1 Kings 11:3 Meaning and Explanation
“And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines, and they turned his heart away.
What Does 1 Kings 11:3 Mean?
The number is staggering: seven hundred wives of royal rank and three hundred concubines, many of them sealing alliances with foreign courts. What looked like the height of a king's power and reach becomes the instrument of his ruin. The verse states the outcome plainly and without excuse: his wives turned away his heart.
Excess, even of things the world prizes, can hollow out the soul. Solomon gained everything a king could want and lost the one thing that mattered, a heart wholly given to God. The repeated phrase "turned away his heart" falls like a verdict. No amount of glory can compensate for a divided affection, and the slow erosion of devotion is often more dangerous than a single great sin, because it can pass almost unnoticed until the heart is already gone.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Kings 11:3
What does 1 Kings 11:3 mean?
Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines, and they turned his heart away.