3 He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.

Other Translations of 1 Kings 11:3

King James Version

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

English Standard Version

3 He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart.

The Message

3 He had seven hundred royal wives and three hundred concubines - a thousand women in all! And they did seduce him away from God.

New King James Version

3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.

New Living Translation

3 He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord .

Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 11:3

Commentary on 1 Kings 11:1-8

(Read 1 Kings 11:1-8)

There is not a more melancholy and astonishing instance of human depravity in the sacred Scriptures, than that here recorded. Solomon became a public worshipper of abominable idols! Probably he by degrees gave way to pride and luxury, and thus lost his relish for true wisdom. Nothing forms in itself a security against the deceitfulness and depravity of the human heart. Nor will old age cure the heart of any evil propensity. If our sinful passions are not crucified and mortified by the grace of God, they never will die of themselves, but will last even when opportunities to gratify them are taken away. Let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall. We see how weak we are of ourselves, without the grace of God; let us therefore live in constant dependence on that grace. Let us watch and be sober: ours is a dangerous warfare, and in an enemy's country, while our worst foes are the traitors in our own hearts.

4 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.

Other Translations of 1 Kings 11:4

King James Version

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.

English Standard Version

4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.

The Message

4 As Solomon grew older, his wives beguiled him with their alien gods and he became unfaithful - he didn't stay true to his God as his father David had done.

New King James Version

4 For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David.

New Living Translation

4 In Solomon's old age, they turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God, as his father, David, had been.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 11:4

Commentary on 1 Kings 11:1-8

(Read 1 Kings 11:1-8)

There is not a more melancholy and astonishing instance of human depravity in the sacred Scriptures, than that here recorded. Solomon became a public worshipper of abominable idols! Probably he by degrees gave way to pride and luxury, and thus lost his relish for true wisdom. Nothing forms in itself a security against the deceitfulness and depravity of the human heart. Nor will old age cure the heart of any evil propensity. If our sinful passions are not crucified and mortified by the grace of God, they never will die of themselves, but will last even when opportunities to gratify them are taken away. Let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall. We see how weak we are of ourselves, without the grace of God; let us therefore live in constant dependence on that grace. Let us watch and be sober: ours is a dangerous warfare, and in an enemy's country, while our worst foes are the traitors in our own hearts.