Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

King Solomon loved many foreign women from nations that the Lord had forbidden the children of Israel to associate with. He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines who led him astray.

As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart away from God to follow other gods. His heart was not fully devoted to the Lord as David's had been. He pursued Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the detestable idol of the Ammonites.

Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord by building a high place for Chemosh, the detestable idol of Moab, on a hill overlooking Jerusalem, and for Molech, the detestable idol of the Ammonites. He also built similar temples for all his foreign wives, where they burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

The Lord was angry with Solomon because he had turned away from him. The Lord had commanded Solomon not to follow other gods, but he did not keep this commandment. Instead, he followed Ashtoreth and Milcom, worshipping them along with his wives.

The Lord said to Solomon, "Because you have disobeyed me and not kept my covenant and statutes, I will tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant." However, because of David's sake and for Jerusalem's sake, which he had chosen, the Lord would not do it in Solomon's lifetime. Instead, he would rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon's son.

The Lord said that he would give one tribe to Solomon's son because of his father David and for the sake of Jerusalem, but he would tear away ten tribes from him and give them to Jeroboam, a man of great strength and courage whom Solomon had appointed ruler over all the responsibilities of the house of Joseph.

When Jeroboam left Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah found him on the road and tore his new garment into twelve pieces. He said to Jeroboam, "Take ten pieces, for this is what the Lord says: I will tear the kingdom from Solomon's hand and give you ten tribes." The Lord had chosen David as king because he kept his commandments and statutes.

The Lord said that he would take the entire kingdom away from Solomon's son and give it to Jeroboam. To his son, he would give only one tribe. But to Jeroboam, he promised a lasting dynasty if he listened to all that he commanded him and walked in his ways, doing what was right in his sight.

However, Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam, who fled to Egypt and took refuge with Shishak, king of Egypt. This is where the rest of Solomon's story begins. He reigned over Israel for 40 years before dying and being buried in the city of David. His son Rehoboam succeeded him as king.

The Lord stirred up other adversaries against Solomon, including Hadad the Edomite and Rezon son of Eliadah. Hadad had fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah when David defeated his forces. He gathered men to himself and became captain over a band in Damascus. Jeroboam, an Ephrathite from Zereda and Solomon's servant, also rose up against the king because he was appointed ruler over all the responsibilities of the house of Joseph but did not receive fair treatment.

Jeroboam met Ahijah, who tore his new garment into twelve pieces to signify that the kingdom would be torn away from Solomon's son. The Lord said that he would give ten tribes to Jeroboam and keep one tribe for Solomon's son because of David's sake and for Jerusalem's sake.

The rest of Solomon's story is recorded in the book of the acts of Solomon, but it is not included here. He died after 40 years of reign, and his son Rehoboam succeeded him as king.