⁴ As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods,^(A) and his heart was not fully devoted^(B) to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.

⁹ “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion^(A) and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart^(B) and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him,^(C) he will be found by you; but if you forsake^(D) him, he will reject^(E) you forever.

⁶ So Solomon did evil^(A) in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.

² He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed the ways of his father David,^(A) not turning aside to the right or to the left.

³ The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David^(A) before him. He did not consult the Baals

² They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry^(A) with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love.

¹⁷ He must not take many wives,^(A) or his heart will be led astray.^(B) He must not accumulate^(C) large amounts of silver and gold.^(D)

²⁶ Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him.^(A) He was loved by his God,^(B) and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women.^{(C) 27} Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying^(D) foreign women?”