1 Kings 11 8

1 Kings 11:8 kjv

And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

1 Kings 11:8 nkjv

And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

1 Kings 11:8 niv

He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.

1 Kings 11:8 esv

And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods.

1 Kings 11:8 nlt

Solomon built such shrines for all his foreign wives to use for burning incense and sacrificing to their gods.

1 Kings 11 verses

1 Kings 11 8 Meaning

This verse states that King Solomon, similarly to building cultic sites for Chemosh and Molech, extended this same facilitation of idol worship to all his numerous foreign wives. They actively engaged in burning incense and offering sacrifices to their respective national deities, actions that directly contradicted God's exclusive claim on Israel's worship and were forbidden under the covenant. Solomon's enablement of their idolatry revealed the profound departure of his heart from the Lord.

1 Kings 11 8 Context

Chapter Context: 1 Kings chapter 11 marks the tragic turning point in Solomon's reign, narrating his descent into apostasy despite his unprecedented wisdom and blessings from God. Having achieved great wealth, power, and prestige, the chapter details how his numerous foreign wives (700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines, as per 11:3), with whom he made alliances, led his heart astray from the Lord. Verses 1-6 specifically detail his violation of Mosaic Law prohibitions against marrying foreign women and worshipping other gods. Verse 7 describes his active role in building high places for the deities of Ammon (Molech) and Moab (Chemosh), and verse 8 extends this action to the gods of all his foreign wives. This pervasive idolatry ultimately provokes God's anger, leading to the prophecy that the kingdom would be torn from Solomon's son, leaving only one tribe for the house of David's sake (11:9-13).

Historical/Cultural Context: Solomon's reign (c. 970-931 BC) was a period of Israel's greatest territorial and economic expansion. Marriages to foreign princesses were common practice in the Ancient Near East for political alliances, symbolizing peace treaties and consolidating power. However, for Israel, such alliances were prohibited by the Law of Moses because they almost inevitably led to religious syncretism. Kings 11 is part of the Deuteronomistic History (Deuteronomy-2 Kings), which interprets Israel's history through the lens of covenant obedience. It highlights how fidelity to God brought blessing (as seen in earlier parts of Solomon's reign) and how apostasy, particularly idolatry, inevitably led to national decline and divine judgment. Solomon's actions were a blatant disregard for the exclusive worship of Yahweh, which was the foundational tenet of Israelite identity and the covenant.

1 Kings 11 8 Word analysis

• And likewise: Hebrew: וְכֵן (vechen). "Likewise" means "in the same way" or "thus." It links this verse directly to Solomon's previous actions in 1 Kings 11:7, indicating that his general practice of accommodating idolatry extended to all his foreign wives, not just those associated with the primary cultic sites mentioned previously. This underscores the pervasive and systemic nature of his spiritual decline.
• he did: Hebrew: עָשָׂה (`asah). Signifies an action performed by Solomon. While it might imply active construction as in 1 Kings 11:7, here it conveys a broader sense of allowing, facilitating, and even participating in the setting up and maintenance of places and practices of idolatry. It reveals Solomon's culpable role in the apostasy.
• for all his foreign wives: Hebrew: לְכָל-נָשָׁיו הַנָּכְרִיּוֹת (lekhāl-nāšāyw hannokhriyot).
  • all: Emphasizes the sheer scale and extent of his sin; it was not limited to a few specific alliances.
  • foreign: Hebrew: נָכְרִיּוֹת (nakhriyot), meaning "strangers" or "foreigners." This highlights the direct violation of God's command not to marry women from nations whose gods would turn Israel's heart away (Deut 7:3-4; Exod 34:15-16).
  • wives: A large number of royal women, serving as an indicator of political alliances and the extensive compromise they introduced.
• who burned incense: Hebrew: מַקְטִיר֤וֹת (maqṭîrôt). A feminine plural participle, indicating an ongoing or habitual action performed by the wives. Burning incense was a central act of worship and adoration, an offering signifying reverence and dedication to a deity. This signifies active idolatry, not mere toleration.
• and sacrificed: Hebrew: וּמְזַבְּחֹ֖ות (u-mᵊzabbᵊḥōt). Also a feminine plural participle, showing another active, continuous action. Sacrificing animals or other offerings was the highest form of worship in the ancient world, representing devotion and seeking favor. This act demonstrates overt and unadulterated pagan worship occurring within the Israelite kingdom, enabled by the king.
• to their gods: Hebrew: לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶֽן (lēʾlōhêhen). The plural form "gods" directly contradicts the fundamental monotheistic principle of the covenant. These were the various deities from the respective nations of his foreign wives (e.g., Ammonite, Moabite, Sidonian). This phrase starkly highlights the syncretism that had permeated the royal court and, by extension, posed a grave danger to the nation.

Words-group analysis:

• "he did for all his foreign wives": This phrase highlights Solomon's direct complicity. It wasn't merely passively allowing; it was an active enabling and facilitating of their idolatry on a massive scale, spanning his entire international marriage policy. This directly shows the outcome of the Deuteronomic warning against such alliances.
• "who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods": This vividly describes the overt acts of idolatry performed by the foreign wives, making clear the direct violation of the first commandment. The "their gods" element stresses the polytheistic nature of the worship that Solomon permitted to flourish, diverging sharply from the exclusive worship due to Yahweh alone. These actions were deeply offensive and challenged God's unique sovereignty over Israel.

1 Kings 11 8 Bonus section

• Gradual Decline: Solomon's apostasy was not an immediate, dramatic conversion to paganism. It was a gradual decline rooted in his pursuit of political stability through marriage alliances (1 Kgs 3:1) and the increasing influence of his many wives. This highlights how small compromises can lead to widespread spiritual rebellion.
• Echoes in Later Israelite History: Solomon's sin laid a foundation for pervasive idolatry throughout the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. The actions of later kings, good and bad, are often measured against this initial deviation, as seen in the accounts of Josiah (2 Kgs 23:13) or Manasseh (2 Kgs 21:1-9) who brought similar and even worse practices.
• Davidic Covenant: Despite Solomon's sin, God still upholds His promise to David by leaving one tribe for his son (1 Kgs 11:13). This demonstrates God's faithfulness to His eternal covenant promises even when humanity fails. The delay of full judgment until after Solomon's death also showcases divine patience.

1 Kings 11 8 Commentary

1 Kings 11:8 is a concise yet profoundly significant statement regarding Solomon's fall. It consolidates the extensive nature of his apostasy: he not only tolerated idolatry but actively enabled and participated in it for all his hundreds of foreign wives, essentially transforming his court into a center for multi-deity worship. This wasn't passive acceptance but the establishment of rival cults within God's chosen nation. His actions directly violated God's explicit commands and his earlier covenantal commitments, stemming from his heart's deviation from God due to his marital choices (1 Kgs 11:4). The consequence of this comprehensive spiritual rebellion would be the division of his once-unified kingdom, underscoring that even the wisest and most blessed king could face divine judgment for disobedience to the covenant. This verse serves as a solemn warning against spiritual compromise and the insidious danger of worldly alliances that can subtly lead one away from absolute devotion to God.