1 Kings 11:1–10

Solomon’s Wives

11King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women^q besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites,^r Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. ²They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry^s with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. ³He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines,^t and his wives led him astray.^{u 4}As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods,^v and his heart was not fully devoted^w to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. ⁵He followed Ashtoreth^x the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek^y the detestable god of the Ammonites. ⁶So Solomon did evil^z in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.

⁷On a hill east^a of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh^b the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek^c the detestable god of the Ammonites. ⁸He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.

⁹The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared^d to him twice. ¹⁰Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods,^e Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command.^f