Although He had warned Solomon explicitly not to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD’s command.
Parallel translations
- WEB and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he didn’t keep that which Yahweh commanded.
- KJV And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
- NKJV and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the Lord had commanded.
- NASB and had commanded him regarding this thing, that he was not to follow other gods; but he did not comply with what the Lord had commanded.
- NLT He had warned Solomon specifically about worshiping other gods, but Solomon did not listen to the Lord’s command.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God had specifically commanded Solomon not to follow other gods, but he did not keep that command. It stresses that his sin was direct disobedience to a clear word.
Overview
The LORD had explicitly charged Solomon on this very matter, leaving him without excuse. His failure to keep God's command was a knowing breach of covenant. The verse highlights that Solomon's downfall was not a subtle error but plain disobedience against a clear and personal instruction, reinforcing that sin's essence is the refusal to heed what God has plainly said.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- 1 Kgs 6:12–13“As for this temple you are building, if you walk in My statutes, carry out My ordinances, and keep all My commandments by walking in them, I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father David.
- 1 Kgs 9:4–7And as for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, with a heart of integrity and uprightness, doing all I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and ordinances,
- 2 Chr 7:17–22And as for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, doing all I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and ordinances,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 11:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.