וְהַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה אָהַב נָשִׁים נָכְרִיּוֹת רַבּוֹת וְאֶת־בַּת־פַּרְעֹה מוֹאֲבִיּוֹת עַמֳּנִיּוֹת אֲדֹמִיֹּת צֵדְנִיֹּת חִתִּיֹּת׃ 11:1
1Kin. 11:1 Now king Solomon loved many foreign women as well as the daughter of Pharoah, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, Hittites,
מִן־הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר־יְהוָה אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא־תָבֹאוּ בָהֶם וְהֵם לֹא־יָבֹאוּ בָכֶם אָכֵן יַטּוּ אֶת־לְבַבְכֶם 11:2 אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהֵיהֶם בָּהֶם דָּבַק שְׁלֹמֹה לְאַהֲבָה׃
1Kin. 11:2 from the nations of which the Lord said to the children of Israel, “You shall not go among them and they shall not come among you; surely they will turn your hearts away after their gods.” Solomon was joined with them for love.
וַיְהִי־לוֹ נָשִׁים שָׂרוֹת שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וּפִלַגְשִׁים שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת וַיַּטּוּ נָשָׁיו אֶת־לִבּוֹ׃ 11:3
1Kin. 11:3 And he had wives, princesses, seven hundred, and concubines three hundred, and his women turned his heart away.
וַיְהִי לְעֵת זִקְנַת שְׁלֹמֹה נָשָׁיו הִטּוּ אֶת־לְבָבוֹ אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וְלֹא־הָיָה לְבָבוֹ שָׁלֵם עִם־יְהוָה 11:4 אֱלֹהָיו כִּלְבַב דָּוִיד אָבִיו׃
1Kin. 11:4 So it was at the time of Solomon’s old age his women turned his heart away after other gods, and his heart was not whole with the Lord, his God, like the heart of David, his father.
וַיֵּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה אַחֲרֵי עַשְׁתֹּרֶת אֱלֹהֵי צִדֹנִים וְאַחֲרֵי מִלְכֹּם שִׁקֻּץ עַמֹּנִים׃ 11:5
1Kin. 11:5 And Solomon went after Ashtoreth, goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom, the detestable of the Ammonites. [Return to Jere. 49:1]
וַיַּעַשׂ שְׁלֹמֹה הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה וְלֹא מִלֵּא אַחֲרֵי יְהוָה כְּדָוִד אָבִיו׃ 11:6
1Kin. 11:6 And Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and was not fully after the Lord like David, his father.
אָז יִבְנֶה שְׁלֹמֹה בָּמָה לִכְמוֹשׁ שִׁקֻּץ מוֹאָב בָּהָר אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי יְרוּשָׁלִָם וּלְמֹלֶךְ שִׁקֻּץ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן׃ 11:7
1Kin. 11:7 Then Solomon would build a high place for Chemosh, the detestable of Moab, on the mount that is in front of Jerusalem, and for Molech, the detestable of the children of Ammon.
וְכֵן עָשָׂה לְכָל־נָשָׁיו הַנָּכְרִיּוֹת מַקְטִירוֹת וּמְזַבְּחוֹת לֵאלֹהֵיהֶן׃ 11:8
1Kin. 11:8 And he did the same for all his foreign women who were offering and sacrificing to their gods.
וַיִּתְאַנַּף יְהוָה בִּשְׁלֹמֹה כִּי־נָטָה לְבָבוֹ מֵעִם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַנִּרְאָה אֵלָיו פַּעֲמָיִם׃ 11:9
1Kin. 11:9 And the Lord was “angry” with Solomon because his heart was turned away from being with the Lord, God of Israel, Who had appeared to him twice,
וְצִוָּה אֵלָיו עַל־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה לְבִלְתִּי־לֶכֶת אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וְלֹא שָׁמַר אֵת אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהוָה׃ 11:10
1Kin. 11:10 and had commanded about this matter to him to not go after other gods, but he had not observed what the Lord had commanded.
I imagine once having finished translating these few verses that Solomon likely hadn’t even written the Torah for himself, along with ignoring the other commandments that the Lord dictated to Moses (see (Deut. 17:15 to 17:18).
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה לִשְׁלֹמֹה יַעַן אֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה־זֹּאת עִמָּךְ וְלֹא שָׁמַרְתָּ בְּרִיתִי וְחֻקֹּתַי אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי עָלֶיךָ קָרֹעַ 11:11 אֶקְרַע אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה מֵעָלֶיךָ וּנְתַתִּיהָ לְעַבְדֶּךָ׃
1Kin. 11:11 And the Lord said to Solomon, “Because of what this has been with you, that you have not kept My covenant and My statutes that I put on you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant.”
אַךְ־בְּיָמֶיךָ לֹא אֶעֱשֶׂנָּה לְמַעַן דָּוִד אָבִיךָ מִיַּד בִּנְךָ אֶקְרָעֶנָּה׃ 11:12
1Kin. 11:12 “However, I will not do it in your days for the sake of David, your father. I will tear it from the hand of your son.”
רַק אֶת־כָּל־הַמַּמְלָכָה לֹא אֶקְרָע שֵׁבֶט אֶחָד אֶתֵּן לִבְנֶךָ לְמַעַן דָּוִד עַבְדִּי וּלְמַעַן יְרוּשָׁלִַם אֲשֶׁר 11:13 בָּחָרְתִּי׃
1Kin. 11:13 “Only I will not tear away the entire kingdom. I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David, My servant, and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”
וַיָּקֶם יְהוָה שָׂטָן לִשְׁלֹמֹה אֵת הֲדַד הָאֲדֹמִי מִזֶּרַע הַמֶּלֶךְ הוּא בֶּאֱדוֹם׃ 11:14
1Kin. 11:14 And the Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon, one Hadad, the Edomite. He was from the seed of the king in Edom.
וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹת דָּוִד אֶת־אֱדוֹם בַּעֲלוֹת יוֹאָב שַׂר הַצָּבָא לְקַבֵּר אֶת־הַחֲלָלִים וַיַּךְ כָּל־זָכָר בֶּאֱדוֹם׃ 11:15
1Kin. 11:15 As it had been during David’s being in Edom, during the ascent of Joab, general of the host, to bury the slain, and he had smitten every male in Edom,
כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת חֳדָשִׁים יָשַׁב־שָׁם יוֹאָב וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד־הִכְרִית כָּל־זָכָר בֶּאֱדוֹם׃ 11:16
1Kin. 11:16 when Joab remained there six months with all Israel until he had cut off every male in Edom,
וַיִּבְרַח אֲדַד הוּא וַאֲנָשִׁים אֲדֹמִיִּים מֵעַבְדֵי אָבִיו אִתּוֹ לָבוֹא מִצְרָיִם וַהֲדַד נַעַר קָטָן׃ 11:17
1Kin. 11:17 that Hadad had fled, he with male Edomites, who were servants of his father with him, to go to Egypt, and Hadad had been a little boy.
וַיָּקֻמוּ מִמִּדְיָן וַיָּבֹאוּ פָּארָן וַיִּקְחוּ אֲנָשִׁים עִמָּם מִפָּארָן וַיָּבֹאוּ מִצְרַיִם אֶל־פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם 11:18 וַיִּתֶּן־לוֹ בַיִת וְלֶחֶם אָמַר לוֹ וְאֶרֶץ נָתַן לוֹ׃
1Kin. 11:18 And they arose from Midian and went to Paran. And they took men with them from Paran and they went to Egypt, to Pharoah, king of Egypt, and he gave a house to him, and he commanded food for him, and he gave land to him.
וַיִּמְצָא הֲדַד חֵן בְּעֵינֵי פַרְעֹה מְאֹד וַיִּתֶּן־לוֹ אִשָּׁה אֶת־אֲחוֹת אִשְׁתּוֹ אֲחוֹת תַּחְפְּנֵיס הַגְּבִירָה׃ 11:19
1Kin. 11:19 And Hadad found favor in the eyes of great Pharoah that he gave to him a wife, the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tachpenes, the queen.
וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ אֲחוֹת תַּחְפְּנֵיס אֵת גְּנֻבַת בְּנוֹ וַתִּגְמְלֵהוּ תַחְפְּנֵס בְּתוֹךְ בֵּית פַּרְעֹה וַיְהִי גְנֻבַת בֵּית פַּרְעֹה 11:20 בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי פַרְעֹה׃
1Kin. 11:20 And the sister of Tachpenes bore for him one Genubath, his son, and Tachpenes weaned him within the house of Pharoah, and Genubath was in the house of Pharoah among the sons of Pharoah.
וַהֲדַד שָׁמַע בְּמִצְרַיִם כִּי־שָׁכַב דָּוִד עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וְכִי־מֵת יוֹאָב שַׂר־הַצָּבָא וַיֹּאמֶר הֲדַד אֶל־פַּרְעֹה 11:21 שַׁלְּחֵנִי וְאֵלֵךְ אֶל־אַרְצִי׃
1Kin. 11:21 When Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers and that Joab, general of the host, was dead, then Hadad said to Pharoah, “Let me depart so I may go to my country.”
וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ פַרְעֹה כִּי מָה־אַתָּה חָסֵר עִמִּי וְהִנְּךָ מְבַקֵּשׁ לָלֶכֶת אֶל־אַרְצֶךָ וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא כִּי שַׁלֵּחַ 11:22 תְּשַׁלְּחֵנִי׃
1Kin. 11:22 And Pharoah said to him, “But what have you lacked with me that behold, you are wanting to go to your country?” And he answered, “Nothing! But let me go anyway.”
וַיָּקֶם אֱלֹהִים לוֹ שָׂטָן אֶת־רְזוֹן בֶּן־אֶלְיָדָע אֲשֶׁר בָּרַח מֵאֵת הֲדַדְעֶזֶר מֶלֶךְ־צוֹבָה אֲדֹנָיו׃ 11:23
1Kin. 11:23 And God had raised up an adversary for Himself, Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from Hadadezer, king of Zobah, his lord. [Return to 1Chr. 14:7]
וַיִּקְבֹּץ עָלָיו אֲנָשִׁים וַיְהִי שַׂר־גְּדוּד בַּהֲרֹג דָּוִד אֹתָם וַיֵּלְכוּ דַמֶּשֶׂק וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בָהּ וַיִּמְלְכוּ בְּדַמָּשֶׂק׃ 11:24
1Kin. 11:24 And he gathered about him men and became captain of a troop. When David slew them, then they went to Damascus and lived in it, and they reigned in Damascus.
וַיְהִי שָׂטָן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל־יְמֵי שְׁלֹמֹה וְאֶת־הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר הֲדָד וַיָּקָץ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּמְלֹךְ עַל־אֲרָם׃ 11:25
1Kin. 11:25 And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, with the evil that was Hadad, and he was abhored in Israel as he reigned over Aram.
The phrase all the days of Solomon must be an exaggeration. It seems to contradict 1Kin. 5:4, although that verse refers to an early time in Solomon’s reign. So it’s possible that Hadad became an adversary later for most, though not all, of Solomon’s days.
וְיָרָבְעָם בֶּן־נְבָט אֶפְרָתִי מִן־הַצְּרֵדָה וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ צְרוּעָה אִשָּׁה אַלְמָנָה עֶבֶד לִשְׁלֹמֹה וַיָּרֶם יָד בַּמֶּלֶךְ׃ 11:26
1Kin. 11:26 And Jeroboam son of Nebat, an Ephraimite, was from Zeredah, and the name of his mother was Zeruah, the woman a widow of a servant to Solomon, and he lifted up a hand against the king.
The name Jeroboam means the people will contend. The name has prophetic meaning, as we shall soon see.
וְזֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־הֵרִים יָד בַּמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה בָּנָה אֶת־הַמִּלּוֹא סָגַר אֶת־פֶּרֶץ עִיר דָּוִד אָבִיו׃ 11:27
1Kin. 11:27 Now this is the reason that he lifted up a hand against the king: Solomon built the Millo, repairing the breach of the city of David, his father.
These two verses, 11:26 and 27, seem rather strange. First of all, the phrase and he lifted up a hand against the king in v. 11:26 must be a summary of what comes next. The story of Jeroboam really begins in v. 11:28 below. However, what is the meaning of v. 11:27? It is a cryptic reference to something to which we probably have no clue. What has Solomon’s building up the wall got to do with Jeroboam’s rebellion? There’s a lot of conjecture floating around, but the reality is that no one knows.
וְהָאִישׁ יָרָבְעָם גִּבּוֹר חָיִל וַיַּרְא שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת־הַנַּעַר כִּי־עֹשֵׂה מְלָאכָה הוּא וַיַּפְקֵד אֹתוֹ לְכָל־סֵבֶל בֵּית 11:28 יוֹסֵף׃
1Kin. 11:28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor, and Solomon noticed the young man, the work that he did, and he made him overseer for all the burdens of the house of Joseph.
וַיְהִי בָּעֵת הַהִיא וְיָרָבְעָם יָצָא מִירוּשָׁלִָם וַיִּמְצָא אֹתוֹ אֲחִיָּה הַשִּׁילֹנִי הַנָּבִיא בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְהוּא מִתְכַּסֶּה 11:29 בְּשַׂלְמָה חֲדָשָׁה וּשְׁנֵיהֶם לְבַדָּם בַּשָּׂדֶה׃
1Kin. 11:29 And it happened at that time that Jeroboam went out from Jerusalem and Achijah, the Shilonite prophet, found him on the way. Now he had clothed himself with a new garment, and the two of them were by themselves in the field.
וַיִּתְפֹּשׂ אֲחִיָּה בַּשַּׂלְמָה הַחֲדָשָׁה אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו וַיִּקְרָעֶהָ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר קְרָעִים׃ 11:30
1Kin. 11:30 And Achijah took hold on the new garment that was on him and tore it in twelve pieces.
וַיֹּאמֶר לְיָרָבְעָם קַח־לְךָ עֲשָׂרָה קְרָעִים כִּי כֹה אָמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הִנְנִי קֹרֵעַ אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה 11:31 מִיַּד שְׁלֹמֹה וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ אֵת עֲשָׂרָה הַשְּׁבָטִים׃
1Kin. 11:31 And he said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for thus says the Lord, God of Israel: ‘Behold, I am tearing the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and I will give ten of the tribes to you
וְהַשֵּׁבֶט הָאֶחָד יִהְיֶה־לּוֹ לְמַעַן עַבְדִּי דָוִד וּלְמַעַן יְרוּשָׁלִַם הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי בָהּ מִכֹּל שִׁבְטֵי 11:32 יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
1Kin. 11:32 (but one tribe will be his for the sake of My servant, David, and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city with which I joined above all the tribes of Israel)
יַעַן אֲשֶׁר עֲזָבוּנִי וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְעַשְׁתֹּרֶת אֱלֹהֵי צִדֹנִין לִכְמוֹשׁ אֱלֹהֵי מוֹאָב וּלְמִלְכֹּם אֱלֹהֵי בְנֵי־עַמּוֹן 11:33 וְלֹא־הָלְכוּ בִדְרָכַי לַעֲשׂוֹת הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינַי וְחֻקֹּתַי וּמִשְׁפָּטַי כְּדָוִד אָבִיו׃
1Kin. 11:33 for the reason that they have forsaken Me and have bowed down to Ashtoreth, goddess of Zidonia, to Chemosh, god of Moab, and Milcom, god of the children of Ammon, and they no longer walk in My ways to practice what is right in My ‘eyes’ and My statutes and My ordinances as David, his father, did.’
וְלֹא־אֶקַּח אֶת־כָּל־הַמַּמְלָכָה מִיָּדוֹ כִּי נָשִׂיא אֲשִׁתֶנּוּ כֹּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו לְמַעַן דָּוִד עַבְדִּי אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי אֹתוֹ 11:34 אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַר מִצְוֺתַי וְחֻקֹּתָי׃
1Kin. 11:34 ‘Still I will not take the entire kingdom from his hand, but I will leave him a prince all the days of his life, for the sake of David, My servant, whom I chose, who kept My commandments and My statutes.’
וְלָקַחְתִּי הַמְּלוּכָה מִיַּד בְּנוֹ וּנְתַתִּיהָ לְּךָ אֵת עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים׃ 11:35
1Kin. 11:35 ‘Then I will take the kingdom from the hand of his son and give it to you, the ten tribes.’
וְלִבְנוֹ אֶתֵּן שֵׁבֶט־אֶחָד לְמַעַן הֱיוֹת־נִיר לְדָוִיד־עַבְדִּי כָּל־הַיָּמִים לְפָנַי בִּירוּשָׁלִַם הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי 11:36 לִי לָשׂוּם שְׁמִי שָׁם׃
1Kin. 11:36 ‘And I will give one tribe to his son for the sake of there being a lamp for David, My servant, always before Me in Jerusalem, the city that I chose for Myself to put My name there.”
וְאֹתְךָ אֶקַּח וּמָלַכְתָּ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־תְּאַוֶּה נַפְשֶׁךָ וְהָיִיתָ מֶּלֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 11:37
1Kin. 11:37 “And I will take you and you shall reign in all that your soul desires and you shall be king over Israel.’
וְהָיָה אִם־תִּשְׁמַע אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר אֲצַוֶּךָ וְהָלַכְתָּ בִדְרָכַי וְעָשִׂיתָ הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינַי לִשְׁמוֹר חֻקּוֹתַי וּמִצְוֺתַי 11:38 כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה דָּוִד עַבְדִּי וְהָיִיתִי עִמָּךְ וּבָנִיתִי לְךָ בַיִת־נֶאֱמָן כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּנִיתִי לְדָוִד וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
1Kin. 11:38 ‘And it shall be, if you heed all that I command you and walk in My ways and do what is right in My eyes, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as David, My servant, did, then I will be with you and I shall build a sure house for you as I built for David and give Israel to you.’
וַאעַנֶּה אֶת־זֶרַע דָּוִד לְמַעַן זֹאת אַךְ לֹא כָל־הַיָּמִים׃ 11:39
1Kin. 11:39 ‘And I will afflict the seed of David because of this, only not forever.’”
וַיְבַקֵּשׁ שְׁלֹמֹה לְהָמִית אֶת־יָרָבְעָם וַיָּקָם יָרָבְעָם וַיִּבְרַח מִצְרַיִם אֶל־שִׁישַׁק מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם וַיְהִי 11:40 בְמִצְרַיִם עַד־מוֹת שְׁלֹמֹה׃
1Kin. 11:40 So Solomon sought to put Jeroboam to death, but Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt, to Shishak, king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.
וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי שְׁלֹמֹה וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְחָכְמָתוֹ הֲלוֹא־הֵם כְּתֻבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי שְׁלֹמֹה׃ 11:41
1Kin. 11:41 Now the rest of the deeds of Solomon and all that he did and his wisdom, are they not written on the scroll of the acts of Solomon?
Where is this book? Is this a reference to 2Chronicles? I wish I knew.
וְהַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר מָלַךְ שְׁלֹמֹה בִירוּשָׁלִַם עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה׃ 11:42
1Kin. 11:42 And the days that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel were forty years.
וַיִּשְׁכַּב שְׁלֹמֹה עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקָּבֵר בְּעִיר דָּוִד אָבִיו וַיִּמְלֹךְ רְחַבְעָם בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו׃ 11:43
1Kin. 11:43 Then Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David, his father, and Rechoboam, his son, reigned in his stead.
The name Rechoboam means a people enlarged, a people is enlarged, or a people has enlarged. There seems little prophetic about this meaning; it may be an ironic reference to what happens next.
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