1 Kings 11 11

1 Kings 11:11 kjv

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.

1 Kings 11:11 nkjv

Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, "Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.

1 Kings 11:11 niv

So the LORD said to Solomon, "Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates.

1 Kings 11:11 esv

Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, "Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant.

1 Kings 11:11 nlt

So now the LORD said to him, "Since you have not kept my covenant and have disobeyed my decrees, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants.

1 Kings 11 verses

1 Kings 11 11 Meaning

This verse pronounces God's definitive judgment upon King Solomon. Because Solomon had turned away from the Lord by not observing the covenant and statutes God commanded him, God declares that He will surely tear the unified kingdom from Solomon's hands. The verse states that this fractured kingdom will then be given to one of Solomon's servants, explicitly referring to the impending division of the Israelite monarchy as a direct consequence of Solomon's idolatry and spiritual apostasy.

1 Kings 11 11 Context

First Kings chapter 11 details the tragic decline of King Solomon. Despite his extraordinary wisdom and the numerous blessings and warnings from God, Solomon "loved many foreign women" (1 Kgs 11:1) who turned his heart away from the Lord to worship their gods, building high places for idols like Chemosh and Molech (1 Kgs 11:4-8). This directly violated God's commands (Exod 34:15-16; Deut 7:3-4) and Solomon's personal commitment (1 Kgs 8). Verses 9-10 specifically state God's anger, emphasizing that He appeared to Solomon twice to warn him against this very apostasy, yet Solomon "did not keep what the LORD commanded." Thus, 1 Kings 11:11 immediately follows, pronouncing the divine judgment that will dismember the very kingdom Solomon had presided over. Historically, Solomon's actions led to the eventual division of the unified kingdom of Israel, a political and spiritual catastrophe that would have long-lasting consequences for the Israelite people.

1 Kings 11 11 Word analysis

• Therefore the Lord said to Solomon,: The phrase indicates a direct, consequential pronouncement from the sovereign God (YHWH) as a response to Solomon's specific actions detailed in the preceding verses. It underscores God's active involvement in the affairs of His chosen king.
• 'Because you have done this,: This directly refers to Solomon's profound spiritual failure described in 1 Kgs 11:4-8—namely, his allowing foreign wives to lead him into idol worship and turning his heart away from complete devotion to the Lord. It signifies that God's judgment is not arbitrary but a just recompense for a deliberate sin of great magnitude.
• and have not kept My covenant and My statutes,:
  • not kept (Hebrew: lo shamar'ta, לֹא שָׁמַרְתָּ): Implies a failure not merely to obey, but to diligently guard, observe, or preserve the divine decrees and promises. Solomon was entrusted with God's commands and failed to maintain them.
  • My covenant (Hebrew: b'riti, בְּרִיתִי): Refers to the specific conditional aspect of the covenant God made with Solomon, first explicitly stated in 1 Kgs 3:14 and reiterated in 1 Kgs 9:4-7. While the Davidic covenant to maintain his line on the throne was ultimately unconditional, Solomon's personal reign and the unity of the kingdom were subject to his obedience.
  • My statutes (Hebrew: chuqotay, חֻקּוֹתַי): These are divine decrees and laws given through Moses, fundamental to Israel's national identity and relationship with God. Solomon's actions were a clear transgression of these foundational principles.
• which I have commanded you,: This emphasizes Solomon's personal responsibility and conscious knowledge of God's will. It highlights that his disobedience was not due to ignorance but a deliberate turning away despite specific instruction. God's commands were explicitly directed at him.
• I will surely tear the kingdom from you:
  • surely tear (Hebrew: eqra', אֶקְרַע): This strong, vivid verb signifies a forceful, decisive, and irreversible ripping apart or severing. It indicates a violent action performed directly by God. The use of the intensive infinitive absolute with the verb emphasizes the certainty and decisiveness of the action—it will undeniably happen. This is not a gradual erosion but a tearing, like tearing cloth.
  • the kingdom: Refers specifically to the unified monarchy of Israel established under David and Solomon, embodying its political, economic, and spiritual unity.
  • from you: Indicates the removal of authority, privilege, and unified dominion directly from Solomon's royal authority.
• and give it to your servant.': This reveals God's sovereign control over kingship and His choice to use an unexpected agent—Solomon's own servant, who would later be identified as Jeroboam (1 Kgs 11:26ff), to execute His judgment. This transfer of authority highlights divine appointment and the consequence of faithfulness.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you": This phrase functions as the explicit rationale and justification for God's impending judgment. It underscores Solomon's culpable, direct violation of known divine mandates, rendering the subsequent judgment perfectly just and proportional to the offense.
• "I will surely tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant": This two-part statement declares both the nature of the judgment (violent removal of unified kingship) and the immediate consequence (transfer of authority to a successor of divine appointment). It powerfully demonstrates God's sovereignty over the affairs of kings and nations, affirming that His kingdom is eternal and cannot be undermined by human faithlessness.

1 Kings 11 11 Bonus section

• Distinction in Covenant: This verse clarifies a crucial distinction within the Davidic covenant. While God promised David an eternal dynasty (2 Sam 7:16), the well-being and duration of individual kings' reigns and the unity of the kingdom were conditional upon their faithfulness to God's laws (1 Kgs 9:4-7). Solomon's failure demonstrated this conditional aspect concerning his own reign and the immediate unified kingdom.
• Partial Fulfillment: Although the verse states God will "tear the kingdom," later verses (1 Kgs 11:12-13, 34-36) reveal God's mercy: He delays the full tearing until after Solomon's death and leaves one tribe (Judah) to his son's line for David's sake and for Jerusalem, the city chosen for God's name. This nuance highlights God's justice being tempered with mercy and His unwavering commitment to His unconditional promises.
• Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: Solomon's sin was entirely his own choice, a product of his "heart turning away" (1 Kgs 11:9). Yet, God exercises His ultimate sovereignty by actively initiating the consequence, not merely permitting it. He is not just reacting; He is decisively enacting judgment.
• Proleptic Judgment: While the full division occurred under Rehoboam, Solomon already faced immediate consequences in the form of divine adversaries like Hadad the Edomite, Rezon of Zobah, and Jeroboam (1 Kgs 11:14-25), indicating that God's judgment had already begun to manifest during his lifetime, disrupting his once peaceful reign.

1 Kings 11 11 Commentary

1 Kings 11:11 stands as a powerful testament to God's uncompromising justice and faithfulness to His word, even when that word brings severe judgment. Solomon, the recipient of immense divine favor and wisdom, tragically fell into idolatry, violating the very covenant that promised the continuation of his kingdom. God's prior appearances and specific warnings (1 Kgs 3:14; 9:4-7) make Solomon's transgression one of willful disobedience. The judgment, "I will surely tear the kingdom from you," underscores the divine initiative and the irreversible nature of the decision. This "tearing" implies a violent, painful separation, directly reflecting the pain Solomon's spiritual unfaithfulness caused God. It signals the beginning of Israel's national decline, ultimately leading to centuries of internal strife and fragmented worship. While the Davidic covenant ensured an eternal dynasty (2 Sam 7), individual kings, including Solomon, were held accountable for their obedience to God's statutes, demonstrating that no leader, however great, is above divine law. This verse powerfully illustrates that blessings are contingent on obedience, and spiritual apostasy inevitably invites severe consequences.