Solomon’s Wives

11 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women^(A) besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites,^(B) Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. ² They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry^(C) with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. ³ He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines,^(D) and his wives led him astray.^{(E) 4} As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods,^(F) and his heart was not fully devoted^(G) to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. ⁵ He followed Ashtoreth^(H) the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek^(I) the detestable god of the Ammonites. ⁶ So Solomon did evil^(J) in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.

⁷ On a hill east^(K) of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh^(L) the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek^(M) the detestable god of the Ammonites. ⁸ He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.

¹¹ Obey what I command^(A) you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.^{(B) 12} Be careful not to make a treaty^(C) with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare^(D) among you. ¹³ Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles.^{[a](E) 14} Do not worship any other god,^(F) for the Lord, whose name^(G) is Jealous, is a jealous God.^(H)

¹⁵ “Be careful not to make a treaty^(I) with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute^(J) themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices.^{(K) 16} And when you choose some of their daughters as wives^(L) for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods,^(M) they will lead your sons to do the same.

¹⁷ “Do not make any idols.^(N)

¹⁶ The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses^(A) for himself^(B) or make the people return to Egypt^(C) to get more of them,^(D) for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.”^{(E) 17} He must not take many wives,^(F) or his heart will be led astray.^(G) He must not accumulate^(H) large amounts of silver and gold.^(I)

¹⁸ When he takes the throne^(J) of his kingdom, he is to write^(K) for himself on a scroll a copy^(L) of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. ¹⁹ It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life^(M) so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees^{(N) 20} and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law^(O) to the right or to the left.^(P) Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.^(Q)

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. ¹³ Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe^(G) for the sake^(H) of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”^(I)

Pleasures Are Meaningless

2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure^(A) to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. ² “Laughter,”^(B) I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” ³ I tried cheering myself with wine,^(C) and embracing folly^(D)—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.

⁴ I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself^(E) and planted vineyards.^{(F) 5} I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. ⁶ I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. ⁷ I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves^(G) who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. ⁸ I amassed silver and gold^(H) for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.^(I) I acquired male and female singers,^(J) and a harem^[a] as well—the delights of a man’s heart. ⁹ I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem^(K) before me.^(L) In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

²⁵ And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.^(A)