Solomon's Foreign Wives

1But king Solomon loved many foreign women, besides the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, Hittites; 2of the nations of which Jehovah had said to the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in to you; they would certainly turn away your heart after their gods: to these Solomon was attached in love. 3And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 4And it came to pass when Solomon was old, [that] his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with Jehovah his God, as the heart of David his father. 5And Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6And Solomon did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and followed not fully Jehovah, as David his father. 7Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, on the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8And so he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

God's Anger against Solomon

9And Jehovah was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from Jehovah the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10and had commanded him concerning this thing, not to go after other gods; but he kept not what Jehovah had commanded. 11And Jehovah said to Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done by thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes which I commanded thee, I will certainly rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant: 12notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it, for David thy father's sake; I will rend it out of the hand of thy son; 13only, I will not rend away all the kingdom: I will give one tribe to thy son, for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.

Hadad's Return

14And Jehovah stirred up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the king's seed in Edom. 15Now it came to pass when David was in Edom, when Joab the captain of the host had gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom 16(for Joab abode there six months with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom), 17that Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go into Egypt, Hadad being yet a little child. 18And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran, and took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt; who gave him a house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land. 19And Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, and he gave him as wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. 20And the sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son; and Tahpenes brought him up in Pharaoh's house; and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household, among the sons of Pharaoh. 21And Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead; and Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country. 22And Pharaoh said to him, What then dost thou lack with me, that behold, thou desirest to go to thine own country? And he said, Nothing; but in any case let me depart.

Rezon's Hostility

23God stirred him up yet an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from Hadadezer king of Zobah, his lord. 24And he collected men to him, and became captain of a band, when David slew them [of Zobah]; and they went to Damascus, and dwelt there, and reigned in Damascus. 25And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, besides the mischief that Hadad [did]; and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.

Jeroboam's Rebellion

26And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zeredah, Solomon's servant (whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman), even he lifted up his hand against the king. 27And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon was building Millo, and closing the breach of the city of David his father; 28and the man Jeroboam was strong and valiant; and Solomon saw the young man that he was industrious, and he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. 29And it came to pass at that time that Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, and the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field. 30Then Ahijah seized the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces; 31and said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces; for thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel: Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee; 32but one tribe shall he have for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel: 33because they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in my sight, and my statutes and mine ordinances, as David his father. 34But I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand; for I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes; 35but I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, -- the ten tribes. 36And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a lamp always before me in Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen for myself to put my name there. 37And I will take thee, that thou mayest reign over all that thy soul desireth, and thou shalt be king over Israel. 38And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that which is right in my sight, in keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, that I will be with thee, and build thee a lasting house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee. 39And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever. 40And Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam; and Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt; and he was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

The Death of Solomon

(2 Chronicles 9:29-31)

41And 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? 42And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 43And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.