I Kings 11:7 · Bible study
1 Kings 11:7 Commentary: Solomon's Idolatrous High Places
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Solomon build high places for the abominable gods Chemosh and Molech on the Mount of Olives? The verse reveals the depths of his spiritual decline.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Solomon publicly erected cultic platforms for the detestable gods Chemosh and Molech on the Mount of Olives, signifying his full descent into idolatry.
- Key words: בָּמָה (high place), שִׁקּוּץ (abomination/idol).
- Main debate: The precise summit location on the Mount of Olives (northern vs southern) is uncertain, but the act itself is undisputed.
- Theological theme: Covenant unfaithfulness, the danger of unequally yoked relationships, and God's judgment against idolatry.
- Best use: A stark warning that even the most spiritually privileged can fall into gross sin when they compromise with the world.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
At that time on a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the mountain that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon.
KJV King James Version 1769
Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, in the mount that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Then doth Solomon build a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is on the front of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the sons of Ammon;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Then 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.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Then Solomon built a temple for Chamos, the idol of Moab, on the hill that is over against Jerusalem, and for Moloch, the idol of the children of Ammon.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Entonces edificó Salomón un alto á Chêmos, abominación de Moab, en el monte que está enfrente de Jerusalem; y á Moloch, abominación de los hijos de Ammón.
Então edificou Salomão um alto a Camos, abominação de Moabe, no monte que está à frente de Jerusalém; e a Moloque, abominação dos filhos de Amom.
Alors Salomon bâtit sur la montagne qui est en face de Jérusalem un haut lieu pour Kemosch, l’ abomination de Moab, et pour Moloc, l’ abomination des fils d’ Ammon.
Da baute Salomo eine Höhe Kamos, dem Greuel der Moabiter, auf dem Berge, der vor Jerusalem liegt, und Moloch, dem Greuel der Ammoniter.
Toen bouwde Salomo een hoogte voor Kamos, het verfoeisel der Moabieten, op den berg, die voor Jeruzalem is, en voor Molech, het verfoeisel der kinderen Ammons.
Fu allora che Salomone costruì, sul monte che sta dirimpetto a Gerusalemme, un alto luogo per Kemosh, l’abominazione di Moab, e per Molec, l’abominazione dei figliuoli di Ammon.
Tedy zbudował Salomon kaplicę Chamosowi, obrzydliwości Moabskiej, na górze przeciw Jeruzalemowi i Molochowi, obrzydliwości synów Ammonowych.
Тогда построил Соломон капище Хамосу, мерзости Моавитской, на горе, которая пред Иерусалимом, и Молоху, мерзости Аммонитской.
所羅門 為摩押 可憎的神 基抹 和亞捫 人 可憎的神 摩洛，在耶路撒冷 對 面 的 山上 建築 邱壇。
Then Solomon put up a high place for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, in the mountain before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the disgusting god worshipped by the children of Ammon.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Kings 11:7
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse marks the zenith of Solomon's spiritual decline. The 'high place' (בָּמָה) was a cultic platform for idolatrous worship. Barnes and Gill identify 'the mountain before Jerusalem' as the Mount of Olives, which later prophets called the 'mount of corruption' (2 Kings 23:13). The Cambridge Bible notes that high places were already in use for Yahweh worship (1 Kings 3:2-3), but Solomon now dedicates them to the national gods of Israel's neighbors: Chemosh of Moab and Molech of Ammon. The word 'abomination' (שִׁקּוּץ) signals the utter repulsion these gods deserve. As Matthew Henry writes, 'This is a sad story, and very surprising, of Solomon's defection.' All scholars see this as a direct violation of Deuteronomy 17:16-17, where kings are forbidden to multiply wives or become ensnared by foreign gods. The location on the mountain facing the temple highlights the brazenness of the act: worship of false gods set opposite the house of Yahweh.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Solomon actively built cultic platforms for the detestable gods Chemosh and Molech on the Mount of Olives, directly in view of the temple, marking a decisive turning point in his spiritual decline and provoking God's judgment.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Location on Mount of Olives | All agree the mountain before Jerusalem is the Mount of Olives. | Some commentators, following early travel accounts, place Chemosh on the northern summit and Molech on the southern ('Mons Offensionis'), while others see only the southern summit as the site. |
| Solomon's personal participation | The text attributes the building to Solomon himself (active verb). | A few interpreters suggest he may have merely permitted construction for his wives, but the immediate context (v.5-6) shows he personally worshipped other gods. |
| Identity of Molech/Milcom | Molech is the same as Milcom, the national god of Ammon. | Some scholars propose that Milcom and Molech were distinct deities, though the text uses both names for the same abomination. |
| Meaning of 'abomination' | Both gods are called 'the abomination' of their respective nations, indicating they are detestable to Yahweh. | No significant debate; it is clearly a term of utter revulsion. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The practice of building high places (בָּמוֹת) was widespread in Canaanite religion. These elevated sites were thought to bring worshippers closer to the divine. Despite the centralization of worship in Jerusalem, high places remained common in Judah until Hezekiah and Josiah (2 Kings 18:4, 23:15). The 'mountain before Jerusalem' is uniformly identified by commentators as the Mount of Olives. Barnes' Notes mention that the 'southern summit only (the “Mons Offensionis”) is pointed out as having been desecrated by the idol sanctuaries' while early travelers placed Chemosh on the northern summit. Chemosh was the chief deity of Moab, known from the Moabite Stone (Mesha Stele, ca. 840 BC) where King Mesha attributes victories to him. Numbers 21:29 already calls him the god of Moab. Molech (or Milcom) was the god of the Ammonites, associated with child sacrifice (Leviticus 20:2-5). God had explicitly forbidden such worship: Leviticus 26:30 threatens destruction of high places, and Deuteronomy 13:14 terms it 'abomination'. Solomon's building here is not merely a private accommodation for his foreign wives; the text emphasizes that he built it himself (the verb is active Qal). The context of 1 Kings 11:1-8 shows that his heart was turned away by his many wives, and he went after Ashtoreth, Milcom, and now built for Chemosh and Molech. This is a deliberate, public act of apostasy, setting up shrines literally 'before Jerusalem', in view of the temple. The later reformation under Josiah specifically destroyed these high places on the Mount of Olives (2 Kings 23:13).
Textual Notes
The supplied commentators note two textual variants for this verse. The Cambridge Bible observes that the LXX (Vaticanus) omits the phrase 'in the hill that is before Jerusalem', though other manuscripts include it. Additionally, the Vulgate adds the designation 'montis offensionis' (mount of offence) to the description of the hill, a name later traditions used. The Masoretic Text is well attested and there are no significant variants affecting the meaning.
Reception History
This verse has been a powerful cautionary example throughout church history. The early church saw it as evidence that even the wisest king could fall into idolatry. Medieval exegetes allegorized it as the soul's descent into spiritual adultery. The Reformers used it to argue that human wisdom is no safeguard against sin. The name 'Mount of Offence' (Mons Offensionis) for part of the Mount of Olives likely originates from the Vulgate's rendering here (2 Kings 23:13) and is echoed in Milton's Paradise Lost, where he writes that Solomon 'built his temple right against the temple of God / On that opprobrious hill.' The passage is often cited in discussions on the dangers of marital unfaithfulness and worship.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Prominent Location. Solomon built these high places on the mountain before Jerusalem, the same range that would later see Jesus' triumphal entry and ascension. This was not hidden; it was a direct affront to God's temple.
- The Detestable Gods. Chemosh and Molech represent the ultimate rejection of Yahweh. Molech worship involved child sacrifice (Lev 20:2-5). The word 'abomination' is used twice, emphasizing the horror. Solomon, who wrote Proverbs extolling wisdom, now embraces folly.
- The Gradual Slide. This did not happen overnight. Verses 1-4 trace Solomon's love for foreign women, his age, his heart being turned. The high place is the final step of public apostasy. Small compromises lead to full-blown rebellion.
Five-point outline
- The context of Solomon's heart (v.1-6)
- The specific act (v.7)
- The location's significance (mountain before Jerusalem)
- The reaction of God (v.9-13)
- The lasting legacy, Josiah's reform (2 Kings 23:13)
Illustration hooks
- A church board approving a new program that subtly compromises core doctrines for numerical growth.
- A parent allowing a teenager to date someone who actively disrespects their faith, hoping it will work out.
- A CEO adopting a company policy that contradicts biblical ethics in order to increase profits.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How could the wisest man in the world fall so far?
- Are there 'high places' in my own life that I need to tear down?
- What does this story teach us about the danger of being unequally yoked in relationships?
Leading a Discussion
This verse is a sober reminder that even the most privileged can fall into gross sin when they compromise with the world. As we study it, let us examine our own hearts for subtle idols.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What specific acts does Solomon perform in verse 7?
- Observation: How does the location, “the mountain that is before Jerusalem”, make this sin more serious?
- Interpretation: Why are Chemosh and Molech called “abominations” (שִׁקּוּץ)? What does that word convey about God’s perspective on these gods?
- Interpretation: In what ways had Solomon’s heart already turned away before this act (see vv. 1-6)?
- Application: What are some “high places” in our culture that Christians are tempted to build in their hearts or homes?
- Application: How can we guard against the gradual drift toward compromise that Solomon exemplifies?
- Application: If someone we love is drifting into spiritual unfaithfulness, how might we prayerfully intervene?
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 33:2 | He put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear. |
| Leviticus 20:2 | “Moreover, you shall tell the children of Israel, ‘Anyone of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners in Israel, who gives any of his offspring to Molech shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone that person with stones. |
| Leviticus 20:5 | then I will set my face against that man and against his family, and will cut him off, and all who play the prostitute after him to play the prostitute with Molech, from among their people. |
| Leviticus 26:30 | I will destroy your high places, and cut down your incense altars, and cast your dead bodies upon the bodies of your idols; and my soul will abhor you. |
| Numbers 21:29 | Woe to you, Moab! You are undone, people of Chemosh! He has given his sons as fugitives, and his daughters into captivity, to Sihon king of the Amorites. |
| Numbers 33:52 | then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their stone idols, destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places. |
| Deuteronomy 13:14 | then you shall inquire, investigate, and ask diligently. Behold, if it is true, and the thing certain, that such abomination was done among you, |
| Deuteronomy 17:3 | and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun, or the moon, or any of the stars of the sky, which I have not commanded, |
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
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke's only point here is a straightforward geographical identification: the hill referred to in the verse as being before Jerusalem is the Mount of Olives. He gives no further theological comment, simply naming the location.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that Chemosh was a widely worshipped deity in western Asia, associated with the Moabite Stone and the city of Carchemish. He observes that early Eastern travelers identified the northern summit of the Mount of Olives as the site of Chemosh's high place, while the southern summit was linked to Moloch.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible observes that high places persisted well into Solomon's time, and his idolatrous shrines for Chemosh and Molech stood on the Mount of Olives, directly opposite God's temple. The commentary also notes an unsubstantiated tradition that drums were beaten to drown out children's cries during Molech worship.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Then did Salomon build an hie place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, in the mountaine that is ouer against Ierusalem, and vnto Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that Solomon built a high place for Chemosh at the urging of his Moabite wives, either ordering or permitting it. He locates this on the Mount of Olives, the same hill later called the mount of corruption. A similar high place was built for Molech due to his Ammonite wives.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that Solomon did not personally abandon the Lord or practice idolatry himself. Rather, he permitted and even encouraged his foreign wives to worship their own gods, building high places for them. This tolerance, born from a weakened heart and desire for royal splendor, was the king's true offense.
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.