Solomon’s Wives

11 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign womenq besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites,r Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2 They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarrys with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. 3 He 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 devotedw to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5 He followed Ashtorethx the goddess of the Sidonians, and Moleky the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did evilz in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.

7 On a hill easta of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemoshb the detestable god of Moab, and for Molekc the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.

9 The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appearedd to him twice. 10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods,e Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command.f 11 So the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees,g which I commanded you, I will most certainly tearh the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. 12 Nevertheless, for the sake of Davidi your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribej for the sakek of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”l