13 Howbeit H7535 I will not rend away H7167 all the kingdom; H4467 but will give H5414 one H259 tribe H7626 to thy son H1121 for David H1732 my servant's H5650 sake, and for Jerusalem's H3389 sake which I have chosen. H977
And it came to pass, when all Israel H3478 heard H8085 that Jeroboam H3379 was come again, H7725 that they sent H7971 and called H7121 him unto the congregation, H5712 and made him king H4427 over all Israel: H3478 there was none that followed H310 the house H1004 of David, H1732 but H2108 the tribe H7626 of Judah H3063 only.
(But he shall have one H259 tribe H7626 for my servant H5650 David's H1732 sake, and for Jerusalem's H3389 sake, the city H5892 which I have chosen H977 out of all the tribes H7626 of Israel:) H3478
Then there shall be a place H4725 which the LORD H3068 your God H430 shall choose H977 to cause his name H8034 to dwell H7931 there; thither shall ye bring H935 all that I command H6680 you; your burnt offerings, H5930 and your sacrifices, H2077 your tithes, H4643 and the heave offering H8641 of your hand, H3027 and all your choice H4005 vows H5088 which ye vow H5087 unto the LORD: H3068
But unto the place H4725 which the LORD H3068 your God H430 shall choose H977 out of all your tribes H7626 to put H7760 his name H8034 there, even unto his habitation H7933 shall ye seek, H1875 and thither thou shalt come: H935
[[A Song H7892 of degrees.]] H4609 LORD, H3068 remember H2142 David, H1732 and all his afflictions: H6031
He G3778 shall be G2071 great, G3173 and G2532 shall be called G2564 the Son G5207 of the Highest: G5310 and G2532 the Lord G2962 God G2316 shall give G1325 unto him G846 the throne G2362 of his G846 father G3962 David: G1138 And G2532 he shall reign G936 over G1909 the house G3624 of Jacob G2384 for G1519 ever; G165 and G2532 of his G846 kingdom G932 there shall be G2071 no G3756 end. G5056
In those days, H3117 and at that time, H6256 will I cause the Branch H6780 of righteousness H6666 to grow up H6779 unto David; H1732 and he shall execute H6213 judgment H4941 and righteousness H6666 in the land. H776 In those days H3117 shall Judah H3063 be saved, H3467 and Jerusalem H3389 shall dwell H7931 safely: H983 and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, H7121 The LORD our righteousness. H3072 For thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 David H1732 shall never H3808 want H3772 a man H376 to sit H3427 upon the throne H3678 of the house H1004 of Israel; H3478 Neither shall the priests H3548 the Levites H3881 want H3772 a man H376 before H6440 me to offer H5927 burnt offerings, H5930 and to kindle H6999 meat offerings, H4503 and to do H6213 sacrifice H2077 continually. H3117 And the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came unto Jeremiah, H3414 saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 If ye can break H6565 my covenant H1285 of the day, H3117 and my covenant H1285 of the night, H3915 and that there should not be day H3119 and night H3915 in their season; H6256 Then may also my covenant H1285 be broken H6565 with David H1732 my servant, H5650 that he should not have a son H1121 to reign H4427 upon his throne; H3678 and with the Levites H3881 the priests, H3548 my ministers. H8334 As the host H6635 of heaven H8064 cannot be numbered, H5608 neither the sand H2344 of the sea H3220 measured: H4058 so will I multiply H7235 the seed H2233 of David H1732 my servant, H5650 and the Levites H3881 that minister H8334 unto me. Moreover the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came to Jeremiah, H3414 saying, H559 Considerest H7200 thou not what this people H5971 have spoken, H1696 saying, H559 The two H8147 families H4940 which the LORD H3068 hath chosen, H977 he hath even cast them off? H3988 thus they have despised H5006 my people, H5971 that they should be no more a nation H1471 before H6440 them. Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 If my covenant H1285 be not with day H3119 and night, H3915 and if I have not appointed H7760 the ordinances H2708 of heaven H8064 and earth; H776 Then H1571 will I cast away H3988 the seed H2233 of Jacob, H3290 and David H1732 my servant, H5650 so that I will not take H3947 any of his seed H2233 to be rulers H4910 over the seed H2233 of Abraham, H85 Isaac, H3446 and Jacob: H3290 for I will cause their captivity H7622 to return, H7725 H7725 and have mercy H7355 on them.
What shall one then answer H6030 the messengers H4397 of the nation? H1471 That the LORD H3068 hath founded H3245 Zion, H6726 and the poor H6041 of his people H5971 shall trust H2620 in it.
Of the increase H4766 of his government H4951 and peace H7965 there shall be no end, H7093 upon the throne H3678 of David, H1732 and upon his kingdom, H4467 to order H3559 it, and to establish H5582 it with judgment H4941 and with justice H6666 from henceforth even for H5704 ever. H5769 The zeal H7068 of the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 will perform H6213 this.
For the LORD H3068 hath chosen H977 Zion; H6726 he hath desired H183 it for his habitation. H4186 This is my rest H4496 for ever: H5703 here will I dwell; H3427 for I have desired H183 it.
Not for thy righteousness, H6666 or for the uprightness H3476 of thine heart, H3824 dost thou go H935 to possess H3423 their land: H776 but for the wickedness H7564 of these nations H1471 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 doth drive them out H3423 from before H6440 thee, and that he may perform H6965 the word H1697 which the LORD H3068 sware H7650 unto thy fathers, H1 Abraham, H85 Isaac, H3327 and Jacob. H3290
Nevertheless my lovingkindness H2617 will I not utterly take H6331 from him, nor suffer my faithfulness H530 to fail. H8266 My covenant H1285 will I not break, H2490 nor alter H8138 the thing that is gone out H4161 of my lips. H8193 Once H259 have I sworn H7650 by my holiness H6944 that I will not lie H3576 unto David. H1732 His seed H2233 shall endure for ever, H5769 and his throne H3678 as the sun H8121 before me. It shall be established H3559 for ever H5769 as the moon, H3394 and as a faithful H539 witness H5707 in heaven. H7834 Selah. H5542
I will be his father, H1 and he shall be my son: H1121 and I will not take H5493 my mercy H2617 away H5493 from him, as I took H5493 it from him that was before H6440 thee: But I will settle H5975 him in mine house H1004 and in my kingdom H4438 for ever: H5769 and his throne H3678 shall be established H3559 for H5704 evermore. H5769
And the LORD H3068 said, H559 I will remove H5493 Judah H3063 also out of my sight, H6440 as I have removed H5493 Israel, H3478 and will cast off H3988 this city H5892 Jerusalem H3389 which I have chosen, H977 and the house H1004 of which I said, H559 My name H8034 shall be there.
And he built H1129 altars H4196 in the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 of which the LORD H3068 said, H559 In Jerusalem H3389 will I put H7760 my name. H8034
For I will defend H1598 this city, H5892 to save H3467 it, for mine own sake, and for my servant H5650 David's H1732 sake.
And the LORD H3068 was gracious H2603 unto them, and had compassion H7355 on them, and had respect H6437 unto them, because of H4616 his covenant H1285 with Abraham, H85 Isaac, H3327 and Jacob, H3290 and would H14 not destroy H7843 them, neither cast H7993 he them from his presence H6440 as yet. H5704
And I will for this afflict H6031 the seed H2233 of David, H1732 but not for ever. H3117
But I will take H3947 the kingdom H4410 out of his son's H1121 hand, H3027 and will give H5414 it unto thee, even ten H6235 tribes. H7626 And unto his son H1121 will I give H5414 one H259 tribe, H7626 that David H1732 my servant H5650 may have a light H5216 alway H3117 before H6440 me in Jerusalem, H3389 the city H5892 which I have chosen H977 me to put H7760 my name H8034 there.
Wherefore the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Solomon, H8010 Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept H8104 my covenant H1285 and my statutes, H2708 which I have commanded H6680 thee, I will surely H7167 rend H7167 the kingdom H4467 from thee, and will give H5414 it to thy servant. H5650 Notwithstanding in thy days H3117 I will not do H6213 it for David H1732 thy father's H1 sake: but I will rend H7167 it out of the hand H3027 of thy son. H1121
But my mercy H2617 shall not depart away H5493 from him, as I took H5493 it from Saul, H7586 whom I put away H5493 before H6440 thee. And thine house H1004 and thy kingdom H4467 shall be established H539 for H5704 ever H5769 before H6440 thee: thy throne H3678 shall be established H3559 for H5704 ever. H5769
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Kings 11
Commentary on 1 Kings 11 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 11
This chapter begins with as melancholy a "but' as almost any we find in all the Bible. Hitherto we have read nothing of Solomon but what was great and good; but the lustre both of his goodness and of his greatness is here sullied and eclipsed, and his sun sets under a cloud.
1Ki 11:1-8
This is a sad story, and very surprising, of Solomon's defection and degeneracy.
1Ki 11:9-13
Here is,
Upon this message which God graciously sent to Solomon, to awaken his conscience and bring him to repentance, we have reason to hope that he humbled himself before God, confessed his sin, begged pardon, and returned to his duty, that he then published his repentance in the book of Ecclesiastes, where he bitterly laments his own folly and madness (ch. 7:25, 26), and warns others to take heed of the like evil courses, and to fear God and keep his commandments, in consideration of the judgment to come, which, it is likely, had made him tremble, as it did Felix. That penitential sermon was as true an indication of a heart broken for sin and turned from it as David's penitential psalms were, though of another nature. God's grace in his people works variously. Thus, though Solomon fell, he was not utterly cast down; what God had said to David concerning him was fulfilled: I will chasten him with the rod of men, but my mercy shall not depart from him, 2 Sa. 7:14, 15. Though God may suffer those whom he loves to fall into sin, he will not suffer them to lie still in it. Solomon's defection, though it was much his reproach and a great blemish to his personal character, yet did not so far break in upon the character of his reign but that it was afterwards made the pattern of a good reign, 2 Chr. 11:17, where the kings are said to have done well, while they walked in the way of David and Solomon. But, though we have all this reason to hope he repented and found mercy, yet the Holy Ghost did not think fit expressly to record his recovery, but left it doubtful, for warning to others not to sin upon presumption of repenting, for it is but a peradventure whether God will give them repentance, or, if he do, whether he will give the evidence of it to themselves or others. Great sinners may recover themselves and have the benefit of their repentance, and yet be denied both the comfort and credit of it; the guilt may be taken away, and yet not the reproach.
1Ki 11:14-25
While Solomon kept closely to God and to his duty there was no adversary nor evil occurrent (ch. 5:4), nothing to create him any disturbance or uneasiness in the least; but here we have an account of two adversaries that appeared against him, inconsiderable, and that could not have done any thing worth taking notice of if Solomon had not first made God his enemy. What hurt could Hadad or Rezon have done to so great and powerful a king as Solomon was if he had not, by sin, made himself mean and weak? And then those little people menace and insult him. If God be on our side, we need not fear the greatest adversary; but, if he be against us, he can made us fear the least, and the very grasshopper shall be a burden. Observe,
1Ki 11:26-40
We have here the first mention of that infamous name Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that made Israel to sin; he is here brought upon the stage as an adversary to Solomon, whom God had expressly told (v. 11) that he would give the greatest part of his kingdom to his servant, and Jeroboam was the man. We have here an account,
1Ki 11:41-43
We have here the conclusion of Solomon's story, and in it,