1 Kings 11:1 Meaning and Explanation
“But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The wise king Solomon takes many foreign wives from the surrounding nations.
What Does 1 Kings 11:1 Mean?
After chapters celebrating Solomon's wisdom, wealth, and the glory of the temple, the account turns abruptly to his great failing. The man who asked God for an understanding heart now binds himself in love to many foreign women, beginning with Pharaoh's daughter and reaching to Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and the Hittites. These were the peoples whose gods Israel had been warned against.
The chapter opens with the word "but," and that small word carries the weight of a fall. Wisdom in one season does not guarantee faithfulness in the next; the heart must be guarded all life long. Solomon's downward turn begins not with open rebellion but with affections quietly set on what God had cautioned against. The greatest gifts cannot protect a person who lets love drift from the Lord toward the world.
1 Kings 11:1 in the Original Language
nokri (נׇכְרִי), 'strange' -- foreign or alien, marking these women as outside the covenant people.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Kings 11:1
What does 1 Kings 11:1 mean?
The wise king Solomon takes many foreign wives from the surrounding nations.