guide and direct
cheer and comfort
the people of Israel; be an honour to David's family
and a
means of continuing the pure worship of God in the temple at Jerusalem; see 2 Samuel 21:17.
1 Kings 11:37 37 So I will take you
and
you shall reign over all your heart desires
and you shall be king over Israel.
YLT
37`And thee I take
and thou
hast reigned over all that thy soul desireth
and thou hast been king over
Israel;
And I will take thee
.... From the low estate
in which he was
to be king:
and thou shall reign according to all that thy soul desireth; he being
ambitious of the kingdom
and having already formed in his mind some designs
upon it:
and shall be king over Israel; the ten tribes.
1 Kings 11:38 38 Then it shall be
if you
heed all that I command you
walk in My ways
and do what is right in My
sight
to keep My statutes and My commandments
as My servant David did
then I
will be with you and build for you an enduring house
as I built for David
and
will give Israel to you.
YLT
38and it hath been
if thou
dost hear all that I command thee
and hast walked in My ways
and done that
which is right in Mine eyes
to keep My statutes and My commands
as did David
My servant
that I have been with thee
and have built for thee a stedfast
house
as I built for David
and have given to thee Israel
And it shall be
if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee
.... And be
obedient thereunto:
and wilt walk in my ways; directed to in the law
of Moses:
and do that is right in my sight
to keep my statutes
and my
commandments; those particularly respecting divine worship:
as David my servant did; who very diligently and
constantly attended to the ordinances of religion:
that I will be with thee; to guide and direct
protect and defend
prosper and succeed:
and build thee a sure house
as I built for David; continue the
succession of the kingdom in his posterity:
and will give Israel unto thee; to rule over them.
1 Kings 11:39 39 And I will afflict the
descendants of David because of this
but not forever.’”
YLT
39and I humble the seed of
David for this; only
not all the days.'
And I will for this afflict the seed of David
.... For the
idolatry Solomon had been guilty of
and connived at:
but not for ever; for when the ten tribes were carried
captive
the kingdom of Judah flourished under Hezekiah
Josiah
&c. and
though the tribe of Judah was carried captive
yet it returned after seventy
years captivity
and had rulers over it of the seed of David; and especially to
the Messiah has God given the throne of his father David
of whose kingdom
there will he no end
Luke 1:32
and
Jarchi's note on the text is
"for
in the days of the Messiah the kingdom shall return to it
'
the
seed of David; and Abarbinel says
of a truth
at the coming of our Messiah
this prophecy will be fulfilled; but the true Messiah is come already
in whom
it is fulfilled; see Kimchi and Abendana
who refer to Ezekiel 37:19.
1 Kings 11:40 40 Solomon therefore sought
to kill Jeroboam. But Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt
to Shishak king of
Egypt
and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.
YLT
40And Solomon seeketh to put
Jeroboam to death
and Jeroboam riseth and fleeth to Egypt
unto Shishak king
of Egypt
and he is in Egypt till the death of Solomon.
Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam
.... Which is
another instance of his folly
to seek to detest the counsel of God
when he
himself was assured by the Lord the kingdom should be rent
and given to his
servant
1 Kings 11:11 and
especially if he was informed of what passed between Ahijah and Jeroboam
as it
should seem by this he was; either through Ahijah's making no secret of it
or
through Jeroboam not being able to keep his own counsel
or through the report
of the servants what they saw done
1 Kings 11:29
which Solomon would easily understand:
and Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt; the common
sanctuary of persons in distress in those days:
unto Shishak king of Egypt; either the father in law
or the brother in law of Solomon
or one of another family
on whom the kingdom
devolved; and who might not have any good respect for Solomon
and therefore
Jeroboam thought himself safe with him: this is the only king of Egypt
in
Scripture
that is called by his own name
and not Pharaoh; he is generally
supposed to be the same with the Sesostris of HerodotusF20Euterpe
sive
l. 2. c. 102.
and the Vexoris or Vexosis of JustinF21E
Trogo
l. 1. c. 1. ; and the rather he may be meant
since
according to HerodotusF23Ut
supra
(Euterpe
sive
l. 2.) c. 110.
he was the only king of Egypt that
ruled over the Ethiopians: and Strabo saysF24Geograph. l. 16. p.
529. he was the first that subdued Ethiopia and the country of the Troglodytes;
also Diodorus Siculus affirmsF25Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 50.
that he
fought with the Ethiopians dwelling to the south
and obliged them to pay
tribute; out of which countries Shishak brought many with him in his expedition
against Jerusalem
2 Chronicles 12:2.
and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon; not daring to
return till that time
and then he did.
1 Kings 11:41 41 Now the rest of the acts
of Solomon
all that he did
and his wisdom
are they not written in the
book of the acts of Solomon?
YLT
41And the rest of the matters
of Solomon
and all that he did
and his wisdom
are they not written on the
book of the matters of Solomon?
And the rest of the acts of Solomon
and all that he did
and his
wisdom
are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon? Either written
by himself
as Kimchi suggests
though not in being; or by some chronologer or
historiographer employed by him in writing the most memorable things that
happened in his reign; or by several prophets
as in 2 Chronicles 9:29
out of which the inspired writer of this book took what he was directed to by
the Lord to be transmitted to future ages.
1 Kings 11:42 42 And the period that
Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.
YLT
42And the days that Solomon
hath reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel [are] forty years
And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem
over all Israel
was forty years. The same says EupolemusF26Apud Euseb. Praepar.
Evangel. l. 9. c. 34.
an Heathen writer
who makes him to live but fifty two
years; which is the common tradition of the Jews
who suppose he was but twelve
years of age when he began to reign; which is to be confuted from the age of
his son Rehoboam
see 1 Kings 14:21.
JosephusF1Antiqu. l. 8. c. 7. sect. 8.
on the other hand
makes
him to live to too great an age
who says that he reigned eighty years
and
lived to ninety four.
1 Kings 11:43 43 Then Solomon rested with
his fathers
and was buried in the City of David his father. And Rehoboam his
son reigned in his place.
YLT
43and Solomon lieth with his
fathers
and is buried in the city of David his father
and reign doth Rehoboam
his son in his stead.
And Solomon slept with his fathers
.... Died as they did:
and was buried in the city of David his father; not in
Bethlehem
but Zion
1 Kings 2:10.
and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead; of whom more
in the following chapter. Though nothing is said of Solomon's repentance
there
is no doubt but he was a good man
repented of his sins
and was saved; as may
be concluded from the commendations of him after his death
2 Chronicles 11:17
from the promise of God that he made
that his mercy should not depart from
him
though he chastised him
2 Samuel 7:14 from
his being an inspired writer
who were all holy men
2 Peter 1:20
and
especially from his writing the book of Ecclesiastes after his fall
which contains
a full acknowledgment of all his evils
a recantation of them
and repentance
for them. AbulpharagiusF2Hist. Dynast. Dyn. 3. p. 55.
an Arabic
writer
rashly asserts that he died without repentance.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)