1 Kings · Bible in Basic English
1 Kings 11 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Now a number of strange women were loved by Solomon, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites:
1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites,
2 The nations of which the Lord had said to the children of Israel, You are not to take wives from them and they are not to take wives from you; or they will certainly make you go after their gods: to these Solomon was united in love.
2 of the nations concerning which Yahweh said to the children of Israel, “You shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon joined to these in love.
3 He had seven hundred wives, daughters of kings, and three hundred other wives; and through his wives his heart was turned away.
3 He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. His wives turned his heart away.
4 For it came about that when Solomon was old, his heart was turned away to other gods by his wives; and his heart was no longer true to the Lord his God as the heart of his father David had been.
4 When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as the heart of David his father was.
5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, and Milcom, the disgusting god of the Ammonites.
5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
6 And Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord, not walking in the Lord's ways with all his heart as David his father did.
6 Solomon did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and didn’t go fully after Yahweh, as David his father did.
7 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.
7 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.
8 And so he did for all his strange wives, who made offerings with burning of perfumes to their gods.
8 So he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had twice come to him in a vision;
9 Yahweh was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from Yahweh, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice,
10 And had given him orders about this very thing, that he was not to go after other gods; but he did not keep the orders of the Lord.
10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he didn’t keep that which Yahweh commanded.
11 So the Lord said to Solomon, Because you have done this, and have not kept my agreement and my laws, which I gave you, I will take the kingdom away from you by force and will give it to your servant.
11 Therefore Yahweh said to Solomon, “Because this is done by you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant.
12 I will not do it in your life-time, because of your father David, but I will take it from your son.
12 Nevertheless, I will not do it in your days, for David your father’s sake; but I will tear it out of your son’s hand.
13 Still I will not take all the kingdom from him; but I will give one tribe to your son, because of my servant David, and because of Jerusalem, the town of my selection.
13 However, I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.”
14 So the Lord sent Hadad the Edomite to make trouble for Solomon: he was of the king's seed in Edom.
14 Yahweh raised up an adversary to Solomon: Hadad the Edomite. He was one of the king’s offspring in Edom.
15 And when David had sent destruction on Edom, and Joab, the captain of the army, had gone to put the dead into the earth, and had put to death every male in Edom;
15 For when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the army had gone up to bury the slain, and had struck every male in Edom
16 (For Joab and all Israel were there six months till every male in Edom had been cut off;)
16 (for Joab and all Israel remained there six months, until he had cut off every male in Edom),
17 Hadad, being still a young boy, went in flight to Egypt, with certain Edomites, servants of his father;
17 Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father’s servants with him, to go into Egypt, when Hadad was still a little child.
18 And they went on from Midian and came to Paran; and, taking men from Paran with them, they came to Egypt, to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who gave him a house and gave orders for his food and gave him land.
18 They arose out of Midian and came to Paran; and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house, and appointed him food, and gave him land.
19 Now Hadad was very pleasing to Pharaoh, so that he gave him the sister of his wife, Tahpenes the queen, for his wife.
19 Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him as wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.
20 And the sister of Tahpenes had a son by him, Genubath, whom Tahpenes took care of in Pharaoh's house; and Genubath was living in Pharaoh's house among Pharaoh's sons.
20 The sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house; and Genubath was in Pharaoh’s house among the sons of Pharaoh.
21 Now when Hadad had news in Egypt that David had been put to rest with his fathers, and that Joab, the captain of the army, was dead, he said to Pharaoh, Send me back to my country.
21 When Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me depart, that I may go to my own country.”
22 But Pharaoh said to him, What have you been short of while you have been with me, that you are desiring to go back to your country? And he said, Nothing; but even so, send me back.
22 Then Pharaoh said to him, “But what have you lacked with me, that behold, you seek to go to your own country?” He answered, “Nothing, however only let me depart.”
23 And God sent another trouble-maker, Rezon, the son of Eliada, who had gone in flight from his lord, Hadadezer, king of Zobah:
23 God raised up an adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his lord, Hadadezer king of Zobah.
24 He got some men together and made himself captain of a band of outlaws; and went to Damascus and became king there.
24 He gathered men to himself, and became captain over a troop, when David killed them of Zobah. They went to Damascus and lived there, and reigned in Damascus.
25 He was a trouble to Israel all through the days of Solomon. And this is the damage Hadad did: he was cruel to Israel while he was ruler over Edom.
25 He was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, in addition to the mischief of Hadad. He abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.
26 And there was Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite from Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother was Zeruah, a widow; and his hand was lifted up against the king.
26 Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow, also lifted up his hand against the king.
27 The way in which his hand came to be lifted up against the king was this: Solomon was building the Millo and making good the damaged parts of the town of his father David;
27 This was the reason why he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breach of his father David’s city.
28 And Jeroboam was an able and responsible man; and Solomon saw that he was a good worker and made him overseer of all the work given to the sons of Joseph.
28 The man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor; and Solomon saw that the young man was industrious, and he put him in charge of all the labor of the house of Joseph.
29 Now at that time, when Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite came across him on the road; now Ahijah had put on a new robe; and the two of them were by themselves in the open country.
29 At that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the way. Now Ahijah had clad himself with a new garment; and the two of them were alone in the field.
30 And Ahijah took his new robe in his hands, parting it violently into twelve.
30 Ahijah took the new garment that was on him, and tore it in twelve pieces.
31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take ten of the parts, for this is what the Lord has said: See, I will take the kingdom away from Solomon by force, and will give ten tribes to you;
31 He said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces; for Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you
32 (But one tribe will be his, because of my servant David, and because of Jerusalem, the town which, out of all the tribes of Israel, I have made mine,)
32 (but he shall have one tribe, for my servant David’s sake and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel),
33 Because they are turned away from me to the worship of Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, and Chemosh, the god of Moab, and Milcom, the god of the Ammonites; they have not been walking in my ways or doing what is right in my eyes or keeping my laws and my decisions as his father David did.
33 because they have forsaken me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon. They have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in my eyes, and to keep my statutes and my ordinances, as David his father did.
34 But I will not take the kingdom from him; I will let him be king all the days of his life, because of David my servant, in whom I took delight because he kept my orders and my laws.
34 “‘However, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes,
35 But I will take the kingdom from his son, and give it to you.
35 but I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand and will give it to you, even ten tribes.
36 And one tribe I will give to his son, so that David my servant may have a light for ever burning before me in Jerusalem, the town which I have made mine to put my name there.
36 I will give one tribe to his son, that David my servant may have a lamp always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen for myself to put my name there.
37 And you I will take, and you will be king over Israel, ruling over whatever is the desire of your soul.
37 I will take you, and you shall reign according to all that your soul desires, and shall be king over Israel.
38 And if you give attention to the orders I give you, walking in my ways and doing what is right in my eyes and keeping my laws and my orders as David my servant did; then I will be with you, building up for you a safe house, as I did for David, and I will give Israel to you.
38 It shall be, if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do that which is right in my eyes, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, that I will be with you, and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you.
39 (So that I may send trouble for this on the seed of David, but not for ever.)
39 I will afflict the offspring of David for this, but not forever.’”
40 And Solomon was looking for a chance to put Jeroboam to death; but he went in flight to Egypt, to Shishak, king of Egypt, and was in Egypt till the death of Solomon.
40 Therefore Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.
41 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all he did, and his wisdom, are they not recorded in the book of the acts of Solomon?
41 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, aren’t they written in the book of the acts of Solomon?
42 And the time Solomon was king in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.
42 The time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.
43 And Solomon went to rest with his fathers, and was put into the earth in the town of David his father: and Solomon went to rest with his fathers and Rehoboam his son became king in his place.
43 Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in his father David’s city; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Ahijah
Prophet whose word to Jeroboam is fulfilled when Rehoboam rejects the people's plea; his prophecy is also a source for Solomon's acts.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 11:29; 1 Kings 12:15; 1 Kings 14:4
Eliada
Named as the father of Rezon, who ruled over Aram.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 11:23
Genubath
The son born to Hadad and Tahpenes' sister, weaned by Tahpenes in Pharaoh's palace and raised among Pharaoh's sons.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 11:20
Hadad the Edomite
A young boy of Edom's royal line who fled to Egypt when Joab struck down Edom's males, married the sister of Queen Tahpenes, and was raised up by the LORD as an adversary of…
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 11:14; 1 Kings 11:17; 1 Kings 11:19
Jeroboam
An Ephraimite from Zeredah, son of Nebat, whom Solomon put over the labor force of the house of Joseph and whom Ahijah told he would rule ten tribes; he became king of Israel,…
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 11:26; 1 Kings 11:28; 1 Kings 12:20
Nebat
Named as the father of Jeroboam, first king of the northern kingdom; the sins of 'Jeroboam son of Nebat' become the standard for later kings of Israel.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 11:26; 1 Kings 12:2; 1 Kings 16:3
Rezon
Son of Eliada who fled from his master Hadadezer king of Zobah, gathered a band of raiders, took control of Damascus, and ruled over Aram as Israel's enemy throughout Solomon's…
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 11:23; 1 Kings 11:24; 1 Kings 11:25
Shishak
King of Egypt who sheltered Jeroboam from Solomon and in Rehoboam's fifth year attacked Jerusalem and took the temple and palace treasures, including Solomon's gold shields.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 11:40; 1 Kings 14:25; 2 Chronicles 12:2
Solomon
David's son who built the temple and became famous for God-given wisdom.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 1-11; 1 Chron. 3:5; Matt. 1:6-7
Tahpenes
Pharaoh's wife, whose sister Pharaoh gave to Hadad in marriage and who herself weaned Hadad's son Genubath in Pharaoh's palace.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 11:19; 1 Kings 11:20
Zeruah
A widow named as the mother of Jeroboam son of Nebat.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 11:26
Cross references (42)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Deuteronomy 17:17; Proverbs 6:24; Nehemiah 13:23–27; 1 Kings 11:8; Proverbs 2:16
- 2 Exodus 34:16; Deuteronomy 7:3–4; Joshua 23:12–13; 2 Corinthians 6:14–16; 1 Corinthians 15:33
- 3 2 Samuel 5:13–16; Ecclesiastes 7:28; Judges 9:5; 2 Chronicles 11:21; 2 Samuel 3:2–5
- 4 1 Kings 9:4; 1 Kings 8:61; 1 Chronicles 28:9; 1 Kings 11:6; 2 Chronicles 17:3
- 5 Judges 2:13; 1 Kings 11:7; 2 Kings 23:13; 1 Kings 11:33; Judges 10:6
- 6 Numbers 14:24; Joshua 14:14; Joshua 14:8
- 7 Numbers 21:29; Judges 11:24; Acts 7:43; Leviticus 26:30; Psalm 78:58
- 8 1 Kings 11:1; Ezekiel 16:22–29; Hosea 4:11–12; 1 Corinthians 10:11–12; 1 Corinthians 10:20–22
- 9 1 Kings 9:2; 1 Kings 3:5; Numbers 12:9; 2 Samuel 6:7; Exodus 4:14
- 10 1 Kings 6:12–13; 1 Kings 9:4–7; 2 Chronicles 7:17–22
- 11 1 Kings 12:15–16; 1 Kings 11:31; 2 Kings 17:21; Isaiah 29:13–14; 1 Kings 12:20
- 12 Genesis 12:2; Genesis 19:29; 2 Kings 22:19–20; 2 Kings 20:17; 2 Kings 20:19
- 13 1 Kings 12:20; Deuteronomy 12:11; 1 Kings 11:32; Deuteronomy 12:5; Psalm 132:13–14
- 14 2 Samuel 7:14; Isaiah 10:26; Isaiah 13:17; Psalm 89:30–34; 1 Kings 12:15
- 15 2 Samuel 8:14; 1 Chronicles 18:12–13; Deuteronomy 20:13; Numbers 24:18–19; Psalm 108:10
- 17 Matthew 2:13–14; 2 Kings 11:2; 2 Samuel 4:4; Exodus 2:1–10
- 18 Numbers 10:12; Deuteronomy 33:2; Deuteronomy 1:1; Genesis 25:4; Numbers 22:4
- 19 Genesis 39:21; Acts 7:10; Genesis 39:4; Jeremiah 43:7–9; Acts 7:21
- 20 1 Samuel 1:24; Genesis 21:7
- 21 1 Kings 2:10; 1 Samuel 9:26; Joshua 2:21; 2 Samuel 3:21; 1 Kings 2:34
- 22 Luke 22:35; Psalm 37:8; 2 Samuel 18:22–23; Mark 14:31; Jeremiah 2:31
- 23 2 Samuel 8:3; 1 Kings 11:14; 1 Chronicles 18:3–9; 1 Chronicles 19:16–19; Isaiah 45:5
- 24 2 Samuel 10:18; 2 Samuel 10:8; 1 Kings 19:15; 1 Kings 20:34; Acts 9:2
- 25 Zechariah 11:8; 2 Samuel 16:21; Deuteronomy 23:7; 2 Chronicles 15:2; Psalm 106:40
- 26 2 Chronicles 13:6; 1 Kings 12:2; 1 Samuel 1:1; 2 Samuel 20:21; 1 Kings 11:11
- 27 1 Kings 9:24; 1 Kings 9:15; 2 Samuel 5:7; 2 Samuel 20:21; Amos 9:11
- 28 Proverbs 22:29; 2 Samuel 19:20; 1 Kings 5:16; Isaiah 14:25; Judges 1:22–23
- 29 2 Chronicles 9:29; 1 Kings 14:2; 1 Kings 12:15; Genesis 4:8; Joshua 18:1
- 30 1 Samuel 15:27–28; 1 Samuel 24:4–5
- 31 1 Kings 11:11–12
- 32 1 Kings 11:13; 1 Kings 12:20–21; 1 Kings 14:21
- 33 1 Kings 11:5–7; 1 Kings 11:9; Hosea 4:17; Jeremiah 2:13; 1 Kings 6:12–13
- 34 Habakkuk 3:2; Job 11:6; 1 Kings 11:31; Psalm 103:10; 1 Kings 11:12–13
- 35 Exodus 20:5–6; 1 Kings 12:20; 2 Chronicles 10:15–17; 1 Kings 11:12; 1 Kings 12:15–17
- 36 1 Kings 11:13; 2 Kings 8:19; 1 Kings 15:4; Psalm 132:17; 2 Chronicles 21:7
- 37 2 Samuel 3:21; 1 Kings 11:26; Deuteronomy 14:26
- 38 2 Samuel 7:11; Joshua 1:5; Deuteronomy 31:8; 1 Kings 14:7–14; Deuteronomy 15:5
- 39 Isaiah 9:7; Luke 2:11; Isaiah 11:1–10; Luke 1:32–33; 1 Kings 14:25–26
- 40 2 Chronicles 12:2–9; Proverbs 21:30; Isaiah 46:10; Lamentations 3:37; 1 Kings 14:25–26
- 41 2 Chronicles 9:29–31
- 42 1 Kings 2:11
- 43 2 Kings 21:18; 1 Kings 2:10; Matthew 1:7; Matthew 1:5; 2 Chronicles 28:27
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… him Scripture is not silent, but accuses him of being a lover of strange women; for in the beginning of his reign he was inflamed with a desire for wisdom, but after he had attained it through spiritual love, he lost it through carnal lust.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)