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1 KINGS 11

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph
2. Second paragraph
3. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

1. The admonitions of Deut. 17:14-17 are violated by Solomon.
   1. The king should not multiply himself.
   2. The king should not buy horses from Egypt (i.e., sign of good relations).
   3. The king should not multiply wives.
      1. political alliances
      2. idolatry
   4. The king should not multiply silver and gold for himself.

   These admonitions seem to have been written precisely to Solomon. Many scholars believe there is a literary relationship between Deuteronomy and Kings.

2. Solomon's shocking idolatry (i.e., 1 Sam. 7:4) is compounded by YHWH's personal revelation to him, twice.
   1. Astoreth of the Sidonians, vv. 5,33 (NIDOTTE, vol. 3, pp. 562-563)
   2. Milcom of the Ammonites, vv. 5,33
   3. Chemosh of the Moabites, vv. 5,33 (NIDOTTE, vol. 2, pp. 660-661)
   4. Molech of the Ammonites (possibly the same as #2)
   
   
3. YHWH sends three enemies against Solomon.
   1. Hadad the Edomite, vv. 14-22
   2. Rezon of Syria, vv. 23-25
   3. Jeroboam of Ephraim, vv. 26-40

   What looks like secular history is really the unseen hand of God, active in His world.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 11:1-8
  ¹Now King 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 sons of Israel, "You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods." Solomon held fast to these in love. ³He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away. ⁴For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. ⁵For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after Milcom the detestable idol of the Ammonites. ⁶Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully, as David his father had done. ⁷Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab, on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon. ⁸Thus also he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

11:1 "loved many foreign women" The forbidding of marriage to Canaanite women is stated clearly in Exod. 34:15,16; Deut. 7:1-3. This same principle (i.e., do not multiply wives) is repeated clearly in Deut. 17:17.

Solomon learned this practice from his father David (cf. 2 Sam. 5:13). This prohibition was for two reasons.

1. do not trust in political alliances
2. do no go after their idols

This was one way David's and Solomon's reigns were like "the nations around them" (cf. Deut. 17:14; 1 Sam. 5:8).

What a spiritual tragedy is the comparison of 1 Kings 8 and 1 Kings 11. From what heights Solomon fell!

▣ "the daughters of Pharaoh" Marriage to Egyptians was never condemned. Joseph married an Egyptian woman (i.e., Gen. 41:50). There is no record in the Bible of Israel ever worshiping an Egyptian god. The problem was Canaanite fertility worship.

Jewish tradition asserts that Solomon's Egyptian wife became a convert to faith in YHWH.

▣ "Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite" These were the three nations on the eastern side of Jordan. Two of them were relatives through Lot (cf. Gen. 19:30-38).

The LXX has an expanded list of nations—Arameans, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, Hittites, Amorites. All of these nations apparently had treaties with Israel (i.e., legend has Solomon marrying a daughter of Hiram).

The mother of Rehoboam was an Ammonite (cf. 1 Kgs. 14:21). This shows that this chapter is more about theology than chronology.

▣ "Sidonian" This (BDB 851) apparently refers to Phoenicians (cf. 1 Kgs. 16:31), who worshiped Ba'al and Ashtoreth (cf. v. 5).

SPECIAL TOPIC: FERTILITY WORSHIP OF THE ANE

▣ "Hittite" See SPECIAL TOPIC: PRE-ISRAELITE INHABITANTS OF PALESTINE.

11:2 "You shall not associate with them" This refers to Exod. 23:31-33; 34:12-16. The reason given is not racial but religious. These women would turn Israel's devotion from YHWH to the Canaanite fertility gods.

The MT has the common VERB (BDB 97, KB 112, Qal IMPERFECT) twice, which basically means "come in." Here, it denotes marriage (cf. Deuteronomy 7, which forbids marriage to Canaanites).

▣ "they will surely turn your heart away" This phrase is repeated four times for emphasis (vv. 2,3,4,9). This is exactly what happened!

SPECIAL TOPIC: HEART

▣ "Solomon held fast to these in love" The MT has the VERB (BDB 179, KB 209, Qal PERFECT) which means "to cling to" or "hold close." This is a powerful, emotional word (NIDOTTE, vol. 1, pp. 910-911).

1. love and unity between a man and a woman ‒ Gen. 2:24; 34:3
2. friendship ‒ Ruth 1:14
3. covenant love and obedience to YHWH ‒ Deut. 10:20; 11:22; 30:20; Josh. 22:5; 23:8; 2 Kgs. 18:6; Ps. 63:9
4. love for God's law ‒ Ps. 119:31

It is a wonderful VERB but Solomon used it for the wrong person(s).

11:3 This extravagance is matched by the extravagance of Solomon's life and buildings. Deuteronomy 17:14-17 clearly warned about these things!

▣ "concubines" These were legal wives but with limited inheritance rights for their children (see NIDOTTE, vol. 3, pp. 618-619).

11:4 "was old" In his young and adult years he was fully devoted (i.e., exclusively) to YHWH, as David was (cf. v. 6; 1 Kgs. 3:6; 9:4), but as the years passed his heart took the path of idolatry, not covenant loyalty.

▣ "his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord" "Wholly" is an ADJECTIVE (BDB 1023 I; see NIDOTTE, vol. 4, p. 133, #3) which is often used of complete devotion to God and His covenant (i.e., 1 Kgs. 8:61; 11:4; 15:3,14; 2 Kgs. 20:3; 1 Chr. 28:9; 29:19; 2 Chr. 15:17; 16:9; 19:9; 25:2; Isa. 38:3).

11:5 "Solomon went after" This is a very common VERB (BDB 229, KB 246) which basically denotes movements—"go," "come," "walk." In this context it follows the Deuteronomic usage of "serving idols" (cf. Deut. 11:28; 13:2; 28:14).

▣ "Ashtoreth" This is the female consort of Ba'al. She is known as Asherah, Astarte, Anath. She was symbolized by wooden poles on the worship platform, which was either a live tree or a carved pole symbolizing the tree of life.

SPECIAL TOPIC: FERTILITY WORSHIP OF THE ANE

▣ "Milcom" This (BDB 575) may refer to Molech (BDB 574); both of these names have the same Hebrew root as king (BDB 572). See especially v. 7 where the UBS Text Project, p. 315, gives it a "B" rating (some doubt).

SPECIAL TOPIC: MOLECH

▣ "the detestable idol" This NOUN (BDB 1055; NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 243-246) is often used of idols (cf. Deut. 29:17; 2 Kgs. 23:13,24; Isa. 66:3; Jer. 4:1; 7:30; 13:27; 16:18; Ezek. 5:11; 7:20; 11:18,21; 20:7,8,30; 37:23).

2 Kings 23:13 shows this NOUN is interchangeable with "abomination" (BDB 1072).

SPECIAL TOPIC: ABOMINATION (OT)

11:6 "did what was evil in the sight of the Lord" This became an oft repeated literary way of expressing Mosaic covenant violations of the kings of Israel, Judah, and the northern ten tribes.

11:7 "built a high place" There is tension in the historical books about "the high places" (bamah, BDB 119). In Solomon's youth he worshiped and met YHWH at the high place at Gibeon (cf. 1 Kgs. 3:4). However, later these sites (usually on a hill) became Ba'al and Ashtoreth worship sites and were condemned. They were hard to remove because they were so popular with the people. This was the curse of the Canaanites, recorded in Deut. 17:1-3.

See Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, pp. 284-288 (#6, "high places").

▣ "Chemosh" This (BDB 484) was the sun god and war god of the Moabites (cf. Num. 21:29; 2 Kgs. 23:10).

▣ "Molech" See note at v. 5.

11:8 What a sad verse. The "all" here may not include the daughter of Pharaoh (1 Kgs. 3:1; 7:8; 9:16,24; 2 Chr. 8:11).

For his wives to worship these idols Solomon must have brought to Jerusalem the priests of these gods.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 11:9-13
  ⁹Now the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, ¹⁰and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not observe what the Lord had commanded. ¹¹So the Lord said to Solomon, "Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. ¹²Nevertheless I will not do it in your days for the sake of your father David, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. ¹³However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but 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."

11:9-10 YHWH was angry with Solomon because

1. he violated YHWH's known will (i.e., the Mosaic Law)
2. YHWH had appeared personally to him, twice (cf. 1 Kgs. 3:5; 9:2)
3. YHWH had blessed him with so many blessings

SPECIAL TOPIC: ANTHROPOMORPHIC LANGUAGE USED TO DESCRIBE DEITY

11:11 This is YHWH's third personal revelation to Solomon, whether by dream, vision, or prophet is unknown.

▣ "My covenant" See SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT.

▣ "My statutes" See SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR GOD'S REVELATION.

▣ "I will surely tear the kingdom from you" This is an intensified VERB (i.e., an INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and an IMPERFECT VERB of the same root, BDB 902, KB 1146).

The VERB is repeated in vv. 11,12,13,31! Wow! YHWH is abrogating part of the covenant of 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17 because of covenant disobedience.

11:13 YHWH has a revelatory and redemptive purpose for His covenant people. Therefore, He leaves "one tribe" for Solomon's son (cf. vv. 31,32,36).

This one tribe is really four tribes.

1. Judah
2. Simeon (incorporated early)
3. Benjamin (closeness to Judah)
4. Levi (priests)

SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 11:14-22
  ¹⁴Then the Lord raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the royal line in Edom. ¹⁵For it came about, when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army had gone up to bury the slain, and had struck down every male in Edom ¹⁶(for Joab and all Israel stayed there six months, until he had cut off every male in Edom), ¹⁷that Hadad fled to Egypt, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, while Hadad was a young boy. ¹⁸They 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 and assigned him food and gave him land. ¹⁹Now Hadad found great favor before Pharaoh, so that he gave him in marriage the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. ²⁰The sister of Tahpenes bore his son Genubath, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house; and Genubath was in Pharaoh's house among the sons of Pharaoh. ²¹But when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers and that Joab the commander of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, "Send me away, that I may go to my own country." ²²Then Pharaoh said to him, "But what have you lacked with me, that behold, you are seeking to go to your own country?" And he answered, "Nothing; nevertheless you must surely let me go."

11:14-22 This is the first of three divinely sent enemies against Solomon, the man of rest and prosperity!

There was much tension and warfare between Edom and Israel.

SPECIAL TOPIC: EDOM AND ISRAEL

11:14 "adversary" This MASCULINE NOUN (BDB 966, KB 1317) is used of

1. humans
2. angelic beings
3. demonic agents

SPECIAL TOPIC: SATAN

11:15-16 This slaughter of Edom by Joab is not specifically recorded (cf. 1 Sam. 8:14; 1 Chr. 18:12-13). It may refer to the execution of the royal line.

The MT has the "to be VERB" (BDB 224, KB 243). The NET Bible suggests adding "was fighting." the JPSOA suggests an emendation "defeated," based on 2 Sam. 8 :13. Both the LXX and Peshitta understood the text in this same sense.

11:19-20 "Tahpenes" This name is not mentioned in any Egyptian documents or wall inscriptions of the period.

ABD, vol. 6, p. 309, suggests that it is a corruption of an Egyptian title, "wife of the king," which may be confirmed by the variant reading of the LXX (see AB, p. 332).

11:21 "David slept with his fathers" "Slept" (BDB 1011, KB 1486, Qal PERFECT) is an idiom for death (i.e., Job 20:11; 21:26). The full phrase is especially used of kings (cf. 1 Kgs. 1:21; 2:10; 11:21,43; 14:20).

This has nothing to do with the modern theological theory of "soul sleep."

SPECIAL TOPIC: WHERE ARE THE DEAD?

11:22 "you must surely let me go" This is an intensified form (i.e., an INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and an IMPERFECT VERB of the same root, BDB 1018. KB 1511).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 11:23-25
  ²³God also raised up another adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah. ²⁴He gathered men to himself and became leader of a marauding band, after David slew them of Zobah; and they went to Damascus and stayed there, and reigned in Damascus. ²⁵So he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, along with the evil that Hadad did; and he abhorred Israel and reigned over Aram.

11:23-25 This is the second divinely sent enemy (lit. adversary, BDB 966).

11:23 "God raised up" In v. 14, it is YHWH who raised up. This is just literary variation, not a hint at different source documents (J + E).

SPECIAL TOPIC: PENTATEUCH SOURCE CRITICISM (J,E,D,P)

The MT has "Aram" (BDB 74), which was another name for Syria. A footnote in the Peshitta translation into English by Lamsa says "At this time the King of Aram was an Edomite." The UBS Text Project, p. 317, gives "Aram" a "B" rating (some doubt).

1. Aram ‒ ארם
2. Edom ‒ אדם

This is an example of the "r," "d" confusion in Hebrew.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 11:26-40
  ²⁶Then Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, also rebelled against the king. ²⁷Now this was the reason why he rebelled against the king: Solomon built the Millo, and closed up the breach of the city of his father David. ²⁸Now the man Jeroboam was a valiant warrior, and when Solomon saw that the young man was industrious, he appointed him over all the forced labor of the house of Joseph. ²⁹It came about at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Now Ahijah had clothed himself with a new cloak; and both of them were alone in the field. ³⁰Then Ahijah took hold of the new cloak which was on him and tore it into twelve pieces. ³¹He 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 give you ten tribes ³²(but he will have one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel), ³³because they have forsaken Me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon; and they have not walked in My ways, doing what is right in My sight and observing My statutes and My ordinances, as his father David did. ³⁴Nevertheless I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of My servant David whom I chose, who observed My commandments and My statutes; ³⁵but I will take the kingdom from his son's hand and give it to you, even ten tribes. ³⁶But to his son I will give one tribe, that My servant David may have a lamp always before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen for Myself to put My name. ³⁷I will take you, and you shall reign over whatever you desire, and you shall be king over Israel. ³⁸Then it will be, that if you listen to all that I command you and walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight by observing My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build you an enduring house as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you. ³⁹Thus I will afflict the descendants of David for this, but not always.'" ⁴⁰Solomon sought therefore to put Jeroboam to death; but Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt to Shishak king of Egypt, and he was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

11:26-40 This is the third and most formidable enemy of Solomon's dynasty (i.e., Jeroboam, NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 969-772). He was from the tribe of Ephraim, the major competitor to Judah for power and preeminence. Joshua, Gideon, Deborah, and Samuel were all from the tribe descending from Joseph.

He was the supervisor of the levy of laborers from Ephraim in building and reenforcing Jerusalem (cf. vv. 27-28).

SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF THE DIVIDED MONARCHY

The MT has the Hebrew idiom, "lifted up his hand" (twice), which denotes rebellion. The opposite idiom would be the dropping of the hand, which would denote fear and despair.

11:27 "the Millo" See note at 1 Kgs. 9:15,24.

The MT has the CONSTRUCT BDB 150 with BDB 298 (cf. Jdgs. 6:12; 11:1; 1 Sam. 9:1; 16:18; 2 Kgs. 5:1; 1 Chr. 12:28; 28:1; 2 Chr. 13:3; 17:16,17; 25:6; 32:21). The context must determine in what area of life the person had great ability, energy, and competence.

▣ "the forced labor of the house of Joseph" There is conflicting evidence in Kings about to whom this "forced labor" refers.

1. only conquered peoples, cf. 2 Sam. 20:24; 1 Kgs. 9:20-21; 1 Chr. 22:2; 2 Chr. 2:17-18 (i.e., following Deut. 20:11)
2. servants of the King of Tyre (cf. 2 Sam. 5:11; 1 Kgs. 5:6)
3. only non-military, non-governmental Israelites (i.e., 1 Kgs. 9:22)
4. all Israelites, but in shifts of specific times and specific tribes (i.e., never Levi), cf. 1 Kgs. 5:13; 9:15
5. see good discussion in Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, pp. 141-142

It was the hatred of Solomon's forced labor policies that caused the kingdom to split in 922 b.c. into Judah and Israel (cf. 1 Kings 12).

The "house of Joseph" could have referred to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh or just Ephraim.

11:29 "the prophet" See SPECIAL TOPIC: PROPHECY (OT).

11:32 YHWH had a plan for Israel unconnected to their covenant obedience (i.e., and unconditional covenant of the promise of Messiah and worldwide redemption. See SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN)! However, every individual Israelite and every generation of Israelites were expected and commanded to keep the Mosaic covenant (i.e., a conditional covenant with blessings and curses, cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-30). So is the Mosaic covenant and the Davidic covenant conditional or unconditional? YES!

SPECIAL TOPIC: EASTERN LITERATURE (biblical paradoxes)

SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT

▣ "one tribe" This specificity is confusing (the LXX has "two"). Its literary purpose is to state YHWH's continuing choice of Judah (i.e., Messiah, cf. Gen. 49:10). In reality Judah was made up of four tribes.

1. Simeon incorporated early because of their land allocation among the Philistines
2. Levi because this tribe uniquely served as tabernacle and temple servants
3. Benjamin because of its close geographical connection to Judah

▣ "the city which I have chosen" This goes back to the repeated phrases in Deuteronomy (cf. Deut. 12:5,11,14,18,21,26; 14:23-25; 15:20; 16:2,11,15; 17:8,10; 18:6; 26:2; 31:11; 1 Kgs. 8:29; 11:13,32,36; 14:21). Jerusalem was "David's city," who was a type of the Messiah to come. It was the central worship and sacrifice place of all the tribes and their land allocations.

11:33 "because they have forsaken Me" This is an oft repeated VERB (BDB 736 I, KB 806), illustrating Israel's repeated disobedience and idolatry. Here are a few examples.

1. forsook YHWH ‒ Deut. 28:20; 31:16; Jdgs. 10:10; 1 Kgs. 9:9,11; 33:18; 2 Kgs. 21:22; 22:17; 2 Chr. 7:22; 12:5; Jer. 1:16
2. forsook His commandments ‒ Deut. 29:24; 1 Kgs. 18:18; 19:10,14; 2 Chr. 7:19; 12:1
3. forsook His temple ‒ 2 Chr. 24:18; Neh. 10:40
4. YHWH's promise never to "forsake" them (but with a mandate for covenant obedience) ‒ 2 Kgs. 2:2,4,6; 4:30; if they forsake Him, He will forsake them (i.e., 2 Chr. 13:11)

The MT has "they" but the LXX, Peshitta, and Vulgate have "he has." The UBS Text Project, p. 318, gives the MT a "B" rating (some doubt).

▣ "walked" This is a Hebrew idiom for lifestyle faith.

▣ "My ways. . .My statutes and My ordinances" See SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR GOD'S REVELATION.

▣ "as his father David" This comment shows that YHWH does not require sinlessness, which is impossible for fallen mankind (cf. 1 Kgs. 8:46), but He does expect a "whole heart" (i.e., 1 Kgs. 8:61). David was an open-eyed sinner (2 Samuel 11) but he repented and sought YHWH (cf. 1 Sam. 13:14; Ps. 32:51; Acts 13:22).

11:34 "whom I chose" See SPECIAL TOPIC: HE CHOSE US.

▣ "who observed My commandments and My statutes" David was a man of faith, not perfect, but a man whose life, for the most part, exemplified obedience and awe toward YHWH and His covenant.

1. Abraham and his family ‒ Gen. 17:9; 18:19
2. the faithful to all generations ‒ Exod. 20:6; Deut. 7:9
3. Israel ‒ Lev. 18:26; 22:31; Deut. 4:40; 6:2; 26:16-17; Josh. 22:5; 2 Kings 37
4. Saul's rejection ‒ 1 Sam. 13:4
5. David ‒ 1 Kgs. 2:3; 11:34
6. Rechabites ‒ Jer. 35:18
7. righteous son ‒ Ezek. 18:19
8. Wisdom Literature ‒ Ps. 119:8; Prov. 4:4

SPECIAL TOPIC: KEEP

11:35 The VERBAL pair "take. . .give" (both Qal PERFECTS here) denote the transfer of property by a monarch (cf. 2 Sam. 12:11; Job 1:21; see NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 208, g). This pair is also used of YHWH's choice of the house of Levi (cf. Lev. 7:34; Num. 8:18-19). YHWH is in control of history. This is empirically proved by Predictive Prophecy!

11:36 See notes at vv. 13 and 32.

▣ "a lamp" This could refer to

1. the priests' work in the holy place, keeping the menorah lit
2. David as a source of revelation and hope to Israel (cf. 2 Sam. 21:17; 2 Chr. 21:7; Ps. 18:28; 119:105; Prov. 6:23)
3. a son (cf. 1 Kgs. 15:4; 2 Kgs. 8:19)

In context, option #3 seems best. See NIDOTTE, vol. 3, pp. 159-160.

11:38 "if" Notice that, like YHWH's word to Solomon, His word to Jeroboam was conditional on covenant obedience!

▣ "and do what is right" This became an idiom for covenant obedience and loyalty (cf. Deut. 6:18; 12:28; 13:18), particularly as related to the avoidance of idolatry.

1. of David ‒ 1 Kgs. 11:38
2. negatively of Jeroboam ‒ 1 Kgs. 14:8
3. Asa ‒ 1 Kgs. 15:11; 2 Chr. 14:2
4. Jehoshaphat ‒ 1 Kgs. 22:43; 2 Chr. 20:32
5. Jehoash ‒ 2 Kgs. 12:2; 2 Chr. 24:2

This is not the same word as promised to David (i.e., "forever, 'olam), but it is a form of the word for "faith" (BDB 52, see SPECIAL TOPIC: BELIEVE, TRUST, FAITH, AND FAITHFULNESS IN THE OT). The added phrase "as I built for David," gives added weight to the promise. Judah was always YHWH's special choice, but this is a powerful promise to the northern tribes "if" they would obey the Mosaic Covenant.

11:39 YHWH knew Jeroboam would not be obedient and, therefore, not permanent.

11:40 "Shishak king of Egypt" He was known in Egyptian sources as Sheshonk I. This Pharaoh (a Libyan title, like Pharaoh, they ruled Egypt in the 22nd dynasty) protected Jeroboam I from Solomon (cf. 1 Kgs. 11:40). This shows the growing power of Egypt. Earlier Egypt had given a royal daughter to seal a truce with Solomon and now an open act of defiance. Although the biblical account of this invasion is limited (cf. 1 Kgs. 14:25-28), there is an Egyptian inscription at the Temple of Amon at Karnack that describes this invasion. It claims he invaded as far north as Megiddo.

SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF EGYPT

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 11:41-43
  ⁴¹Now the rest of the acts of Solomon and whatever he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon? ⁴²Thus 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 his father David, and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.

11:41 "in the book of the acts of Solomon" This book has not survived.

11:42 "forty years" This may be a symbolic number. Notice Saul, David, and Solomon all reigned 40 years.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SYMBOLIC NUMBERS IN SCRIPTURE, #7

11:43 "slept with his fathers" See note at v. 21 and a good brief discussion in Hard Sayings of the Bible, pp. 127-129.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. What happened to faithful, obedient Solomon?
2. Explain the difference between "a whole heart" and a half heart.
3. List the reasons Solomon's idolatry was so surprising and evil.
4. Why did YHWH not fully replace Solomon?
5. Why did "forced labor" cause Solomon so much trouble? Who did he force into service?
6. Why is the "if" of v. 38 so theologically significant?

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