HarperCollins Study Bible

by Harold W. Attridge

  23Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 24The whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. 25Every one of them brought a present, objects of silver and gold, garments, weaponry, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

  26Solomon gathered together chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as numerous as the sycamores of the Shephelah. 28Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s traders received them from Kue at a price. 29A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty; so through the king’s traders they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.

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  a Meaning of Heb uncertain

  b Gk Syr: Heb men

  c Or baboons

  10.1–29 The building and dedication of the temple mark the religious high point of Solomon’s reign; the story of the queen of Sheba’s visit shows him at the height of his secular power. The narrator has taken an old legend of the foreign ruler’s visit and used it as an occasion to dramatize Solomon’s enormous wisdom and the material rewards that wisdom can bring. References to gold and precious objects abound, and the sheer richness of the description is designed to leave readers as awestruck as the queen herself. In the context of the overall narrative, the chapter sharpens the contrast between the brilliance of the Solomonic court (chs. 3–10) and the dark side of his reign, the sins that ultimately bring judgment on the Davidic dynasty and on the nation as a whole (ch. 11).

  10.1 Sheba. Location unknown, but possibly to be identified with Saba, the home of the Sabeans, who occupied the southwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula (modern Yemen). This is precisely the area with which Solomon was anxious to establish trading relationships (9.26–28). Ancient Israelite geographers recognized their own kinship with the inhabitants of Sheba (Gen 10.28) but also associated them with Africa (Gen 10.7). This perception of the Sabeans probably reflects their crucial role in transporting spices, gold, and precious stones from Africa, India, and Arabia (Ps 72.10; Isa 60.6; Jer 6.20; Ezek 27.22–23). The queen’s hard questions are not described in detail, but they might have been riddles of the sort that were the basis of Samson’s contest with the Philistines (Judg 14.12–18). The ability to solve riddles was the mark of a wise person (Ps 49.4; Prov 1.6).

  10.6–9 The foreigner’s praise of Solomon’s court serves as the ultimate validation of his status in the international arena and demonstrates the superiority of Israel’s God.

  10.10 Talents. See note on 9.14. An exchange of gifts was customary at meetings between monarchs (cf. v. 13).

  10.11 On Solomon’s trading ventures with Hiram, see 9.26–28. Here Israelite participation in the voyages is not mentioned. Ophir. See note on 9.28. Almug wood, perhaps red sandalwood.

  10.16 Large shields, probably rectangular and designed to protect the entire body. The ones mentioned here and in v. 17 are decorative rather than functional. Six hundred shekels of gold. The weight of a shekel varied greatly in ancient Israel but averaged about .4 ounce.

  10.17 Shields, here likely small circular shields. Three minas of gold. A mina equals 50 shekels.

  10.22 Tarshish. Location uncertain, possibly in the Mediterranean (see Gen 10.4) or in India, Africa, or Arabia. The context suggests that the ships were capable of making long voyages.

  10.28 Kue, located in southeastern Turkey.

  10.29 The kings of the Hittites ruled over parts of northern Syria. Solomon’s importation of war horses and chariots from Egypt is a direct violation of the prohibition in Deut 17.16.

  1 KINGS 11

  Solomon’s Errors

  1King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 2from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the Israelites, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you; for they will surely incline your heart to follow their gods” Solomon clung to these in love. 3Among his wives were seven hundred princesses and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 4For when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David. 5For Solomon followed Astarte the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not completely follow the LORD, as his father David had done. 7Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. 8He did the same for all his foreign wives, who offered incense and sacrificed to their gods.

  9Then the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10and had commanded him concerning this matter, that he should not follow other gods; but he did not observe what the LORD commanded. 11Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, “Since this has been your mind and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant. 12Yet for the sake of your father David I will not do it in your lifetime; I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13I will not, however, tear away the entire 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.”

  Adversaries of Solomon

  14Then the LORD raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the royal house in Edom. 15For when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army went up to bury the dead, he killed every male in Edom 16(for Joab and all Israel remained there six months, until he had eliminated every male in Edom); 17but Hadad fled to Egypt with some Edomites who were servants of his father. He was a young boy at that time. 18They set out from Midian and came to Paran; they took people with them from Paran and came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house, assigned him an allowance of food, and gave him land. 19Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him his sister-in-law for a wife, the sister of Queen Tahpenes. 20The sister of Tahpenes gave birth by him to his son Genubath, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house; Genubath was in Pharaoh’s house among the children of Pharaoh. 21When Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his ancestors 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.” 22But Pharaoh said to him, “What do you lack with me that you now seek to go to your own country?” And he said, “No, do let me go.”

  23God raised up another adversary against Solomon,a Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, King Hadadezer of Zobah. 24He gathered followers around him and became leader of a marauding band, after the slaughter by David; they went to Damascus, settled there, and made him king in Damascus. 25He was an adversary of Israel all the days of Solomon, making trouble as Hadad did; he despised Israel and reigned over Aram.

  Jeroboam’s Rebellion

  26Jeroboam son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow, rebelled against the king. 27The following was the reason he rebelled against the king. Solomon built the Millo, and closed up the gap in the wallb of the city of his father David. 28The man Jeroboam was very able, and when Solomon saw that the young man was industrious he gave him charge over all the forced labor of the house of Joseph. 29About that time, when Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Ahijah had clothed himself with a new garment. The two of them were alone in the open country 30when Ahijah laid hold of the new garment he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. 31He then said to Jeroboam: Take for yourself ten pieces; for
thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, “See, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and will give you ten tribes. 32One tribe will remain his, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. 33This is because he hasc forsaken me, worshiped Astarte the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and hasd not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my ordinances, as his father David did. 34Nevertheless I will not take the whole kingdom away from him but will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of my servant David whom I chose and who did keep my commandments and my statutes; 35but I will take the kingdom away from his son and give it to you—that is, the ten tribes. 36Yet to his son I will give one tribe, so that my servant David may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put my name. 37I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your soul desires; you shall be king over Israel. 38If you will listen to all that I command you, walk in my ways, and do what is right in my sight by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you, and will build you an enduring house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you. 39For this reason I will punish the descendants of David, but not forever.” 40Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam; but Jeroboam promptly fled to Egypt, to King Shishak of Egypt, and remained in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

  Death of Solomon

  41Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, all that he did as well as his wisdom, are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon? 42The time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 43Solomon slept with his ancestors and was buried in the city of his father David; and his son Rehoboam succeeded him.

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  a Heb him

  b Heb lacks in the wall

  c Gk Syr Vg: Heb they have

  d Gk Syr Vg: Heb they have

  11.1–13 A sharp contrast with the rosy picture of Solomon’s achievements in chs. 3–10. In characteristic Deuteronomistic style, the narrator provides a theological evaluation of the king’s reign and concludes that in the end Solomon violated the conditions attached to God’s promise of an eternal Davidic dynasty (2.4; 9.4–5).

  11.1–2 Deuteronomy’s prohibition against intermarriage with the original inhabitants of Canaan (Deut 7.1–6) is here expanded to include Phoenician trading partners such as Sidon and vassals such as Moab, Ammon, and Edom. The latter three nations, Israel’s immediate neighbors to the east and south, had been subjugated by David and were vassals during much of Solomon’s reign (2 Sam 8.2, 9–14; 12.26–31).

  11.4 Solomon was old, perhaps an oblique attempt to blame his sins on senility. In reality the difficulties started early in his reign with his marriage to an Egyptian princess (3.1).

  11.5 Followed seems to imply that Solomon actually worshiped these deities rather than simply tolerating their worship. Astarte (or Ashtoreth), a Canaanite goddess corresponding to the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar and later identified with Aphrodite and Venus. In extrabiblical texts as well as in the OT, she is usually portrayed as the consort of Baal, the Canaanite storm god representing fertility. She was particularly popular among the Phoenicians and was the leading female deity in both Tyre and Sidon. Milcom, an Ammonite deity whose name is derived from a Semitic root meaning “king” or “ruler” he is usually identified with Baal.

  11.7 High place. See note on 3.2. Chemosh, the chief deity of Moab, but little is known about his characteristics. Molech, usually known only as a deity worshiped outside of Jerusalem in the Valley of Hinnom (Lev 18.21; 20.2–5; 2 Kings 23.10; Jer 32.35), is not otherwise associated with Ammon, and it is likely that Milcom is intended here (see v. 5).

  11.9 For God’s appearances to Solomon, see 3.5–14; 9.1–9.

  11.13 Because of God’s fidelity to the covenant with David, the Davidic line will not be terminated, even though such termination would have been justified. This gracious divine action fulfills one of the promises in Nathan’s oracle to David (2 Sam 7.14–15).

  11.14–25 Although Solomon is allowed to die before witnessing the judgment against his house, he does see the beginning of the loss of his empire.

  11.15–16 For David’s campaigns against Edom, see 2 Sam 8.11–14. Killed every male in Edom, undoubtedly an exaggeration.

  11.19 Queen Tahpenes, otherwise unknown; Tahpenes may be an Egyptian royal title.

  11.23 On David’s battles with Hadadezer of Zobah, see 2 Sam 8.3–8; 10.15–19.

  11.26–40 The story of Jeroboam’s rise to power is basically favorable toward the future king, although some early Greek translations give a more negative picture.

  11.29 Ahijah is identified with the old Israelite shrine at Shiloh and represents a theological viewpoint similar to that of the Deuteronomistic author. For similar prophetic involvement in a change of dynasty, see 1 Sam 15.27–28.

  11.31 In contrast to v. 13, this verse seems to imply that two tribes are left to the house of David. The two are presumably Judah and Benjamin (see 12.21). The early absorption of Benjamin into the much larger Judah may have led the author of v. 13 to consider them a single tribe.

  11.36 Lamp. Meaning uncertain. As translated, the statement seems to mean that David will always have a presence or representative before God in Jerusalem. Some scholars suggest “fief” or “dominion.”

  11.40 Shishak, the Hebrew rendering of Pharaoh Shoshenq I (ca. 931–910 BCE). He later invaded Palestine during the reign of Rehoboam (14.25–26).

  11.41–43 This summary marks the end of Solomon’s reign.

  11.41 The Book of the Acts of Solomon is otherwise unknown but is probably the source of much of the archival data in this part of Kings.

  1 KINGS 12

  The Northern Tribes Secede

  1Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned froma Egypt. 3And they sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, 4“Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke that he placed on us, and we will serve you.”5He said to them, “Go away for three days, then come again to me.” So the people went away.

  6Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the older men who had attended his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” 7They answered him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8But he disregarded the advice that the older men gave him, and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him and now attended him. 9He said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?” 10The young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus you should say to this people who spoke to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you must lighten it for us’ thus you should say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins. 11Now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”

  12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had said, “Come to me again the third day.” 13The king answered the people harshly. He disregarded the advice that the older men had given him 14and spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” 15So the king did not listen to the people, because it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that he might fulfill his word, which the LORD had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.

  16When all Isr
ael saw that the king would not listen to them, the people answered the king,

  “What share do we have in David?

  We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse.

  To your tents, O Israel!

  Look now to your own house, O David.”

  So Israel went away to their tents. 17But Rehoboam reigned over the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah. 18When King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam then hurriedly mounted his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

  First Dynasty: Jeroboam Reigns over Israel

  20When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was no one who followed the house of David, except the tribe of Judah alone.

  21When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen troops to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon. 22But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God: 23Say to King Rehoboam of Judah, son of Solomon, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, 24“Thus says the LORD, You shall not go up or fight against your kindred the people of Israel. Let everyone go home, for this thing is from me.” So they heeded the word of the LORD and went home again, according to the word of the LORD.