1 KINGS LESSON 15


     We will begin this lesson in I Kings 11:1 "But king Solomon loved
many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of
the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, [and] Hittites;"

     The word "strange" indicates they were forbidden to the Hebrews.
One of the dangers of great wealth and power, is that we have a
tendency to think too highly of ourselves. Solomon was no exception.
He felt he could do no wrong. He obviously had forgotten the warnings
of God about not keeping His commandments. Wealth, such as Solomon had
accumulated, was associated with worldliness. God had never wanted
Israel depending on horses and chariots to win their battles either.
God was their strength. Perhaps, many of these marriages were
marriages of state to avoid war with the girl's family. That still is
no excuse for these many marriages. Marrying women, who worshipped
false gods, would be Solomon's downfall.

     I Kings 11:2 "Of the nations [concerning] which the LORD said
unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall
they come in unto you: [for] surely they will turn away your heart
after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love."

     Solomon had done exactly what God told him not to do. He had
married women, who would turn his head away from the One True God to
false gods.

     I Kings 11:3 "And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and
three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart."

     Lust of the flesh causes Solomon to fall into deep sin. It really
does not matter, whether the number of wives and concubines is an
accurate number, or not. He did have numerous wives and concubines.
Solomon, like most men, should have been more selective in his wives.
He should have chosen women, who worshipped the One True God.

     I Kings 11:4 "For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, [that]
his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was
not perfect with the LORD his God, as [was] the heart of David his
father."

     David sinned, but never turned his heart away from God. This is
not the same with Solomon. He not only sinned, but his heart was
turned away from God. He followed his wives into the worship of false
gods.

     I Kings 11:5 "For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the
Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites."

     This is idolatry. Solomon has broken relationship with his God.
When he built altars to these false gods for his wives to worship, he
was agreeing that this was alright to do. Solomon did not stop
worshipping the LORD. He just allowed his wives to worship their false
gods with his approval. Ashteroth had to do with sensuous worship.
Milcom included human sacrifice in its worship.

     I Kings 11:6 "And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and
went not fully after the LORD, as [did] David his father."

     The word "fully", in the verse above, lets us know that Solomon
never stopped worshipping the LORD. His tolerance of the worship of
false gods by his wives was not right, however, and his associations
made him guilty of idolatry.

     I Kings 11:7 "Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh,
the abomination of Moab, in the hill that [is] before Jerusalem, and
for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon."

     Solomon was being tolerant of the worship of his wives of false
gods. He was the leader of the country, and should not have permitted
such. His success had come from the One True God.

     I Kings 11:8 "And likewise did he for all his strange wives,
which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods."

     There were places all over Jerusalem, where they were erecting
places of worship of these false gods.

     I Kings 11:9  "And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his
heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto
him twice," I Kings 11:10 "And had commanded him concerning this
thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that
which the LORD commanded."

     He had broken the first of the Ten Commandments. Our God is a
jealous God. He had been given everything his heart could desire, and
yet, he was not faithful to the One, who gave it to him. God had
favored Solomon more than any man, who had ever lived. He had even
appeared to him twice. God had told him ahead of time of the
consequences of going after false gods. He knew that there were
blessings, if he remained faithful, and curses, if he did not. He had
sinned in full knowledge.

     I Kings 11:11 "Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as
this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my
statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom
from thee, and will give it to thy servant."  I Kings 11:12
"Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's
sake: [but] I will rend it out of the hand of thy son."

     God's great love and blessings for Solomon have turned to wrath.
It is almost certain that the LORD did not speak directly to Solomon
this time, because He was so angry with him. He, probably, spoke
through a prophet. Solomon had been blessed greatly, but he, also, had
worked hard to get the kingdom where it was. It would be quite a come
down, to hear that one of his servants would inherit the kingdom.
Solomon would have the rest of his life to think about what he had
done, and what would happen to the kingdom. The LORD would let him
remain king, while he was alive, because of the love the LORD had for
David. He would live in dread of the day, when the kingdom would not
be in his family, however.

     I Kings 11:13 "Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom;
[but] will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and
for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen."

     This one tribe, of course, is Judah. God keeps reminding Solomon
that this is not done because of Solomon. It is because God loved
David. God, also, wanted Jerusalem to remain as the holy city. God had
put his presence in the temple and in this city. It is much later,
when the presence of the LORD leaves Jerusalem just before it burns.

     I Kings 11:14  "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto
Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he [was] of the king's seed in Edom."

     Notice, this is from God. He chastises Solomon by sending enemies
to cause problems. Hadad was an Edomite. He was a prince of the royal
house. He married the sister-in-law of Pharaoh. He harassed Solomon.

     I Kings 11:15 "For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and
Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he
had smitten every male in Edom;"  I Kings 11:16 "(For six months did
Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in
Edom:)" I Kings 11:17 "That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his
father's servants with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad [being] yet a
little child."

     From other Scriptures in Chronicles and Psalms, it is uncertain
actually who was in charge of David's army, who killed the Edomites.
We read in Psalms, that Joab killed 12,000, and we read in first
Chronicles that Abishai killed 18,000. Perhaps, they both led troops
into this battle, and each of them killed a large number. We do know
it took Joab 6 months, before he was satisfied they were all dead.
Hadad might not have been killed, even if he had remained, because he
was a child.

     I Kings 11:18 'And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran:
and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto
Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed him
victuals, and gave him land." I Kings 11:19 "And Hadad found great
favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister
of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen."

     This is an explanation of how Hadad was spared, when Joab killed
all of the men of Edom. He had fled to Egypt for safety as a child,
and grew up there. The Pharaoh liked him very much and actually gave
him land to get a new start. He became brother-in-law to the Pharaoh.
Pharaoh's wife, Tahpenes, was sister of the wife of Hadad.

     I Kings 11:20 "And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his
son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house: and Genubath was in
Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh."

     Hadad was like a son to the Pharaoh. He and his wife lived with
the Pharaoh, when their son was born, and stayed there about three
years, until they baby was weaned.

     I Kings 11:21 "And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept
with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead,
Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to mine own
country."

     Hadad wanted to go back, and take his land back. The dreaded Joab
was dead, and so was David. The danger would not be as great, now.
Notice, Hadad must get permission from the Pharaoh to go.

     I Kings 11:22 "Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what hast thou
lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country?
And he answered, Nothing: howbeit let me go in any wise."

     Pharaoh obviously did not want him to go, but would give him
permission, if he insisted. He first tried to talk him out of it, by
reminding Hadad how good he had been to him. Hadad agreed that he had
wanted for nothing, but he still wanted to go.































                        1 Kings 15 Questions


1.  King Solomon loved many ________ women.
2.  Who had God forbidden the Israelites to intermarry with, that
    Solomon married?
3.  What other things had Solomon done, that was displeasing to God?
4.  What were many of these marriages?
5.  What was wrong with marrying them?
6.  He had _______ ________ wives and _____ _______ concubines.
7.  What should Solomon have done about choosing wives?
8.  What was different about his sin, and David's sin?
9.  Who was the false goddess of the Zidonians?
10. Who was the abomination of the Ammonites?
11. What shows us that Solomon never stopped worshipping the LORD?
12. How was he guilty of idolatry?
13. What false gods did Solomon build high places for?
14. How did the LORD feel about this?
15. Who did the LORD speak through to Solomon?
16. Who would inherit his kingdom, when he died?
17. Why did the LORD not just remove Solomon immediately?
18. What will be left, when the LORD rends away the kingdom?
19. How does God chastise Solomon?
20. Who had killed the males in Edom?
21. Who escaped to Egypt?
22. Who helped him, in Egypt?
23. Who did Hadad marry?
24. Who was Tahpenes?
25. What was Hadad's first child named?
26. How long did they stay in Pharaoh's house, after the baby was
    born?
27. What did Hadad ask Pharaoh?