Wisdom InLove

Scripture (s): I Kings 11:1-4

King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh's daughter--Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, "You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods." Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.

Background:
This chapter begins with as melancholy a "but’’ as almost any we find in all the Bible. Hitherto we have read nothing of Solomon but what was great and good; but the lustre both of his goodness and of his greatness is here sullied and eclipsed, and his sun sets under a cloud. I. The glory of his piety is stained by his departure from God and his duty, in his latter days, marrying strange wives and worshipping strange gods (v. 4-8). II. The glory of his prosperity is stained by God’s displeasure against him and the fruits of that displeasure. 1. He sent him an angry message (v. 9–13). 2. He stirred up enemies, who gave him disturbance, Hadad (v. 14–22), Rezon (v. 23–25). 3. He gave away ten tribes of his twelve, from his posterity after him, to Jeroboam, whom therefore he sought in vain to slay (v. 26–40), and this is all that remains here to be told concerning Solomon, except his death and burial (v. 41–43), for there is nothing perfect under the sun, but all is so above the sun (Henry, 1996).

Commentary:
This is a sad story, and very surprising, of Solomon’s defection and degeneracy.

I. Let us enquire into the occasions and particulars of it. Shall Solomon fall, that was the beauty of Israel, and so great a blessing of his generation? Yes, it is too true, and the scripture is faithful in relating it, and repeating it, and referring to it long after, Neh. 13:26. There was no king like Solomon who was beloved of his God, yet even him did outlandish women cause to sin. There is the summary of his apostasy; it was the woman that deceived him, and was first in the transgression.

1. He doted on strange women, many strange women. Here his revolt began. (1.) He gave himself to women, which his mother had particularly cautioned him against. Prov. 31:3, Give not thy strength unto women (perhaps alluding to Samson, who lost his strength by giving information of it to a woman), for it is that which, as much as any thing, destroys kings. His father David’s fall began with the lusts of the flesh, which he should have taken warning by. The love of women has cast down many wounded (Prov. 7:26) and many (says bishop Hall) have had their head broken by their own rib (Henry, 1996).

 (2.) He took many women, so many that, at last, they amounted to 700 wives and 300 concubines, 1000 in all, and not one good one among them, as he himself owns in his penitential sermon (Eccl. 7:28), for no woman of established virtue would be one of such a set. God had, by his law, particularly forbidden the kings to multiply either horses or wives, Deu. 17:16, 17. How he broke the former law, in multiplying horses, and having them out of Egypt too (which was expressly prohibited in that law) we read ch. 10:29, and here we are told how he broke the latter (which proved of more fatal consequence) in multiplying wives. Note, Less sins, made gold with, open the door to greater (Henry, 1996).

David had multiplied wives too much, and perhaps that made Solomon presume it lawful. Note, If those that are in reputation for religion in any thing set a bad example, they know not what a deal of mischief they may do by it, particularly to their own children. One bad act of a good man may be of more pernicious consequence to others than twenty of a wicked man. Probably Solomon, when he began to multiply wives, intended not to exceed his father’s number (Henry, 1996).

But the way of sin is down-hill; those that have got into it cannot easily stop themselves. Divine wisdom has appointed one woman for one man, did so at first; and those who do not think one enough will not think two or three enough. Unbridled lust will be unbounded, and the loosened hind will wander endlessly. But this was not all: (3.) They were strange women, Moabites, Ammonites, etc., of the nations which God had particularly forbidden them to intermarry with, v. 2. Some think it was in policy that he married these foreigners, by them to get intelligence of the state of those countries. I rather fear it was because the daughters of Israel were too grave and modest for him, and those foreigners pleased him with the looseness and wantonness of their dress, and air, and conversation (Henry, 1996).

Or, perhaps, it was looked upon as a piece of state to have his seraglio, as his other treasures, replenished with that which was far-fetched; as if that were too great an honour for the best of his subjects which would really have been a disgrace to the meanest of them—to be his mistresses. And, (4.) To complete the mischief, Solomon clave unto these in love, v. 2. He not only kept them, but was extravagantly fond of them, set his heart upon them, spent his time among them, thought every thing well they said and did, and despised Pharaoh’s daughter, his rightful wife, who had been dear to him, and all the ladies of Israel, in comparison of them. Solomon was master of a great deal of knowledge, but to what purpose, when he had no better a government of his appetites (Henry, 1996).

Reflection:
King Solomon had much wisdom and understanding. He also was one of the riches kings that ever lived. However, he had a serious weakness. He loved many women to the point of his own detriment. He had seven hundred wives, and three hundred concubines. To make matters even worse, these ...women worshiped other gods; in whom Solomon would begin to worship, and build altars and shrines for. He would soon begin to neglect the only true, and living God of his soul. Solomon also neglected his rightful wife; and chose to cleave to unholy flesh; that separated him from his relationship with God. The desire of his flesh ruled his very nature, and replaced his desire to please God. Therefore, the rule, and reign of Solomon was not glorious in the end, as in the beginning. His life was but a shadow of what it could have been, if he had only used the wisdom that God gave him in all areas of his life. The wisdom that he negated to use in fleshly matters, especially in choosing his wife; and being faithful to her, forfeited the grace that was afforded him. The grace of God extends to His children if we only but ask. But in our asking, let us listen to His voice, and do what He tells us to do; to experience the blessings of the Lord that maketh rich, and addeth no sorrow with it.

Strong's Exhausted Concordance Definitions: I Kings 11:2

You shall not associate: 935
1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in
a) (Qal)
1) to enter, come in
2) to come
a) to come with
b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)
c) to come to pass
3) to attain to
4) to be enumerated
5) to go
b) (Hiphil)
1) to lead in
2) to carry in
3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon
4) to bring to pass
c) (Hophal)
1) to be brought, brought in
2) to be introduced, be put


Turn: 5186
1) to stretch out, extend, spread out, pitch, turn, pervert, incline, bend, bow
a) (Qal)
1) to stretch out, extend, stretch, offer
2) to spread out, pitch (tent)
3) to bend, turn, incline
a) to turn aside, incline, decline, bend down
b) to bend, bow
c) to hold out, extend (fig.)
b) (Niphal) to be stretched out
c) (Hiphil)
1) to stretch out
2) to spread out
3) to turn, incline, influence, bend down, hold out, extend, thrust aside, thrust away
your heart: 3824
1) inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding
a) inner part, midst
1) midst (of things)
2) heart (of man)
3) soul, heart (of man)
4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory
5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)
6) conscience
7) heart (of moral character)
8) as seat of appetites
9) as seat of emotions and passions
10) as seat of courage

their gods: 430
1) (plural)
a) rulers, judges
b) divine ones
c) angels
d) gods
2) (plural intensive - singular meaning)
a) god, goddess
b) godlike one
c) works or special possessions of God
d) the (true) God
e) God
Solomon: 8010
Solomon = "peace"
1) son of David by Bathsheba and 3rd king of Israel; author of Proverbs and Song of Songs
 
Held Fast: 1692
1) to cling, stick, stay close, cleave, keep close, stick to, stick with, follow closely, join to, overtake, catch
a) (Qal)
1) to cling, cleave to
2) to stay with
b) (Pual) to be joined together
c) (Hiphil)
1) to cause to cleave to
2) to pursue closely
3) to overtake
d) (Hophal) to be made to cleave

in love: 157
1) to love
a) (Qal)
1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual
2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom
3) human love for or to God
4) act of being a friend
a) lover (participle)
b) friend (participle)
5) God's love toward man
a) to individual men
b) to people Israel
c) to righteousness
b) (Niphal)
1) lovely (participle)
2) loveable (participle)
c) (Piel)
1) friends
2) lovers (fig. of adulterers)
2) to like

Reference: 
Blue Letter Bible. "Book of 1 Kings 11 - (NIV - New International Version)." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2010. 4 May 2010. < http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=1Ki&c=11&t=NIV >
 
Henry, Matthew. "Commentary on 1 Kings 11." . Blue Letter Bible. 1 Mar 1996. 2010. 4 May 2010.

< http:// www.blueletterbible.org/commentaries/comm_view.cfm?
AuthorID=4&contentID=939&commInfo=5&topic=1%20Kings&
ar=1Ki_11_1 >

Higgins, S. (2010). Wisdom Inlove. Devotions For Thought. Higgins Publishing. Http://www.devotionsforthought.blogspot.com, Http://www.higginspublishing.com