1 Kings 11

1 Kings 11:1

H. Solomon’s Failures and Death (Chap. 11)11:1-3 Deu_17:17 forbade the king of Israel to marry heathen wives. The extent to which Solomon disobeyed this important command is shocking. The result was exactly as predicted: His wives turned him to idolatry. 11:4-8 Verse 4 means that King David’s heart had been wholly true to the LORD his God as far as keeping himself from idolatry was concerned, but Solomon did not follow his father in this matter. He built idolatrous shrines on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. 11:9-13 God had appeared to Solomon twicein Gibeon (1Ki_3:5) and in Jerusalem at the dedication of the temple (1Ki_9:2). Now He announced that, because of Solomon’s idolatry, the kingdom would be torn away from him and given to one of his servants. However, it would not happen during Solomon’s lifetime, and not all twelve tribes would be taken from the house of David. One tribe (Benjamin; Judah is taken for granted1Ki_12:23) would be given to Solomon’s son. 11:14-22 Three of Solomon’s adversaries are now described. The first was Hadad, an Edomite prince who had escaped to Egypt as a little child when Joab was killing all the males in Edom. He was treated well by the Pharaoh and was even given the sister of Queen Tahpenes as his wife. When Hadad heard . . . that David . . . and Joab were dead, he obtained the Pharaoh’s reluctant permission to return to Edom. From there he began military operations against Solomon from the south. 11:23-25 The second adversary was Rezon, who had escaped when David killed those of Zobah. He then became the leader of a band of raiders. Later he set up an independent kingdom at Damascus, and became a military peril to Solomon from the north. Damascus had worn the yoke of Israel ever since David had captured the city and stationed troops there (2Sa_8:5-6). Losing Damascus, Syria’s chief city-state, was especially significant because the kingdom of Syria would prove to be a thorn in Israel’s flesh for centuries to come. 11:26-28 The third adversary was the servant of Solomon whom God had mentioned in verse 11: Jeroboam the son of Nebat, of the tribe of Ephraim. Solomon had given him a position of responsibility in the building of the Millo. Perhaps this power gave Jeroboam the desire to reign over all Israel. 11:29-39 One day Jeroboam met a prophet named Ahijah. When they were alone in the field, Ahijah took hold of his own new garment . . . and tore it into twelve pieces. He gave ten pieces . . . to Jeroboam as a sign that God would give him command over ten tribes of Israel. He also explained to Jeroboam that one tribe (Benjamin) would be left for Solomon’s son (Judah understood1Ki_12:23) and that the kingdom would not be divided until after Solomon’s death. If Jeroboam would obey the Lord, he would be assured of the Lord’s blessing and help. Notice the limitations which God put on Jeroboam: He was to have ten tribes, not the whole kingdom; he was to come to power only after Solomon’s death; God would make him an enduring house only if he would obey the Lord and wholly follow Him. 11:40 Apparently Jeroboam rebelled while Solomon was still alive, so he had to flee to Egypt to escape the king’s wrath. He remained there until Solomon’s death. Instead of facing his sin and repenting, Solomon tried to thwart the word of God by doing away with Jeroboam. It was foolish to fight against Jeroboam, though, since he was now the divinely appointed heir of the northern tribes. Saul had been unsuccessful in his attempts to kill his successor, David. Solomon was likewise unsuccessful in his attempts to murder Jeroboam. The tribes over which Jeroboam would rule would be: Reuben, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Ephraim, Manasseh, and portions of Levi and Simeon. The tribes over which Solomon’s son would reign would be: Judah, Benjamin, and portions of Levi and Simeon. For the most part Levi (2Ch_11:13-16) and Simeon were loyal to Judah. 11:41 The book of the acts of Solomon was probably the official chronicle of his reign, but certainly not an inspired part of Scripture. 11:42, 43 After reigning for forty years, Solomon died and was buried in Jerusalem. Rehoboam his son succeeded him. Solomon’s beginning was better than his ending. A good start does not guarantee a good finish. He had been raised to the pinnacle of greatness, but he plunged off into the abyss of moral degradation and idolatry. If only the king had practiced what he preached in Ecc_12:13-14 : Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.