Solomon’s wealth and wisdom were unsurpassed. He had everything he could possibly desire, yet it wasn’t enough. He wanted more.
In addition to the daughter of Pharaoh, he married Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, women from lands where the Israelites were forbidden to intermarry because of their pagan worship. Since these women were princesses, he likely married them as a means to form political alliances with their countries. Nevertheless, Solomon “loved” them and was influenced by them.
Altogether, Solomon ended up with 700 wives and 300 concubines.
God had warned his people not to marry women from the pagan countries lest they lead them astray to worship pagan gods. Sure enough, that’s what happened.
Solomon’s wives led him astray and turned his heart away from the true God and encouraged him to worship their gods. Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. He built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites. He did the same for each of his foreign wives.
Because of the influence of Solomon’s many wives, he betrayed his own faith and did evil in the sight of the Lord.
Though we see so many women in the Bible who were used as political pawns, we also see the power women exercised over men. Godly women encouraged their husbands and raised godly sons and daughters. Evil women led men astray and raised up evil children.
May we use their example to make sure that we’re drawing our families closer to God rather than turning them away.
Read about the wives of Solomon in the Bible:
1 Kings 11:1-8
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