Chapter 11

But king Solomon loved¹ many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, [and] Hittites;

Of the nations [concerning] which the LORD said¹ unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in⁴ to them, neither shall they come in⁴ unto you: [for] surely they will turn away⁵⁵ your heart after their gods: Solomon clave¹ unto these in love.²

And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away⁵⁵ his heart.

For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, [that] his wives turned away⁵² his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as [was] the heart of David his father.

For Solomon went⁴ after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

And Solomon did⁴ evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully¹⁴ after the LORD, as [did] David his father.

Then did Solomon build⁴ 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.

And likewise did¹ he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense⁵⁶ and sacrificed¹⁸ unto their gods.

And the LORD was angry¹⁰¹ with Solomon, because his heart was turned¹ from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared⁸ unto him twice,

And had commanded¹⁴ him concerning this thing, that he should not go² after other gods: but he kept¹ not that which the LORD commanded.¹⁴

Wherefore the LORD said⁴ unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept¹ my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded¹⁴ thee, I will surely² rend⁴ the kingdom from thee, and will give¹ it to thy servant.

Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do⁴ it for David thy father's sake: [but] I will rend⁴ it out of the hand of thy son.

Howbeit I will not rend⁴ away all the kingdom; [but] will give⁴ one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.¹

And the LORD stirred up⁵⁵ an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he [was] of the king's seed in Edom.

For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up² to bury¹⁵ the slain, after he had smitten⁵⁵ every male in Edom;

(For six months did Joab remain¹ there with all Israel, until he had cut off⁵² every male in Edom:)

That Hadad fled,⁴ he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go into² Egypt; Hadad [being] yet a little child.

And they arose⁴ out of Midian, and came⁴ to Paran: and they took⁴ men with them out of Paran, and they came⁴ to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave⁴ him an house, and appointed¹ him victuals, and gave¹ him land.

And Hadad found⁴ great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave⁴ him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.

And the sister of Tahpenes bare⁴ him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned⁴ in Pharaoh's house: and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh.

And when Hadad heard¹ in Egypt that David slept¹ with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead,¹ Hadad said⁴ to Pharaoh, Let me depart,¹⁶ that I may go⁴ to mine own country.

Then Pharaoh said⁴ unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest¹⁸ to go² to thine own country? And he answered,⁴ Nothing: howbeit let me go¹⁷ in any wise.¹⁵

And God stirred him up⁵⁵ [another] adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled¹ from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:

And he gathered⁴ men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew² them [of Zobah]: and they went⁴ to Damascus, and dwelt⁴ therein, and reigned⁴ in Damascus.

And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad [did]: and he abhorred⁴ Israel, and reigned⁴ over Syria.

And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name [was] Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up⁵⁵ [his] hand against the king.

And this [was] the cause that he lifted up⁵² [his] hand against the king: Solomon built¹ Millo, [and] repaired¹ the breaches of the city of David his father.

And the man Jeroboam [was] a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing⁴ the young man that he was industrious,^{6 4399} he made him ruler⁵⁵ over all the charge of the house of Joseph.

And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out¹ of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found⁴ him in the way; and he had clad¹⁰² himself with a new garment; and they two [were] alone in the field:

And Ahijah caught⁴ the new garment that [was] on him, and rent⁴ it [in] twelve ⁶²⁴⁰ pieces:

And he said⁴ to Jeroboam, Take³ thee ten pieces: for thus saith¹ the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend⁶ the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give¹ ten tribes to thee:

(But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen¹ out of all the tribes of Israel:)

Because that they have forsaken¹ me, and have worshipped¹⁰¹ Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked¹ in my ways, to do² [that which is] right in mine eyes, and [to keep] my statutes and my judgments, as [did] David his father.

Howbeit I will not take⁴ the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make⁴ him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose,¹ because he kept¹ my commandments and my statutes:

But I will take¹ the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give¹ it unto thee, [even] ten tribes.

And unto his son will I give⁴ one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway ³¹¹⁷ before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen¹ me to put² my name there.

And I will take⁴ thee, and thou shalt reign¹ according to all that thy soul desireth,¹⁷ and shalt be king over Israel.

And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken⁴ unto all that I command¹⁷ thee, and wilt walk¹ in my ways, and do¹ [that is] right in my sight, to keep² my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did;¹ that I will be with thee, and build¹ thee a sure¹² house, as I built¹ for David, and will give¹ Israel unto thee.

And I will for this afflict¹⁷ the seed of David, but not for ever. ³¹¹⁷

Solomon sought¹⁷ therefore to kill⁵³ Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose,⁴ and fled⁴ into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did,¹ and his wisdom, [are] they not written⁷ in the book of the acts of Solomon?

And the time that Solomon reigned¹ in Jerusalem over all Israel [was] forty years.

And Solomon slept⁴ with his fathers, and was buried¹¹ in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned⁴ in his stead.