Matthew Henry's Complete Bible Commentary

1 Kings 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. I. The glory of his piety is stained by his departure from God and his duty, in his latter days, marrying strange wives and worshipping strange gods, 1 Kings 11:4-11:8. II. The glory of his prosperity is stained by God’s displeasure against him and the fruits of that displeasure. 1. He sent him an angry message, 1 Kings 11:9-11:13. 2. He stirred up enemies, who gave him disturbance, Hadad (1 Kings 11:14-11:22), Rezon, 1 Kings 11:23-11:25. 3. He gave away ten tribes of his twelve, from his posterity after him, to Jeroboam, whom therefore he sought in vain to slay (1 Kings 11:26-11:40), and this is all that remains here to be told concerning Solomon, except his death and burial (1 Kings 11:41-11:43), for there is nothing perfect under the sun, but all is so above the sun. MHBCC 303.1