1 Kings 11:5 Meaning and Explanation
“For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Solomon followed Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the detestable god of the Ammonites.
What Does 1 Kings 11:5 Mean?
The narrator names the idols by name. Ashtoreth was the Sidonian goddess associated with fertility, and Milcom the national god of Ammon, here called an abomination, a thing detestable to the Lord. The king who built the house for the true God now walks after the gods of his wives' nations.
Idolatry rarely announces itself as rebellion; it slips in through affection and accommodation, one compromise at a time. To "go after" another god is to give one's worship, trust, and obedience to what cannot save. Scripture's word "abomination" is strong because the stakes are eternal: the heart was made for the living God, and anything set in His place becomes a ruin to the soul. Solomon's story warns that even the wisest can be led astray when devotion is divided.
1 Kings 11:5 in the Original Language
shiqquts (שִׁקּוּץ), 'abomination' -- a detestable thing, a term reserved for idols loathsome before God.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Kings 11:5
What does 1 Kings 11:5 mean?
Solomon followed Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the detestable god of the Ammonites.