All that I need is one, that is rich, over sexed, and owns a liquor store.

Don't come to Virginia. Virginia liquor stores are State owned.

I agree.

Jokes aside, as others have mentioned, this is part of the Bible's portrayal of Solomon's (and Israel's) downfall. There is sort of a Jekyll and Hyde thing going on at this point in the narrative. You get portrayals of the splendor, riches, and glory of Solomon/Israel, but you also get many indications that there is a dark and corrupt underbelly to the kingdom. For starters read Exodus 2 and Deuteronomy 17, then go read the account of Solomon. You'll see that Israel has become Babylon. Solomon has become Pharaoh. All of this leads up to the scattering of the people in the exile just like the scattering of the people of Babel (Babylon) in Genesis 11. Given the propensity of biblical authors to use symbolic numbers, I suppose the number 700 itself is meant to show that Solomon is completely and excessively enthralled with/to his foreign wives. In the Bible the number 7 represents completeness. If 7=completeness, and 70=7x10=ultimate completeness, then maybe 700=70x10=excessive completeness?

Keep in mind that God's promise of wisdom (and riches and honor) to Solomon are given with a big "if" (see 1 Kings 3:14), and Solomon quite obviously falls quite short of that if.

It's impossible to conceptualize the narrative of Solomon without the total storyline.
Open any book and ask a question and the answer will always be... read the author's whole intent = the whole book.

God is always using sinners to further His Kingdom.
Was then with Solomon.
Still is today.
Gathering as He goes according to His will.
Until the end of the Church Age, and then TRUMPET!

Gonna be awesome.

Blessings,
Mark

I think some 'splaining is in order.

Wives in this sense isn't exactly wives in the bed hopping sense. In ancient cultures male mortality was much higher than today's actual high male male mortality vs female mortality. This often left widows vulnerable to the vissitudes of life. To counter that many cultures, particularly Semitic ones, had allowances for not only multiple wives but also mandates to take in as wives the widows of brothers and kinsmen. Now imagine the wealthiest king of his time. I would opine that he enjoyed the claims of many as kinsmen plus the numerous widows of his army and the political ties of diplomatic marriages.
So this 700 number may very well have been a combination of a welfare system and a political international diplomatic mission.

So get your heads out of the gutter.

Thanks for the explanation, that makes sense.

Good point warrior. Wives then meant alliances. The more you had, the more rest from enemies you trusted in.
There's the key. Who do you trust. Where is your faith.
Like the epistle by James points to >>>> faith produces works.

That's the story line of Solomon in partial form.... Solomon didn't trust in God but rather in his wisdom (given to him by God) "shown" by his vast harem of wives used to make deals.

Hard for us to envision warfare then as we reach for our Dr. Pepper's and turn down the AC.

Blessings,
Mark

1 Kings 11

11 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites:

2 Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.

3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.

5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.

7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,

10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded.

11 Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.

13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.


For some clarity, Milcolm is verse 5, is another manifestation of Molech, seen in verse 7, the pagan diety that required infant sacrifice burned alive on the altar.

I don't see public welfare and political diplomacy.

I always suspected it was more of a political thing. And if you read Song of Songs, he really did seem to love his beloved. I mean, teeth like a flock of sheep! That's the nonsense of a man fully in love.

OK I give up.
Just formulate your own opinions. I'll just keep reading my Bible.

I’m with you RKG. Trying to steer this ship that way too with my previous post. We seem to be hung up on the practicalities of Solomon’s marriages or his reasoning for them. I don’t think the biblical authors were interested in discussing that. They seem to be interested in telling us the meaning though, as you’ve stated and I’ve alluded to.

Jrt and RKG, well done.

It's an online forum so we miss the fellowship of reading and studying God's Word as a group. Internet is tricky at best.

We remember however that Scripture is God's revealed story and we err when we put ourselves in every tittle and iota of "God's Word."
We must always guard against missing God's Exod 34:6-7 characteristics He would have us know (as He did Moses) and we have to tread softly between answering sincere hearted questions on what scripture means to any of us uninspired individuals.... and where we as believers may fall in love with Scripture and out of love with Jesus (Martin Luther's claim).

Blessings,
Mark

Dont forget all the concubines


In reality it was just a biblical version of welfare for single women that probably wouldn't find a husband. The female to male ratio was probably way out of proportion because of David's wars.

I didn't say none of the above is not true. On the contrary it obviously is true.

My point was merely to explain the number and undoubtedly among the number, including those specifically mentioned in this passage were a handful of wives that turned more than just King Solomon's head.

It may very well been a case of things we are perfectly legally allowed to do that is not what God would have us do yet Solomon did ask for wisdom so God may have said have at it son let's see just what you learn.

The book of Ecclesiastes is a book near and dear to my heart and my favorite of the Old Testament. Not for it's wonderful prose but because I identify with the preacher in Jerusalem. Not that I am wise in any way other than to fear God and keep His commandments but that I too have had my head turned.

Warrior, it's innate in all made in God's Image.

Seems you're keeping with God's two reasons for making humans in His image,

Be fruitful and multiply and
Subdue the earth

Who the glory is given to is the deal breaker as you mention.

Blessings,
Mark

I imagine Ecclesiastes was written late in life with an old man's reflections on a life spent with every opportunity to hand yet at the end of the day the regrets that come with it. I would like to think Solomon in his last days returned to his first love.

I know a lot of people I sit next to (often in silence) do just that.
Want to return to a love they knew once upon a time and forgot about for too long.
Until the angels are cued and ready.
Fascinating really.

We are a stiff necked lot, are we not?

We're redeemed. And God gives some a thorn to keep them humble. We await the restoration for perfection