וְהַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה אָהַב נָשִׁים נָכְרִיּוֹת רַבּוֹת וְאֶת־בַּת־פַּרְעֹה מוֹאֲבִיּוֹת עַמֳּנִיּוֹת אֲדֹמִיֹּת צֵדְנִיֹּת חִתִּיֹּת

King Solomon loved many foreign women, and the daughter of Pharaoh, who enjoyed a higher status than Solomon’s other foreign wives. He loved Moavites, Amonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hitites

מִן־הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר־ה' אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא־תָבֹאוּ בָהֶם וְהֵם לֹא־יָבֹאוּ בָכֶם אָכֵן יַטּוּ אֶת־לְבַבְכֶם אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהֵיהֶם בָּהֶם דָּבַק שְׁלֹמֹה לְאַהֲבָה

from the nations about whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel: Do not consort with them, and they shall not consort with you, as if you do so, they will sway your heart after their gods; Solomon clung to them for love.

וַיְהִי־לוֹ נָשִׁים שָׂרוֹת שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וּפִילַגְשִׁים שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת

He had seven hundred full-fledged noble wives and three hundred concubines, who had a lower legal status than the wives; and his wives swayed his heart.

וַיְהִי לְעֵת זִקְנַת שְׁלֹמֹה נָשָׁיו הִטּוּ אֶת־לְבָבוֹ אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וְלֹא־הָיָה לְבָבוֹ שָׁלֵם עִם־ה' אֱלֹהָיו כִּלְבַב דָּוִיד אָבִיו

It was at the time of Solomon’s old age, after many years of marriage, that his wives swayed his heart after other gods, and although Solomon himself did not actually engage in idolatry, nevertheless his heart was not whole with the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.

וַיֵּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה אַחֲרֵי עַשְׁתֹּרֶת אֱלֹהֵי צִדֹנִים וְאַחֲרֵי מִלְכֹּם שִׁקֻּץ עַמֹּנִים

Solomon followed Ashtoret, goddess of the Sidonians, and the god Milkom, detestation of the Amonites.

וַיַּעַשׂ שְׁלֹמֹה הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי ה' וְלֹא מִלֵּא אַחֲרֵי ה' כְּדָוִד אָבִיו

Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not fully follow the Lord as David his father had.

אָז יִבְנֶה שְׁלֹמֹה בָּמָה לִכְמוֹשׁ שִׁקֻּץ מוֹאָב בָּהָר אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי יְרוּשָׁלִָם וּלְמֹלֶךְ שִׁקֻּץ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן

Then Solomon built a shrine for Kemosh, the detestation of Moav, on the mountain that faces Jerusalem, in the area of the Mount of Olives, and for Molekh, the detestation of the children of Amon.

וְכֵן עָשָׂה לְכָל־נָשָׁיו הַנָּכְרִיּוֹת מַקְטִירוֹת וּמְזַבְּחוֹת לֵאלֹהֵיהֶן

So he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and slaughtered to their gods. The king’s pampered wives had no responsibilities and they busied themselves with their former customs. Solomon sinned by turning a blind eye to their actions.

וַיִּתְאַנַּף ה' בִּשְׁלֹמֹה כִּי־נָטָה לְבָבוֹ מֵעִם ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַנִּרְאָה אֵלָיו פַּעֲמָיִם

The Lord was incensed with Solomon, because his heart had swayed from the Lord, God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, once in a dream after his coronation, and a second time after the dedication of the Temple,

וְצִוָּה אֵלָיו עַל־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה לְבִלְתִּי־לֶכֶת אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וְלֹא שָׁמַר אֵת אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה ה'

and had commanded him about this matter, that he not follow other gods, but he did not keep that which the Lord had commanded. Solomon’s wisdom, greatness, and especially the direct prophecy he had experienced, should have prevented him from tolerating such conduct.

וַיֹּאמֶר ה' לִשְׁלֹמֹה יַעַן אֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה־זֹּאת עִמָּךְ וְלֹא שָׁמַרְתָּ בְּרִיתִי וְחֻקֹּתַי אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי עָלֶיךָ קָרֹעַ אֶקְרַע אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה מֵעָלֶיךָ וּנְתַתִּיהָ לְעַבְדֶּךָ

The Lord said directly to Solomon, or through a prophet: Since it has been like this with you, and you did not keep My covenant and My statutes that I commanded you, I will rend the kingship from you, and I will give it to your servant.

אַךְ־בְּיָמֶיךָ לֹא אֶעֱשֶׂנָּה לְמַעַן דָּוִד אָבִיךָ מִיַּד בִּנְךָ אֶקְרָעֶנָּה

However, in your days I will not do it, for the sake of David your father; in his merit you will retain the kingship, but from the hand of your son will I rend it.

רַק אֶת־כָּל־הַמַּמְלָכָה לֹא אֶקְרָע שֵׁבֶט אֶחָד אֶתֵּן לִבְנֶךָ לְמַעַן דָּוִד עַבְדִּי וּלְמַעַן יְרוּשָׁלִַם אֲשֶׁר בָּחָרְתִּי

However, I will not rend away the entire kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David My servant, and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen. The divine selection of the Davidic line remains in force, but due to Solomon’s sins the dynasty will no longer rule over the majority of the kingdom.

וַיָּקֶם ה' שָׂטָן לִשְׁלֹמֹה אֵת הֲדַד הָאֲדֹמִי מִזֶּרַע הַמֶּלֶךְ הוּא בֶּאֱדוֹם

The Lord established an adversary to Solomon; he was Hadad the Edomite, from the descendants of the king of Edom.

וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹת דָּוִד אֶת־אֱדוֹם בַּעֲלוֹת יוֹאָב שַׂר הַצָּבָא לְקַבֵּר אֶת־הַחֲלָלִים וַיַּךְ כָּל־זָכָר בֶּאֱדוֹם

The events developed as follows: It was when David was in Edom, when Yoav, commander of the army, went up to bury the corpses from the war, that he smote every male in Edom;

כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת חֳדָשִׁים יָשַׁב־שָׁם יוֹאָב וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד הִכְרִית כָּל־זָכָר בֶּאֱדוֹם

for Yoav and all Israel had stayed there six months, until he eliminated every male in Edom.

וַיִּבְרַח אֲדַד הוּא וַאֲנָשִׁים אֲדֹמִיִּים מֵעַבְדֵי אָבִיו אִתּוֹ לָבוֹא מִצְרָיִם וַהֲדַד נַעַר קָטָן

Hadad fled, he and some Edomite men from his father’s servants with him, and they helped him to come to Egypt; Hadad was a young lad.

וַיָּקֻמוּ מִמִּדְיָן וַיָּבֹאוּ פָּארָן וַיִּקְחוּ אֲנָשִׁים עִמָּם מִפָּארָן וַיָּבֹאוּ מִצְרַיִם אֶל־פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם וַיִּתֶּן־לוֹ בַיִת וְלֶחֶם אָמַר לוֹ וְאֶרֶץ נָתַן לוֹ

They rose from Midyan, and came to Paran. They headed southward through the Sinai desert, part of which belonged to Edom while other areas were inhabited by nomadic Midyanite tribes, until the northern border of Moav. And they took men, other refugees, with them from Paran, and came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt. He gave him a house, assigned someone to provide food for him from government coffers, and he gave him land. Thus, Hadad was transformed from a refugee to a landowner.

וַיִּמְצָא הֲדַד חֵן בְּעֵינֵי פַרְעֹה מְאֹד וַיִּתֶּן־לוֹ אִשָּׁה אֶת־אֲחוֹת אִשְׁתּוֹ אֲחוֹת תַּחְפְּנֵיס הַגְּבִירָה

Hadad found great favor in the eyes of Pharaoh, and he gave him as a wife the sister of his wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.

וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ אֲחוֹת תַּחְפְּנֵיס אֵת גְּנֻבַת בְּנוֹ וַתִּגְמְלֵהוּ תַחְפְּנֵס בְּתוֹךְ בֵּית פַּרְעֹה וַיְהִי גְנֻבַת בֵּית פַּרְעֹה בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי פַרְעֹה

The sister of Tahpenes bore him Genuvat his son. Tahpenes weaned and raised him in Pharaoh’s house; and Genuvat was in Pharaoh’s house among the sons of Pharaoh, as he was the queen’s nephew. If this was the same Pharaoh who gave his daughter as a wife to Solomon, the special favors he granted Hadad, Solomon’s enemy, presumably also stemmed from political considerations: Maintaining a balance of power between the crown prince of Edom and the king of Israel.

וַהֲדַד שָׁמַע בְּמִצְרַיִם כִּי־שָׁכַב דָּוִד עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וְכִי־מֵת יוֹאָב שַׂר־הַצָּבָא וַיֹּאמֶר הֲדַד אֶל־פַּרְעֹה שַׁלְּחֵנִי וְאֵלֵךְ אֶל־אַרְצִי

Hadad heard in Egypt that David had died and lain with his fathers, and that Yoav commander of the army had died. Hadad said to Pharaoh: Send me, and I will go to my land.

וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ פַרְעֹה כִּי מָה־אַתָּה חָסֵר עִמִּי וְהִנְּךָ מְבַקֵּשׁ לָלֶכֶת אֶל־אַרְצֶךָ וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא כִּי שַׁלֵּחַ תְּשַׁלְּחֵנִי

Pharaoh said to him: But what are you lacking here with me, where you are granted the best possible conditions, that you seek to go to your land, which is less productive, less impressive, and less culturally developed than Egypt? He, Hadad, said: Nevertheless, send me. Evidently, Pharaoh acquiesced and permitted Hadad to return to Edom. Hadad sought to solidify his position as the future king of Edom, and although he did not yet pose a threat to Solomon, he began to establish power in his land. Edom was still subservient to Solomon, but the king of Israel did not impose his rule there with an iron fist and did not attach much significance to Hadad’s return to his land.

וַיָּקֶם אֱלֹהִים לוֹ שָׂטָן אֶת־רְזוֹן בֶּן־אֶלְיָדָע אֲשֶׁר בָּרַח מֵאֵת הֲדַדְעֶזֶר מֶלֶךְ־צוֹבָה אֲדֹנָיו

God established an adversary for him, Solomon: A man named Rezon son of Elyada, who fled from Hadadezer king of Tzova, his master, the king of Aram whom David defeated. Perhaps Rezon had served as an officer under Hadadezer when he fought against David.

וַיִּקְבֹּץ עָלָיו אֲנָשִׁים וַיְהִי שַׂר־גְּדוּד בַּהֲרֹג דָּוִד אֹתָם וַיֵּלְכוּ דַמֶּשֶׂק וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בָהּ וַיִּמְלְכוּ בְּדַמָּשֶׂק

He gathered men to him, and he became commander of a troop when David killed them, Hadadezer and his men; they, Rezon and his troop, went to Damascus, also a city in Aram, and resided there, and reigned in Damascus.

וַיְהִי שָׂטָן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל־יְמֵי שְׁלֹמֹה וְאֶת הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר הֲדָד וַיָּקָץ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּמְלֹךְ עַל־אֲרָם

He was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, along with the trouble of Hadad; he loathed and rebelled against Israel, and he reigned over Aram. Rezon ruled from within Solomon’s empire, as Solomon had built Tadmor, which is northeast of Damascus, and yet Solomon did not respond. Rezon was not a powerful king who posed a significant threat to Solomon, but he was another figure who caused trouble for Israel. Solomon did not send his armies to expel Rezon from Damascus or Hadad from Edom. His soldiers were tasked primarily with maintaining security. Benaya son of Yehoyada, Solomon’s general and a holdover from the time of David, was a great warrior, but during Solomon’s reign he apparently did not command any significant campaigns.

וְיָרָבְעָם בֶּן־נְבָט אֶפְרָתִי מִן־הַצְּרֵדָה וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ צְרוּעָה אִשָּׁה אַלְמָנָה עֶבֶד לִשְׁלֹמֹה וַיָּרֶם יָד בַּמֶּלֶךְ

Yet another adversary arose against Solomon, and this one would eventually become the most severe: Yorovam son of Nevat was an Ephraimite from the small town of Tzereda, a servant of Solomon, and his mother’s name was Tzerua, a widow; he raised his hand against the king. Yorovam, an orphan, initially came to serve King Solomon, but at some point he defied the king and even rebelled against the throne.

וְזֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־הֵרִים יָד בַּמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה בָּנָה אֶת־הַמִּלּוֹא סָגַר אֶת־פֶּרֶץ עִיר דָּוִד אָבִיו

This was the matter for which he raised his hand against the king: Solomon built the Milo, in order to encircle the City of David and the upper city, which included the Temple, within one wall; and in so doing, he closed the breach between the two sections of Jerusalem in the city of David his father. Before the construction of the Milo it was possible to enter Jerusalem from any direction and its wall primarily served an aesthetic purpose. Perhaps Yorovam argued that Jerusalem, as a holy place, should not be turned into a fortified city.

וְהָאִישׁ יָרָבְעָם גִּבּוֹר חָיִל וַיַּרְא שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת־הַנַּעַר כִּי־עֹשֵׂה מְלָאכָה הוּא וַיַּפְקֵד אֹתוֹ לְכָל־סֵבֶל בֵּית יוֹסֵף

The man Yorovam was a mighty warrior, meaning that he was successful and talented; and Solomon saw with regard to the lad that he was a capable worker. Recognizing the youth’s skill and potential, Solomon decided to help cultivate his talent, and he appointed him over all the duty, the collection of all debts and taxes of the house of Joseph, as Yorovam was from the tribe of Ephraim. Solomon’s appointment of Yorovam endowed him with a dignified status.

וַיְהִי בָּעֵת הַהִיא וְיָרָבְעָם יָצָא מִירוּשָׁלִָם וַיִּמְצָא אֹתוֹ אֲחִיָּה הַשִּׁילֹנִי הַנָּבִיא בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְהוּא מִתְכַּסֶּה בְּשַׂלְמָה חֲדָשָׁה וּשְׁנֵיהֶם לְבַדָּם בַּשָּׂדֶה

It was at that time that Yorovam went out of Jerusalem for some unspecified reason, and the prophet Ahiya the Shilonite found him on the way. He, Yorovam or Ahiya, was clothed in a new garment [salma], and the two of them were alone in the field. A salma is a long, wide garment.

וַיִּתְפֹּשׂ אֲחִיָּה בַּשַּׂלְמָה הַחֲדָשָׁה אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו וַיִּקְרָעֶהָ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר קְרָעִים

Ahiya grabbed the new garment that was on him, and he rent it into twelve pieces.

וַיֹּאמֶר לְיָרָבְעָם קַח־לְךָ עֲשָׂרָה קְרָעִים כִּי כֹה אָמַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הִנְנִי קֹרֵעַ אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה מִיַּד שְׁלֹמֹה וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ אֵת עֲשָׂרָה הַשְּׁבָטִים

He said to Yorovam: Take ten pieces for yourself from this garment; for so said the Lord, God of Israel: Behold, I will rend the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and I will give rule over ten of the tribes to you.

וְהַשֵּׁבֶט הָאֶחָד יִהְיֶה־לּוֹ לְמַעַן עַבְדִּי דָוִד וּלְמַעַן יְרוּשָׁלִַם הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי בָהּ מִכֹּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

But the one tribe of Judah will be for him, Solomon, for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel.

יַעַן אֲשֶׁר עֲזָבוּנִי וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְעַשְׁתֹּרֶת אֱלֹהֵי צִדֹנִין לִכְמוֹשׁ אֱלֹהֵי מוֹאָב וּלְמִלְכֹּם אֱלֹהֵי בְנֵי־עַמּוֹן וְלֹא־הָלְכוּ בִדְרָכַי לַעֲשׂוֹת הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינַי וְחֻקֹּתַי וּמִשְׁפָּטַי כְּדָוִד אָבִיו

It is because they have forsaken Me, and have prostrated themselves to Ashtoret goddess of the Sidonians, to Kemosh god of Moav, and to Milkom god of the children of Amon; they did not follow My ways, to do that which is right in My eyes, to keep My statutes and My ordinances, as David his father had.

וְלֹא־אֶקַּח אֶת־כָּל־הַמַּמְלָכָה מִיָּדוֹ כִּי נָשִׂיא אֲשִׁתֶנּוּ כֹּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו לְמַעַן דָּוִד עַבְדִּי אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי אֹתוֹ אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַר מִצְוֹתַי וְחֻקֹּתָי

I will not take the entire kingdom from his hand, despite his sins; for instead I will set him as a prince, that is, I will preserve Solomon’s current status, all the days of his life, for the sake of David My servant, whom I chose, who kept My commandments and My statutes.

וְלָקַחְתִּי הַמְּלוּכָה מִיַּד בְּנוֹ וּנְתַתִּיהָ לְּךָ אֵת עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים

I will take the majority of the kingdom from the hand of his son, and I will give it to you, the ten tribes.

וְלִבְנוֹ אֶתֵּן שֵׁבֶט־אֶחָד לְמַעַן הֱיוֹת־נִיר לְדָוִיד־עַבְדִּי כָּל־הַיָּמִים לְפָנַי בִּירוּשָׁלִַם הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי לִי לָשׂוּם שְׁמִי שָׁם

But to his son I will give one tribe, so that it will be a kingdom for David My servant all the days before Me in Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen for Me to place My name there.

וְאֹתְךָ אֶקַּח וּמָלַכְתָּ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־תְּאַוֶּה נַפְשֶׁךָ וְהָיִיתָ מֶּלֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל

You I will take, and you will reign over everything that your heart will desire, and you will be king over Israel.

וְהָיָה אִם־תִּשְׁמַע אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר אֲצַוֶּךָ וְהָלַכְתָּ בִדְרָכַי וְעָשִׂיתָ הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינַי לִשְׁמוֹר חֻקּוֹתַי וּמִצְוֹתַי כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה דָּוִד עַבְדִּי וְהָיִיתִי עִמָּךְ וּבָנִיתִי לְךָ בַיִת־נֶאֱמָן כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּנִיתִי לְדָוִד וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל

It shall be that if you heed everything that I command you, and follow My ways, and do that which is right in My eyes, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as did David My servant, I will be with you, and I will build you a lasting house, a dynasty, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.

וַאעַנֶּה אֶת־זֶרַע דָּוִד לְמַעַן זֹאת אַךְ לֹא כָל־הַיָּמִים

I will afflict the descendants of David for this, because of Solomon’s actions, but their suffering will not last for all the days, as eventually they will be restored to their previous exalted state.

וַיְבַקֵּשׁ שְׁלֹמֹה לְהָמִית אֶת־יָרָבְעָם וַיָּקָם יָרָבְעָם וַיִּבְרַח מִצְרַיִם אֶל־שִׁישַׁק מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם וַיְהִי בְמִצְרַיִם עַד־מוֹת שְׁלֹמֹה

Yorovam understood this prophecy of Ahiya the Shilonite as a promise for the future and did not attempt to organize an overt rebellion against Solomon. However, he did instigate trouble for the king and Solomon sought to put Yorovam to death, but Yorovam rose and he too fled to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt; he was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. Apparently, Shishak was not from the Egyptian royal house. Perhaps he was from the Nubian dynasty that ruled Egypt. It was easier for Yorovam to find refuge with a king who did not have any marital ties to Solomon.

וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי שְׁלֹמֹה וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְחָכְמָתוֹ הֲלוֹא־הֵם כְּתֻבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי שְׁלֹמֹה

The rest of the matters concerning Solomon, and everything that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of Solomon?

וְהַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר מָלַךְ שְׁלֹמֹה בִירוּשָׁלִַם עַל־ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה

The days that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel were forty years.

וַיִּשְׁכַּב שְׁלֹמֹה עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקָּבֵר בְּעִיר דָּוִד אָבִיו וַיִּמְלֹךְ רְחַבְעָם בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו

Solomon lay with his fathers, he died in peace, and he was buried in the city of David his father. Rehavam, his son, reigned in his place.