I Kings 11:1 · Bible study
1 Kings 11:1 Commentary: Study: Solomon's Love for Foreign Women
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore how Solomon's love for many foreign women marked the start of his spiritual decline, and the lessons for us today.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Solomon's love for foreign women violated God's command, leading to idolatry and kingdom division.
- Key words: "loved" (אָהַב), deep emotional attachment; "foreign" (נׇכְרִי), alien, often associated with idolatry; "many", excess contrary to Deut 17:17.
- Main debate: Whether Solomon's actions were primarily political alliances or personal lust, and whether his idolatry was syncretic or a full renunciation of Yahweh.
- Theological theme: The danger of gradual compromise and the necessity of wholehearted devotion to God alone.
- Best use: A cautionary narrative for teaching about the progression of sin and the need for vigilance in relationships and obedience.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh—women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidon, as well as Hittite women.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites,
KJV King James Version 1769
But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites;
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And king Solomon hath loved many strange women, and the daughter of Pharaoh, females of Moab, Ammon, Edom, Zidon, and of the Hittites,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But king Solomon loved many foreign women, besides the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, Hittites;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And king Solomon loved many strange women, besides the daughter of Pharao, and women of Moab, and of Ammon, and of Edom, and of Sidon, and of the Hethites:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
EMPERO el rey Salomón amó, á más de la hija de Faraón, muchas mujeres extranjeras: á las de Moab, á las de Ammón, á las de Idumea, á las de Sidón, y á las Hetheas;
Porém o rei Salomão amou, além da filha de Faraó, muitas mulheres estrangeiras: às de Moabe, às de Amom, às de Edom, às de Sidom, e às heteias;
Le roi Salomon aima beaucoup de femmes étrangères, outre la fille de Pharaon: des Moabites, des Ammonites, des Édomites, des Sidoniennes, des Héthiennes,
Aber der König Salomo liebte viel ausländische Weiber: Die Tochter Pharaos und moabitische, ammonitische, edomitische, sidonische und hethitische,
En de koning Salomo had veel vreemde vrouwen lief, en dat benevens de dochter van Farao: Moabietische, Ammonietische, Edomietische, Sidonische, Hethietische;
Or il re Salomone, oltre la figliuola di Faraone, amò molte donne straniere: delle Moabite, delle Ammonite, delle Idumee, delle Sidonie, delle Hittee,
Tedy król Salomon rozmiłował się niewiast obcych wiele: nie tylko córki Faraonowej, ale i Moabitczanek, Ammonitczanek, Edomczanek, Sydończanek, Hetejczanek.
И полюбил царь Соломон многих чужестранных женщин, кроме дочери фараоновой, Моавитянок, Аммонитянок, Идумеянок, Сидонянок, Хеттеянок,
所羅門 王 在 法老 的女兒之外，又寵愛 許多 外邦 女子，就是摩押女子、亞捫女子、以東女子、西頓女子、赫人女子。
Now a number of strange women were loved by Solomon, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Kings 11:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse marks the beginning of Solomon’s tragic spiritual decline. Barnes notes the direct link to Moses’ warning in Deuteronomy 17:17: a king must not multiply wives, lest his heart turn away. Clarke states plainly that these women were idolaters and that no evidence supports the idea that Pharaoh’s daughter became a proselyte. Keil and Delitzsch argue the fall was not sudden but a gradual syncretism, Solomon continued to worship Yahweh while also building altars for his wives’ gods. Matthew Henry calls it a “sad story” and traces the revolt to Solomon doting on women. Cambridge Bible adds that the large harem was partly for Oriental pomp. The consensus is clear: Solomon’s love violated God’s explicit command. His extraordinary wisdom did not protect him from the slow corrosion of compromise.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Political alliance: Barnes and JFB emphasize state magnificence and strategic alliances with neighboring kingdoms, downplaying personal lust.
- Lustful desire: Matthew Henry says Solomon 'doted on women,' and Keil & Delitzsch mention sensual desires and inclination to foreign customs.
- Gradual compromise: Keil & Delitzsch argue the fall was not sudden but a progressive syncretism, with repeated warnings from God (1 Kings 3:14; 6:12; 9:4).
What is clear: Solomon violated God's explicit command not to marry women from these nations, and this led to his heart being turned away from Yahweh.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Pharaoh's daughter's role | She is distinguished from the other foreign wives, and no Egyptian idolatry is mentioned in the text. | Some argue she became a proselyte and did not contribute to Solomon's fall (Gill), while others see no evidence for this and note she remained a foreigner (Clarke). |
| Motivation for the marriages | All agree the marriages violated divine law. | Some emphasize political expediency and state magnificence (Barnes, JFB), while others stress personal lust and an inclination to foreign customs (Matthew Henry, Keil & Delitzsch). |
| Extent of Solomon's idolatry | He built high places for other gods and participated in their worship. | Keil & Delitzsch argue for syncretism, continued Yahweh worship alongside idols. Others see a more complete apostasy where his heart was no longer wholeheartedly with God (Matthew Henry, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Solomon’s marriages must be understood against the backdrop of ancient Near Eastern politics. A king sealed alliances by taking the daughters of neighboring rulers, and Pharaoh’s daughter was a particularly prestigious match (1 Kings 3:1). But God had given Israel a specific command in Exodus 34:12, 16 and Deuteronomy 7:3, 4: no intermarriage with the Canaanite nations, because they would turn the people’s hearts to other gods.
The nations listed, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and the Hittites, cover all the peoples surrounding Israel. Each had its own deities: Ashtoreth (Sidon), Milcom (Ammon), Chemosh (Moab). By marrying into these groups, Solomon brought their worship into the heart of Jerusalem. Barnes points out that the Sidonians are Phoenician women, and a tradition claims Solomon married a daughter of Hiram of Tyre.
Yet the verb “loved” (’ahav) suggests more than political calculation. It indicates genuine personal attachment. Keil and Delitzsch argue that this love for foreign women presupposed an inclination toward foreign customs, which made him vulnerable. The harem of 700 wives and 300 concubines (v. 3) was not just state magnificence, as Cambridge Bible notes, but a direct violation of Deuteronomy 17:17. The marriage with Pharaoh’s daughter is distinguished from the others; some have argued she became a proselyte, but as Clarke insists, there is no evidence. Solomon knew the command and ignored it. This context shows his fall was not from ignorance but from deliberate disregard.
Textual Notes
The Masoretic Text is well-attested. The Septuagint (Vaticanus) adds “and the Syrian and the Amorite wives” to the list and incorporates part of verse 3 into this verse, but this addition is not followed by standard English translations. No other significant variants affect interpretation.
Reception History
Throughout church history, 1 Kings 11:1 has been read as a solemn warning against marrying unbelievers. Early Christian writers cited it when discussing mixed marriages. Medieval exegetes often allegorized Solomon’s fall as the soul seduced by worldly vanities. Reformation-era commentators stressed that even the most gifted can fall into grievous sin when they disregard God’s commands. In Puritan preaching, this verse was a classic example of how sin progresses from small compromises to open rebellion. Modern interpreters focus on the historical and political dimensions while maintaining the pastoral caution: no love should compete with love for God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The warning ignored: God’s command through Moses (Deuteronomy 17:17) was clear, yet Solomon multiplied wives despite knowing the consequence.
- The slow slide: It began with love, led to tolerance of idolatry in the harem, then to building high places and participating in false worship.
- The bitter harvest: His heart turned away, the kingdom was torn from his son, and the nation suffered for generations.
Five-point outline
- Solomon’s love for many foreign women (v. 1)
- The forbidden nations listed (v. 2)
- The vast harem, a direct violation of Torah (v. 3)
- The turning of his heart in old age (v. 4)
- The building of altars and the resulting judgment (vv. 5, 13)
Illustration hooks
- Someone who begins a friendship with a person of different values, thinking they can be a positive influence, only to find their own convictions slowly eroding.
- A business owner who starts with small ethical shortcuts to stay competitive, justifying each step, until a major scandal destroys their reputation.
- A marriage where one partner gradually drifts from shared faith, compromises are made for the sake of peace, and before long the home no longer centers on God.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How could the wisest person in the Bible fall so completely?
- Does this mean God forbids marriage with people of other cultures or races? (No, the issue is religious allegiance, not ethnicity.)
- What small compromises in my life today might grow into something that turns my heart away from God?
Leading a Discussion
This verse shows that spiritual decline often starts with things that seem good, love, companionship, political advantage. But when love for anything competes with love for God, it can lead to disaster. Solomon had every advantage: wisdom, wealth, a temple built for God. Yet he fell. Let his story prompt an honest look at our own lives.
Discussion questions
- What does the list of nations (Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, Hittites) tell you about the scope of Solomon’s relationships?
- Why did God specifically forbid marriage with these peoples? Read Deuteronomy 7:3, 4 and discuss the reasoning.
- How do you think Solomon justified his many marriages to himself? What rationalizations might he have used?
- In what ways did Solomon’s wisdom fail him? Does wisdom guarantee obedience?
- Where do you see the line between healthy love for others and love that competes with love for God?
- What safeguards help you notice when a relationship or pursuit is starting to pull your heart away from God?
- If you were a trusted friend of Solomon at this stage, what would you say to him?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 6:2 | God’s sons saw that men’s daughters were beautiful, and they took any that they wanted for themselves as wives. |
| Genesis 6:5 | Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually only evil. |
| Leviticus 18:18 | “‘You shall not take a wife in addition to her sister, to be a rival, to uncover her nakedness, while her sister is still alive. |
| Deuteronomy 17:17 | He shall not multiply wives to himself, that his heart not turn away. He shall not greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. |
| I Kings 3:1 | Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into David’s city until he had finished building his own house, Yahweh’s house, and the wall around Jerusalem. |
| I Kings 11:8 | So he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. |
| Nehemiah 13:23 | In those days I also saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab; |
| Nehemiah 13:27 | Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke observes that the daughter of Pharaoh is listed among the idolatrous foreign women Solomon married. While many assume she converted to Judaism, he insists there is no evidence for that claim. Her status as an idolater stands unaltered.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the biblical writer deliberately traces Solomon's accumulation of gold, horses, and wives back to Moses' explicit warning against these very forms of royal display. He also explains that "Zidonians" refers to Phoenician women, and mentions a tradition that Solomon married Hiram of Tyre's daughter.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge commentary notes that Solomon did not merely tolerate his foreign wives' heathen worship within the harem; he built temples
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes draw attention to the particular foreign nations from which King Solomon took wives, naming Moab, Ammon, Edom, Zidon, Heth, and Pharaoh's daughter. This detailed list underscores how widely Solomon's marriages ranged beyond Israel, directly contradicting God's command against such alliances.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that Solomon's love for these women was not lawful but lustful, rooted in sinful desire rather than legitimate marriage. He notes that Pharaoh's daughter was likely a convert who never led Solomon to idolatry, unlike the other foreign women. Political excuses for these marriages are dismissed; Gill traces them to lust or pride.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB contrasts Solomon's promising start with his shocking old-age apostasy, tracing the fall directly to his love for many foreign women. Even his extraordinary wisdom could not protect him from worldly pleasure and the corrupting influence of a vast harem, which violated God's express command.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch argue that Solomon's idolatry was not a sudden renunciation of Jehovah but a gradual syncretism, mixing worship of the true God with heathen practices. His love for many foreign wives slowly turned his heart, while his wisdom, riches, and glory, though God-given, indirectly enabled this drift by breaking down the wall between true and false worship.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that Solomon did not personally commit idolatry or abandon Jehovah. Instead, growing indifferent in old age, he permitted and even assisted his foreign wives in their idol worship. This toleration, not outright apostasy, constituted the king's unfaithfulness—a failure to keep his heart wholly with God.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry emphasizes the shocking tragedy of Solomon's fall, noting that even the wisest and most blessed king was seduced into idolatry through his doting love for foreign women. He observes that Scripture faithfully records this shameful chapter as a warning that no one is beyond temptation.