1 Kings 3:1 kjv
And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
1 Kings 3:1 nkjv
Now Solomon made a treaty with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and married Pharaoh's daughter; then he brought her to the City of David until he had finished building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall all around Jerusalem.
1 Kings 3:1 niv
Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem.
1 Kings 3:1 esv
Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her into the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the LORD and the wall around Jerusalem.
1 Kings 3:1 nlt
Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and married one of his daughters. He brought her to live in the City of David until he could finish building his palace and the Temple of the LORD and the wall around the city.
1 Kings 3 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 34:16 | "...do not take wives from among their daughters for your sons, or your daughters may prostitute..." | Warning against intermarriage for spiritual purity. |
| Deut 7:3-4 | "You must not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their..." | Specific prohibition of intermarriage with pagan nations. |
| Deut 17:17 | "He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts..." | Warning against multiple wives and their effect on kings. |
| 1 Kgs 11:1-8 | "King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women... from nations about which the LORD had..." | Fulfillment of the warning regarding foreign wives. |
| Neh 13:26 | "Was it not because of women like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many..." | Nehemiah explicitly links Solomon's sin to foreign wives. |
| 2 Chr 8:11 | "Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built..." | Solomon later moves Pharaoh's daughter, emphasizing purity. |
| 1 Kgs 6:7 | "The temple was built with stones dressed before they were brought to the site, so that..." | Context of Solomon's major building project, the Temple. |
| 2 Sam 5:7 | "Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—the City of David." | Establishment of Jerusalem as David's capital. |
| Ps 72:11 | "All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him." | Prophecy of king's wide influence, linked to Solomon. |
| Isa 30:1-3 | "Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the LORD, “who carry out plans that are not mine..." | Warning against seeking alliance with Egypt. |
| Isa 31:1-3 | "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses..." | Condemnation of relying on Egyptian military might. |
| Hos 7:11 | "Ephraim is like a naive dove, without sense, calling to Egypt, going to Assyria." | Israel's reliance on foreign alliances rather than God. |
| Jer 2:18 | "Now why go to Egypt to drink water from the Nile? And why go to Assyria to drink water from..." | Critiques of seeking security in foreign alliances. |
| Ps 20:7 | "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." | Counterpoint to relying on military power like Egypt. |
| 1 Kgs 2:12 | "So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was firmly established." | Immediately preceding context: Solomon securing his throne. |
| Gen 12:10-20 | "Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there..." | Early Israelite interactions with Egypt, often involving trouble. |
| Gen 41:41-45 | "So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”" | Example of positive, but controlled, interaction with Egypt. |
| Rom 13:1 | "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which..." | Broader theme of relating to earthly powers. |
| Prov 29:4 | "By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes ruin it." | King's responsibility for nation's well-being and justice. |
| Rev 21:24 | "The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it." | Ultimate picture of nations bowing to God, transcending earthly alliances. |
1 Kings 3 verses
1 Kings 3 1 Meaning
This verse initiates the account of Solomon's reign by highlighting a significant political alliance through marriage. It states that King Solomon established an agreement with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, by taking Pharaoh's daughter as his wife. He brought her into Jerusalem, the City of David, signifying a new era of international relations and peace, although this action would later contribute to his spiritual decline.
1 Kings 3 1 Context
1 Kings 3:1 appears at the beginning of Solomon's reign, immediately following the consolidation of his power (1 Kgs 2:46). David, Solomon's father, has passed away, and Solomon has taken steps to eliminate threats to his throne, establishing a firm rule. This verse therefore sets the tone for Solomon's initial years, characterized by efforts to secure peace and prosperity for his kingdom through diplomacy rather than solely military conquest. The act of marrying Pharaoh's daughter is a geopolitical move that signifies the strength and influence of the new Solomonic dynasty, achieving an alliance with one of the ancient world's dominant powers, Egypt. It is important to note this action occurs before Solomon seeks wisdom from God, presenting an early, complex picture of his leadership combining both God's favor and pragmatic, yet potentially compromising, worldly strategies.
1 Kings 3 1 Word analysis
- Solomon: The name (Hebrew: שְׁלֹמֹה, Shlomo) is derived from shalom (שָׁלוֹם), meaning "peace." This immediately foreshadows a reign characterized by peace and prosperity, a stark contrast to David's military campaigns. He is the son of David and Bathsheba, chosen by God to build the Temple.
- made alliance: (Hebrew: וַיִּתְחַתֵּן, wayyitḥattēn) Implies a formal covenant, a bond established through marriage. Such alliances were common political tools in the ancient Near East, solidifying treaties and preventing conflicts. For Israel, however, God's covenant forbade such unions with foreign nations (Deut 7:3).
- Pharaoh king of Egypt: "Pharaoh" (Hebrew: פַּרְעֹה, Par‘oh) is a title for the Egyptian ruler. Egypt was a formidable and ancient power, known for its wealth, military might (especially chariots), and unique religious practices. An alliance with Egypt, previously Israel's enslaver, signified a remarkable reversal of fortune and a recognition of Israel's emerging status on the international stage. This also has polemical undertones, demonstrating that even Egypt's formidable power could be swayed or brought into relation with God's chosen king.
- took Pharaoh’s daughter: The identity of this specific Pharaoh's daughter is not explicitly given, suggesting her name was less important than her royal lineage. Marriage to an Egyptian princess was highly unusual for non-Egyptian royalty at this time, further highlighting the diplomatic prestige Solomon had attained. It contrasts with past Israelite experience, where the nation was warned against looking to Egypt for help or marriage (Isa 31:1).
- wife: While politically advantageous, taking a foreign wife, especially from a pagan nation, posed a direct challenge to the Mosaic Law (Deut 7:3-4, Exod 34:16). This action subtly foreshadows Solomon's eventual deviation from God's commands and his heart being led astray by his many foreign wives, resulting in idol worship (1 Kgs 11:1-8).
- brought her into the City of David: The "City of David" (עִיר דָּוִד, ‘Ir Dawid) is Jerusalem, specifically the older fortified section. Bringing his new queen here indicates her status and integration into the royal household. This action also serves as an initial act within the heart of the Israelite capital, preceding the eventual construction of a dedicated palace for her.
Words-group analysis:
- Solomon made alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt: This phrase emphasizes Solomon's immediate and defining geopolitical action. It highlights a move away from sole reliance on divine protection to an engagement in strategic worldly politics. It reflects the nascent power of the Israelite monarchy seeking to secure its borders and interests.
- took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the City of David: This phrase succinctly describes the means and initial location of the alliance. The diplomatic marriage, a common practice for powerful nations, shows Solomon entering the realm of high international diplomacy. The act of bringing her to Jerusalem positions this foreign alliance directly within the center of Israel's life, raising potential issues of cultural and religious influence from a significant pagan power.
1 Kings 3 1 Bonus section
The marriage alliance between Solomon and Pharaoh's daughter might also serve as a literary device to contrast with earlier covenant relations where God alone was Israel's sufficient protector. It sets the stage for a narrative arc where reliance on human wisdom and strength (symbolized by worldly alliances) progressively overshadows trust in divine providence, ultimately leading to apostasy and division in the kingdom. The move of Pharaoh's daughter from the City of David to her own palace (2 Chr 8:11) reflects a later recognition by Solomon that the queen of Egypt should not reside in a holy city meant for the Ark of the Covenant, perhaps hinting at some belated recognition of the tension between his international policy and the purity of his worship. This verse provides a unique window into ancient Near Eastern geopolitical strategy, illustrating how state marriages functioned as complex tools for diplomacy, peace, and cultural exchange.
1 Kings 3 1 Commentary
1 Kings 3:1 marks a critical transition in Israelite history, from the tumultuous period of David's consolidation to the beginning of Solomon's era of peace and prosperity. The verse immediately introduces a defining feature of Solomon's reign: an unprecedented political alliance sealed through marriage with the powerful kingdom of Egypt. This diplomatic move signifies Solomon's astute statecraft, securing peace with a traditionally dominant and potentially hostile neighbor, allowing him to focus on domestic development and the monumental task of building the Temple.
However, the verse also subtly foreshadows Solomon's eventual downfall. While politically pragmatic, marrying a foreign princess, especially from a polytheistic nation like Egypt, directly violated Mosaic Law (Exod 34:16; Deut 7:3-4). This initial act, though perhaps seen by contemporaries as a triumph of diplomacy, sets a dangerous precedent. It represents a subtle shift in priorities, placing national security and worldly power on par with, or even above, strict adherence to God's commandments. This strategic decision, seemingly minor at the outset, laid the groundwork for Solomon's future spiritual compromise, as his foreign wives would eventually lead his heart astray to serve other gods (1 Kgs 11:4-8).