1 Kings 11:10
in 1 Kings 11Although He had warned Solomon explicitly not to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD’s command.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which Jehovah 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.
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This verse in 1 Kings 11
Commentary
5 notes on this verseAnd had commanded him concerning this thing that he should not go after other gods,.... Which is another aggravation of his sin that it was against an express command of God, and was particularly given him, and he was warned to observe it, and threatened with evil should he break it: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded: see 1Ki 9:5.
This site's exposition
appeared unto him twice
on 1 Kings 11:9-10
The Lord's anger is measured against grace already given: two appearances, at Gibeon in a dream (3:5-14) and at the temple's completion (9:2-9), both carrying the same warning against other gods. The sin is aggravated by the light Solomon had received, not diminished by his wisdom, and the commentators note that greater revelation raises rather than lowers the weight of a broken command. Verse 10 restates the command he was given by name, so the reader cannot mistake ignorance for the cause.
This site's exposition
He had warned Solomon explicitly
John Gill points back to the second vision in chapter 9, where the warning against other gods came with its threat of exile and a ruined house. Matthew Henry names a trap of kings. Those who demand obedience from their servants forget the rule the LORD holds over them.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Those who have dominion over men are apt to forget God's dominion over them; and, while they demand obedience from their inferiors, to deny it to him who is the Supreme.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
9:3-9], had left Solomon inexcusable; and it was proper and necessary that on one who had been so signally favored with the gifts of Heaven, but who had grossly abused them, a terrible judgment should fall.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-brackets
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
This had been with you. [I.e.,] you knew that you were transgressing My commandments.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְצִוָּ֤ה | vetzivah | and he had commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| אֵלָיו֙ | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַדָּבָ֣ר | hadavar | the matter | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| הַזֶּ֔ה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| לְבִ֨לְתִּי־ | levilti- | to not | H1115 → | 112 times |
| לֶ֔כֶת | lekhet | to walk | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| אַחֲרֵ֖י | ʾacharei | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֣ים | ʾelohim | gods | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֲחֵרִ֑ים | ʾacherim | other | H312 → | 166 times |
| וְלֹ֣א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁמַ֔ר | shamar | he observed | H8104 → | 468 times |
| אֵ֥ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | [that] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוָּ֖ה | tzivah | he had commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ פ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וְצִוָּ֤הand he had commanded
vetzivahH6680 →494 times
אֵלָיו֙to him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַדָּבָ֣רthe matter
hadavarH1697 →1440 times
הַזֶּ֔ה<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
לְבִ֨לְתִּי־to not
levilti-H1115 →112 times
לֶ֔כֶתto walk
lekhetH1980 →1546 times
אַחֲרֵ֖יafter
ʾachareiH310 →715 times
אֱלֹהִ֣יםgods
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
אֲחֵרִ֑יםother
ʾacherimH312 →166 times
וְלֹ֣אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
שָׁמַ֔רhe observed
shamarH8104 →468 times
אֵ֥ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
אֲשֶׁר־[that] which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
צִוָּ֖הhe had commanded
tzivahH6680 →494 times
יְהוָֽה׃ פYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 1 Kings
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.