SEV Biblia, Chapter 11:3
Y tuvo setecientas mujeres reinas, y trescientas concubinas; y sus mujeres hicieron inclinar su corazón.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 11:3
Verse 3. He had seven hundred wives, princesses] How he could get so many of the blood royal from the different surrounding nations, is astonishing; but probably the daughters of noblemen, generals, &c., may be included. And three hundred concubines] These were wives of the second rank, who were taken according to the usages of those times; but their offspring could not inherit. Sarah was to Abraham what these seven hundred princesses were to Solomon; and the three hundred concubines stood in the same relation to the Israelitish king as Hagar and Keturah did to the patriarch.
Here then are one thousand wives to form this great bad man's harem! Was it possible that such a person could have any piety to God, who was absorbed by such a number of women? We scarcely allow a man to have the fear of God who has a second wife or mistress; in what state then must the man be who has one thousand of them? We may endeavour to excuse all this by saying, "It was a custom in the East to have a multitude of women, and that there were many of those whom Solomon probably never saw," &c., &c. But was there any of them whom he might not have seen? Was it for reasons of state, or merely court splendour, that he had so many? How then is it said that he loved many strange women?-that he clave to them in love? And did he not give them the utmost proofs of his attachment when he not only tolerated their iniquitous worship in the land, but built temples to their idols, and more, burnt incense to them himself? As we should not condemn what God justifies, so we should not justify what God condemns. He went after Ashtaroth, the impure Venus of the Sidonians; after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites; after Chemosh, the abomination of the Moabites; and after the murderous Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. He seems to have gone as far in iniquity as it was possible.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines , etc.] In all 1000, a prodigious number; though these might not be all for use, but for state after the manner of the eastern monarchs; these were a far greater number than are alluded to in ( Song of Solomon 6:8), unless the virgins without number there, were such of these as were not defiled by him; but the number here seems plainly referred to in ( Ecclesiastes 7:28), and his wives turned away his heart ; both from his duty to his God, and from attendance to his business as a king, especially the former, as follows.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - There is not a more melancholy and astonishing instance of huma depravity in the sacred Scriptures, than that here recorded. Solomo became a public worshipper of abominable idols! Probably he by degree gave way to pride and luxury, and thus lost his relish for true wisdom Nothing forms in itself a security against the deceitfulness an depravity of the human heart. Nor will old age cure the heart of an evil propensity. If our sinful passions are not crucified and mortifie by the grace of God, they never will die of themselves, but will las even when opportunities to gratify them are taken away. Let him tha thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall. We see how weak we are of ourselves, without the grace of God; let us therefore live in constan dependence on that grace. Let us watch and be sober: ours is dangerous warfare, and in an enemy's country, while our worst foes ar the traitors in our own hearts. (1Ki 11:9-13)
Original Hebrew
ויהי 1961 לו נשׁים 802 שׂרות 8282 שׁבע 7651 מאות 3967 ופלגשׁים 6370 שׁלשׁ 7969 מאות 3967 ויטו 5186 נשׁיו 802 את 853 לבו׃ 3820
