1 Kings 11:7 Meaning and Explanation
“Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Solomon built high places for Chemosh of Moab and Molech of Ammon on the hill east of Jerusalem.
What Does 1 Kings 11:7 Mean?
Solomon's inward drift now takes public, physical form. On the hill east of Jerusalem, in sight of the very temple he had built, he raises high places for Chemosh of Moab and Molech of Ammon. Worship of Molech was bound up with horrors that the law condemned in the strongest terms. The shrines stand as monuments to a divided kingdom of the heart.
What begins in private affection ends in public altars. Sin left unchecked does not stay hidden; it builds, it institutionalizes, it leaves structures that outlast the sinner. That these shrines rose within view of the house of the Lord makes the betrayal sharper still. The same place can hold both true worship and its rival, and a heart can do likewise, which is why Scripture calls God's people to tear down every high place within and give Him the whole field of the soul.
1 Kings 11:7 in the Original Language
bamah (בָּמָה), 'high place' -- a raised site of worship, here built for false gods in defiance of the Lord.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Kings 11:7
What does 1 Kings 11:7 mean?
Solomon built high places for Chemosh of Moab and Molech of Ammon on the hill east of Jerusalem.