I Kings 11:3 · Bible study
1 Kings 11:3 Commentary: Solomon’s Wives and a Heart Led Astray
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Solomon, the wisest king, allow his wives to turn his heart? This study explores the numbers, the turning away, and its tragic lesson.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Solomon's accumulation of 700 royal wives and 300 concubines, despite God's command, led to his heart being turned away from Yahweh to other gods.
- Key Hebrew words: nashim (wives, H0802); vayyattu (they turned aside, H5186); sarot (princesses, H8282); pilagshim (concubines, H6370)
- Main debate: Whether the numbers (700/300) are literal or reflect textual corruption, as Barnes suggests a reading of “70” wives.
- Theological theme: The danger of gradual spiritual compromise, illustrated by the wisest king succumbing to the influence of his relationships.
- Best use: A cautionary study on the subtle erosion of faith through tolerated disobedience and misplaced priorities.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines—and his wives turned his heart away.
WEB World English Bible 2000
He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. His wives turned his heart away.
KJV King James Version 1769
And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And he hath women, princesses, seven hundred, and concubines three hundred; and his wives turn aside his heart.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And he had seven hundred wives as queens, and three hundred concubines: and the women turned away his heart.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y tuvo setecientas mujeres reinas, y trescientas concubinas; y sus mujeres torcieron su corazón.
E teve setecentas esposas princesas, e trezentas concubinas; e suas mulheres desviaram o coração dele.
Il eut sept cents princesses pour femmes et trois cents concubines; et ses femmes détournèrent son cœur.
Und er hatte siebenhundert Weiber zu Frauen und dreihundert Kebsweiber; und seine Weiber neigten sein Herz.
En hij had zevenhonderd vrouwen, vorstinnen, en driehonderd bijwijven; en zijn vrouwen neigden zijn hart.
Ed ebbe settecento principesse per mogli e trecento concubine; e le sue mogli gli pervertirono il cuore;
Tak iż miał żon królowych siedm set, a założnic trzy sta; i odwróciły żony jego serce jego.
И было у него семьсот жен и триста наложниц; и развратили жены его сердце его.
所羅門 有 妃 七 百，都是公主；還有嬪 三 百。這些妃嬪 誘惑 他的心。
He had seven hundred wives, daughters of kings, and three hundred other wives; and through his wives his heart was turned away.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Kings 11:3
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: Solomon's vast harem was a violation of God's explicit command and the direct cause of his spiritual decline. Lange's Commentary links this to Deuteronomy 17, which warned the king against multiplying wives. The Hebrew verb in verse 3, vayyattu (“they turned aside,” from H5186), is a narrative imperfect marking a concrete outcome. Matthew Henry calls the story “sad… and very surprising.” Adam Clarke writes with alarm that a man with a thousand wives cannot have piety. Some, however, see the numbers as heightened. Barnes suggests textual corruption, preferring “70” wives. The Cambridge Bible counters with examples of other monarchs. The shared point is this: Solomon's heart was led astray gradually, not suddenly. Verse 4 says, “When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods.” The passage indicts the company Solomon kept, not merely the quantity.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal numbers view: Accepts the numbers as given, supported by ANE parallels of large harems (Cambridge Bible, ANE examples).
- Textual corruption view: Points to the absence of historical parallels and the lower numbers in Song of Solomon 6:8, suggesting scribal inflation (Barnes).
What is clear: Regardless of the exact count, Solomon violated God's command against multiplying wives, and his heart was turned away from exclusive loyalty to Yahweh.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Accuracy of the numbers (700 wives, 300 concubines) | The text presents these numbers as fact; some commentators accept them as plausible for an Eastern monarch. | Barnes suggests textual corruption (reading “70” instead of “700”), citing Song of Solomon 6:8 which mentions only 60 queens. Others defend the numbers as literal, noting ANE parallels. |
| Who is primarily responsible for Solomon's idolatry? | The wives actively turned his heart, as stated twice (vv.3, 4). | Some commentators (Matthew Henry, Clarke) emphasize Solomon's own guilt, he chose to love them, build altars, while others focus on the women's influence. The text attributes agency to both parties. |
| Solomon's final spiritual state | He sinned grievously, built high places for idols, and the kingdom was judged and torn away. | The narrative does not record repentance. Some traditions (e.g., from Ecclesiastes) suggest a later turn, but 1 Kings ends without explicit restoration, leaving his final state debated. |
| Was the issue religious, political,or both? | Foreign wives would introduce foreign worship, violating God's command. | Some see the primary concern as religious purity (avoiding idolatry); others note the political dimension of alliances with pagan nations that eroded Israel's distinct identity. |
| Was the fall gradual or sudden? | The turning occurred over time, culminating in old age (v.4). | Matthew Henry describes a slow slide through small compromises. The text implies a process, but the building of high places (v.7) marks a definitive point of open rebellion. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ancient Near Eastern kings often maintained large harems as symbols of wealth and political power. Marriages sealed treaties; daughters of vassal rulers were given as pledges of loyalty. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note that Solomon's wives were probably “daughters of tributary chiefs, given as hostages for good conduct.” The three hundred concubines were secondary wives, whose children could not inherit. Israel's law, however, forbade such multiplication. Deuteronomy 17:17 warns the king, “Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away.” The specific nations named in verse 1, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, Hittites, were those God had ordered Israel not to marry, “for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods” (v.2). These cultures served deities like Ashtoreth, Milcom, and Chemosh, whose worship often involved practices abhorrent to Yahweh. By allowing his wives to continue their religious rites, Solomon compromised. The Cambridge Bible suggests that many wives were “probably never seen by the monarch,” but the few who were his companions turned his heart. Over decades, small accommodations eroded his loyalty. The tragedy is that the Lord had appeared to Solomon twice (v.9), yet the king still strayed. What begins as a political arrangement ends as a spiritual disaster.
Textual Notes
The numbers, 700 wives and 300 concubines, have been questioned. Barnes notes that “history furnishes no parallel” and suggests the text may have suffered corruption, proposing a reading of “70” wives and perhaps fewer concubines, pointing to Song of Solomon 6:8 which mentions 60 queens. The Cambridge Bible defends the numbers as plausible for an Eastern monarch, citing examples like the Mogul emperor with 1000 women. The Masoretic Text and the major ancient versions agree on the higher numbers. The debate remains unresolved, but the narrative's force does not depend on the exact count.
Reception History
This verse has been read consistently as a warning against compromise. Matthew Henry (1710) expressed shock that Solomon could fall so far. Adam Clarke (1826) used strong language against the harem, questioning the possibility of piety with a thousand women. The Geneva Bible notes focus on the wives turning his heart. Early Jewish tradition often viewed Solomon as a cautionary example of misplaced love. Across traditions, Reformed, Methodist, Baptist, the passage serves as a severe reminder that no amount of wisdom or privilege protects against the slow erosion of fidelity when God's commands are ignored.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Company You Keep, Solomon’s wives were his closest companions. The text does not excuse him, but it shows how relationships shape the heart. Even a wise king can be led astray by the wrong influences.
- The Slow Slide, The turning of his heart did not happen overnight. Verse 4 says it happened “when Solomon was old.” Small compromises over decades add up to a divided heart.
- The Consequences, Solomon built high places for idols (v.7) and “did evil in the sight of Yahweh” (v.6). The end of compromise is open rebellion against God.
Five-point outline
- The Command Ignored, God had warned in the law against multiplying wives. Solomon knew better.
- The Number That Matters, 700 wives and 300 concubines show that Solomon sought status and security from alliances rather than from God alone.
- The Heart’s Turn, The Hebrew verb vayyattu (“they turned aside”) is strong. The wives actively led his heart away from Yahweh to other gods.
- The Old Age Foolishness, Age did not bring wisdom. It exposed the cracks left by years of spiritual neglect.
- The God Who Rejected, God had appeared twice to Solomon (v.9), but the king did not keep the covenant. God’s judgment was severe: the kingdom would be torn away.
Illustration hooks
- Hostage queens, Some commentators suggest the princesses were political hostages. A leader who relies on godless alliances for safety will eventually adopt their values.
- Too busy to notice, With 1000 women, Solomon had endless demands. A cluttered life can smother devotion before we realise what happened.
- The slow squeeze, Like a frog in boiling water, Solomon tolerated small compromises until his faith was gone.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I know if my heart is being turned away from God, when I still go through the motions?
- Are my closest relationships helping my faith or hurting it?
- Can I really trust my own wisdom when I feel confident I won’t be led astray?
Leading a Discussion
This passage confronts us with a painful truth: even the wisest person can drift from God. Solomon had every advantage, divine wisdom, wealth, two personal visits from God, yet he allowed his wives to turn his heart. As you read 1 Kings 11:3 and the surrounding verses, consider how spiritual decline often starts small.
Discussion questions
- Read verses 1, 3. What specific commands did Solomon violate? (See Deuteronomy 17:17; Exodus 34:12, 16.)
- Why do you think the text specifies that the wives were “princesses” (of royal birth)? What does that suggest about Solomon's priorities?
- The Hebrew verb “turned away” (vayyattu) is active and decisive. Why does the text hold the wives responsible, while also clearly condemning Solomon? (See v.2, v.4, v.6.)
- Verse 4 says this happened “when Solomon was old.” Why is timing significant in understanding the story?
- What does Solomon's fall teach us about the nature of wisdom? Can wisdom be lost?
- How might a Christian today guard against “small compromises” that could lead to a divided heart?
- In what ways can our closest relationships affect our devotion to God for good or ill?
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)
| Judges 8:30 | Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body, for he had many wives. |
| Judges 8:31 | His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech. |
| Judges 9:5 | He went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone; but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. |
| II Samuel 3:2 | Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; |
| II Samuel 3:5 | and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron. |
| II Samuel 5:13 | David took more concubines and wives for himself out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David. |
| II Samuel 5:16 | Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet. |
| II Chronicles 11:21 | Rehoboam loved Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. |
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
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke refuses to excuse Solomon's thousand wives as merely an Eastern custom. His point is blunt: a man absorbed by so many women, building temples to their idols and burning incense himself, cannot have genuine piety toward God. He condemns what God condemns, regardless of cultural allowance.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes finds the numbers historically implausible, noting they have no parallel. He suggests the text may be corrupted, pointing to Song 6:8 where Solomon has sixty wives and eighty concubines. He proposes the original figure might have been seventy wives.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator defends the large numbers by citing similar harems of other ancient monarchs, noting that many wives were never seen by the king and were merely counted as displays of royal splendor. Only the few who were his constant companions actually influenced Solomon's heart.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes the deliberate tragedy: Solomon's wives were not just numerous but included foreign princesses, making the apostasy a political as well as spiritual failure. Even the wisest king, blessed by God, had his heart turned away by these alliances, proving that no human wisdom can withstand persistent ungodly influence.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes the staggering scale of Solomon's household: a thousand women in total, far beyond what could serve any personal need. He suggests many were kept for royal display, following the custom of eastern kings. Yet he makes clear that this number was still spiritually disastrous, as these wives ultimately turned his heart from God.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB explains that Solomon's seven hundred wives were likely daughters of allied kings, given as hostages to ensure their fathers' loyalty. The concubines were legitimate secondary wives. The passage notes that Solomon built such a large harem gradually over time, driven by a taste for Oriental display.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange insists Solomon did not personally abandon Jehovah or worship idols. The king merely permitted his foreign wives to practice their own religions, building them high places while remaining faithful himself. Solomon's real sin was a weakened, divided heart that tolerated what God had forbidden, not outright apostasy.
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.