³ He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines,^(A) and his wives led him astray.^{(B) 4} As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods,^(C) and his heart was not fully devoted^(D) to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. ⁵ He followed Ashtoreth^(E) the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek^(F) the detestable god of the Ammonites. ⁶ So Solomon did evil^(G) in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.

⁹ The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared^(A) to him twice. ¹⁰ Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods,^(B) Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command.^{(C) 11} So the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees,^(D) which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear^(E) the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. ¹² Nevertheless, for the sake of David^(F) your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son.