But glorious as was the beginning of Solomon’s reign, his end was deplorable. Solomon was far advanced in life when his heart was corrupted by pagan women; and that king, hitherto so wise, became so blind and depraved that, in order to please these women, he offered incense to false gods and built temples to them.
The Lord being angry said to Solomon: “Because[1] thou hast done this and hast not kept My covenant and My precepts, which I have commanded thee, I will divide and rend thy kingdom. Nevertheless in thy days I will not do it for David, thy father’s, sake; neither will I take away the whole kingdom, but I will give one tribe to thy son, for the sake of David, my servant, and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”
Then secret revolt and sedition arose among the people, because Solomon, blinded as he was, had over taxed and oppressed the people, to build palaces for the heathen women who had turned him away from God. Things were in this unhappy state[2] when Solomon died, having reigned forty years; and he, who had been a great and powerful king while he walked in the ways of David his father, died without honour.
COMMENTARY.
The First Commandment: Sins against faith. It causes real pain to read that a man so gifted with grace as Solomon could have fallen so low. Look back and think what he was at the dedication of the Temple, and how he cast himself on his knees and prayed so beautifully to the ever present God; and then think of his becoming indifferent about the worship of the true God, of his building temples to the false gods of his wives, and of his tolerating idolatry! It is impossible for us to conceive that Solomon ever believed in and worshipped idols himself; but it is certain that, for the sake of his heathen wives and against his own convictions, he sanctioned idolatry and even enforced it! By so doing he denied his faith and offended his people. Thus
- ↑ Because. The reason why the great and glorious monarchy was divided into two kingdoms (Israel and Juda) was the sin of apostasy on the part of Solomon. His rebellion against God brought about the rebellion of his people against himself.
- ↑ State. His kingdom was crumbling to pieces, for the other tribes of Israel were jealous of Juda; and moreover several subjected nations were in a state of rebellion.
