SOLOMON’S DOWNFALL AND DEATH Here, the Holy Book presents to us a very painful narrative; that of the downfall of Solomon’s personality; Its summary, as referred to by the Holy Book after several centuries (Nehemiah 13: 26). is that, because of the seduction of his foreign wives, he apostatized from the true pure worship; Solomon, who dedicated his heart to the love of God, turned it to the foreign women. He, who started by caring for his people by love, got preoccupied with his own palace, and his huge establishments, and burdened his people with high taxes and forced labor. Feeling the enormity of such serious and extreme turn from a king who dedicated the energies of his people to the account of the kingdom of God, and who was internationally famed for wisdom and godliness, to someone sunk in carnal lusts, and idol-worship, Some scholars believed that there are exaggeration in what was told about him, whether on the aspect of godliness or that of wickedness. According to some, it would be impossible for Solomon to turn over to such a horrible portrait, after enjoying such exalted splendor. It is a great lesson which practically shows the possibility of diversion and corruption, under any circumstances, and at any age, whatever are the believer’s past experience, works, possibilities or wisdom. Bathsheba played a wise and important role in the enthronement of her son Solomon, and in opposing the plot of Adonijah his brother. And she provided her son with counsels that would support him in his reign; particularly warning him against marrying heathen foreign women (Proverb 31: 3); which he unfortunately did not heed. Having touched by himself what dwelt upon his father David and all his family, as a consequence of falling into covetousness, Solomon did not benefit from such a serious lesson. https://coptic-treasures.com/ The last chapter mentioned how Solomon disobeyed the divine commandment to the kings, concerning not to multiply horses (Deuteronomy 17: 16), nor gold and silver for themselves. Now, this chapter reveals Solomon’s disregard of the divine commandment not to be bound in marriage to foreign heathen women. So the Holy Book introduced to us the person of Solomon, as a serious example of falling down after enjoying heavenly wisdom, glory, and greatness. Going through the serious experience of being bound to heathen women, Solomon provided us in his book of proverbs with the fact that the love of such women “has cast down many wounded, and all who were slain by her were strong men” (proverb 7: 26) The heathen women: Through practical experience, king Solomon warns us in chapters 5 to 7 of his book of proverbs, against the snares of the heathen woman, whose voice is smoother than oil. He who inclines his inner ears to the voice of the deceptive adulteress, with its apparent sweetness, will not be able to incline them to the voice of wisdom. The first book of the kings gives us the bitter narrative of Solomon himself, who, having inclined his ears to the foreign women, he lost the kingdom of God that was in his depths. “King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh … When he was old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David; … Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord as did his father David” (1 kings 11: 1-6). The Sage seeks from us to avoid anything that may draw us to the sin of adultery; or may even incline toward it through the mind; as the covetous thoughts are deadly to all the seeds of virtue; and those who fall into their snares, will be close to the gates of the pit. If the lips of the believer who listens to the voice of wisdom, utter knowledge, “the lips of an amoral woman drip honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. But in the end she is bitter https://coptic-treasures.com/ as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword” (Proverb 5: 3-4). The lips and mouth here, probably refer to the kisses that stir up evil, together with the deceptive emotional words. + Someone gives the following counsel: [Don’t look at the beauty of the foreign woman; and avoid the encounter of an adulteress; … The adulteress does not know how to love, but knows how to hunt; her kisses are full of poison, and her mouth is full of a harmful narcotic; although its effect may linger for a while, for she hides her deadly destruction, and does not let it be apparent from the start. + I know that the features of the adulteress may seem acceptable; For the Book says: “The lips of the foreign woman drip honey”. That is why I try hard not to let you experience this honey, which will soon turn into bitter wormwood; which, according to the Holy Book: “It may be smooth as oil to your throat, but, in the end will be as bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword”. (St. John Chrysostom) ----------------------------------------------- CHAPTER 11 SOLOMON’S WOMEN AND HIS APOSTASY Solomon seems to have surpassed his father David in a number of aspects: He sought from God the wisdom, and did not seek glory nor riches; He built the temple that his father longed to build; By the extension of his kingdom, the divine promise to Abraham was fulfilled; Peace prevailed on his kingdom, that enjoyed a good, and well-organized system of reign; And he had got great riches and glory. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Yet, on that exalted kingdom, a serious dark cloud of sin eventually prevailed; namely, the king’s marriage to heathen women, most of whom were the daughters of foreign princes. By falling into such political marriages, Solomon committed a crime in the sight of the Lord his God, against his own people, and himself, as his heart turned away from God (1 kings 11: 1-8). It was the custom between nations, that a weak king gives one of his beautiful daughters, or women, in marriages, to a strong king; to assure having some kind of intimacy, and hence of peace and security; and a sort of guarantee that the strong king would never have an intention of animosity against him. It was known as a ‘peace offering’. Solomon fell into that custom to appease men, at the expense of his relationship with God. He took for himself heathen women as wives and concubines, from the surrounding nations, to have favor in the sight of the non-believers, at the expense of his faith and spiritual life. And having been famous on the level of the whole world at that time, he had 700 wives, and 300 concubines. In the East, the greatness of a king was measured according to the number of wives and concubines he has in the women’s wing. Hence, according to some, Solomon’s greatest sin was not his carnal lust, as much as it was his desire for greatness; although the later drew him to fell into the former, as well as into idol-worship. He who built the great temple, stretched his hand to build altars for idols. The idol-worship which king David did much to uproot, was brought back by his son Solomon, even in his own royal palace. It is as though the same hand that God used to set a golden era, stretched to destroy that glory. 1- Solomon attachment to heathen women 1 - 3 2- Solomon’s heart turned after his women’s gods 4 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 3- Solomon turns toward idol-worship 5 - 8 4- God’s warning to Solomon 9 - 13 5- The Lord stirs up adversaries to chastise Solomon 14 - 29 6- The prophet Ahijah prophesies the division of the kingdom 30 - 39 7- Solomon seeks to kill Jeroboam 40 8- The death of Solomon 41 – 42 1- SOLOMON ATTACHMENT TO HEATHEN WOMEN: (1 – 3) “But king Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh; women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites” (1) Solomon’s enjoyment of the exalted heavenly wisdom, did not commit him to godly life; for, by his own free will, he diverted to serious faults, and sins, corruptive to faith. On him applies the divine words, said to the angel of the Laodiceans: “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’, and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3: 17); And the words of the apostle Paul to the Galatians: “Are you so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3: 3). In a certain tradition, it came that Solomon married the daughter of Hiram, king of Tyre, a Sidonian. The grace forsook him, whose godly father had got divine promises that his own son will be set a king, and that he will build a house for His name. … He diverted, who was spiritually raised by his mother Bathsheba (Proverb 31: 1-3). … He fell, who was taught by the prophet Nathan The love of women turned away the heart of the wise, godly, mighty king Solomon. It was the rock that broke his ship in the midst of the ocean of this world. Being no more able to https://coptic-treasures.com/ save himself of this calamity, he became in need of God’s grace to save him. It was befitting of him to know how to direct his heart toward the true love. + Far from it to say to you: [Do not ever love anything?]; For if you do not, you would be cold-blooded, dead, miserable, and hateful. … Go ahead and love! But be careful whom you love. (St. Augustine) According to the scholar Origen, uniting to a wife refers to the unity of the soul to wisdom and virtue. But getting connected to foreign women and concubines, would otherwise refer to that Solomon’s soul connected to temporal philosophies. According to St. Augustine, having concubines refers to that Solomon’s soul sojourned from having common citizenship with the people of God, and embraced every thought strange to faith. “From the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, ‘You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. For surely, they will turn away your hearts after their gods’. Solomon clung to these with love” (2) Saying, himself, that stolen waters are sweet; Solomon assumed that his happiness lies in uniting with those women forbidden for him; in whose softness, sweetness of talk, and looseness of attires, he found the pleasure he did not find in Pharaoh’s daughter, his lawful wife, nor in the Jewish women. He clung to them with love; became fond of them, spent most of his time with them, and admired their talk. In the old, men of the East used to boast their greatness, not by the size of their possessions, gold, and horses, as much as by the number of their women. Although women represent the weak, and lesser side of man, yet it is the side most active on him, and on his whole family. Solomon, whose women turned his heart to their gods; has been https://coptic-treasures.com/ a living example of such a fac Hence the Holy Book warned against the heathen women (Exodus 16; 34: 15; Deuteronomy 7: 1-3; Ezra 2, 9: 1; 10: 3; Nehemiah 13: 23). “He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines; and his wives turned away his heart” (3) Yet, in his sermon in which he proclaimed his repentance and remorse, he testified that he did not find a good one among them. King David did wrong by marrying more than one woman, not aware that by doing that he opened the door before his own son to get attached to one thousand women, with the assumption that it is within his right as a king. It is difficult for a believer, with the fear of the Lord in his heart, to have a second wife, even if his first one passes away; How, then, could Solomon, surrounded by a thousand wife and concubine, keep the fear of the Lord in himself?! … It was befitting of him, he who got the heavenly wisdom, to be committed to what it proclaims; namely, to be attached to one wife. But, having allowed himself to be attached to a second one, who turned to be not enough for him; assumed that he would follow the example of his father, and would not exceed the number of wives he had; Yet having opened that door, he could not control himself to keep at a certain limit. For lust knows no control, unless the grace of God works in him. 2- SOLOMON’S HEART TURNED AFTER HIS WOMEN’S GODS: (4) “For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David” (4) As Solomon died when he was 60 years old, according to some scholars, by saying: “when Solomon was old”, he means, when he was 5o or 55 years old.. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Assuming that he could keep his worship of the living true God, beside his worship of the gods of his women, he was not aware that his heart was no more loyal to the Lord his God, nor walking completely after Him. We cannot say that he has utterly forsaken the worship of the living God, but, being preoccupied with other things, he became lukewarm in his worship. When Solomon had the hot Spirit, he could draw Pharaoh’s daughter to worship the living God, but when he became lukewarm, his foreign women drew him after their gods. He probably embraced some thoughts like the modern ones, proclaiming that, as long as all kinds of worship exhort good behavior, there would be nothing wrong to follow any of them?! + David, the good man, after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13: 14), happened later to commit murder and adultery (2 Samuel 11). And Solomon, whom God granted every grace and wisdom, was led by his women to idol-worship. It was the Son of God, alone, who was kept without sin up to the end (Hebrew 4: 15). (The scholar Tertullian) + Solomon, the son of David, just like his father David, fell into the same snare, and because of the desire for women, he turned away from the God of his fathers. (St. John Chrysostom) + Solomon sang commending wisdom (1 kings 4: 33); Yet, because of the desire for women, he apostatized from God. And to perceive that this could happen even with the closest of kin, ‘Amnon’ David’s son was enflamed with unlawful desire for his own sister ‘Tamar’ (2 Samuel 13). (St. Jerome) 3- SOLOMON TURNS TOWARD IDOL-WORSHIP: (5-8) https://coptic-treasures.com/ “For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites” (5) Ashtoreth or Venus, a Canaanite goddess connected to fertility; bound to Ishtar in Babel and Assyria, as the goddess of sexual love, motherhood, and fertility, has been the main female goddess for all the Canaanite tribes; her worship moved from Tyre to Cartage, where it greatly flourished. She was the goddess of the moon worshipped by the Greeks and the Romans, under the name Aphrodite, and sometimes Urania, Coelestis, Juno, and other names. According to its own traditions; her priestesses officially practiced adultery, and her worship was bound to that of a male god by the name of Baal; symbolizing the moon and the sun. In the days of king Josiah, her worship was utterly banned in Israel (2 kings 23: 13). Presenting to us a literate piece about the fall of Solomon in setting altars for the goddess Ashtoreth, ‘Milon says: Ashtoreth, called ‘Ashtar’ by the Sidonians; The queen of heavens, had two crescent horns; She shined with splendor at night by the moon; To her, the virgins of Sidon offered vows and songs; In Jerusalem, they did not cease to sing, standing in long cues; Her temple was set on the Mount of Offense; By the king who was fond of, and submitted to his women; His heart, though wide, yet, through his beautiful heathen women, he turned away after the defiled idols; And ended up losing the paradise. https://coptic-treasures.com/ According to some, Solomon turning after his women, built altars for foreign gods, where sacrifices were offered and incense was burnt. Yet the Holy Book did not mention that he, himself, partook of those worships, offered sacrifices, nor burned incense. To Milcom or Moleck, the abomination of the Ammonites; a Canaanite name, meaning (king) (Leviticus 18: 21; Acts 7: 43), the Ammonites used to offer human sacrifices. Its idol was made of bronze, with the head of a calf on which there was a crown. In the hollow body and throne, they used to ignite a fire, and on the two hands, red-hot with heat, the priest put a child sacrifice to burns quickly, and his screams would not be heard amid the high sound of drums. The Jews fell into that worship which was strongly condemned by the prophets along the generations; and because they held fast to it, God’s wrath dwelt upon them. Molock, according to the idol-worshipping Canaanites, was the king of hell,. Melcom bound to Chemosh, the abomination of the Moabites, who were called the nation of Chemosh (Numbers 21: 29; Jeremiah 48: 46). The image of Chemosh, god of the sun, worshipped as a king on his people, and as the god of war, was put on some coins, carrying a sword or spear, with two flames on his sides (Numbers 21: 29). Engraved on a Moabite stone, was a phrase by which Mesh king of Moab (2 kings 3: 4) referred his conquests to god Chemosh. There was close relationship between Chemosh and Melcom, god of the Ammonites (Judges 11: 24; 1 kings 11: 5); in both, children were offered as sacrifices(2 kings 27). “Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as did his father David. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon” (6-7) https://coptic-treasures.com/ Unfortunately, after building the temple, which was considered as the most holy place in the world at that time, Solomon set high places, like that of ‘Tophet’. The daughter of Pharaoh differed from the rest of Solomon’s women; We did not hear that she ever built a temple for the god Ammon or for the goddess Isis. It is obvious that the mountain east of Jerusalem was the ‘Mount of Olives’ (Zechariah 14: 4), to which later, because of the idol-worship temples built on it in the days of Solomon, was given the name of ‘Mount of offence” Those temples came opposite to the temple of Jehovah; And from the pool of ‘Siloam’, only few yards far from it, the priests working in the temple of the Lord, and those working in that of the idol, used to draw water for their work. According to the early travelers of the east, in their days, the high place of Chemosh was located at the northern quarter; whereas that of Molech was located at the southern quarter. Earlier, we used to hear about Solomon, beloved by the Lord (2 Samuel 12: 24); in whom He was delighted (1 kings 10: 9). Now we hear that God became angry with him, on account of that he turned away to sin. The two times God appeared to Solomon, the first before the temple was built, and the second time during its dedication, came to be for the judgment of Solomon, who did not abide in attaching to the Lord with complete faithfulness. Despite the reforms carried out later on by Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, and Hezekiah, those locations of idol-worship remained in place until the days of Josea; probably left to be used as places of worship for the foreigners who come to Jerusalem for trade business. https://coptic-treasures.com/ “And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods” (8) The heathens used to burn the incense first, then present the sacrifice, particularly in the worship of ‘Hither Asia’; an order that became a custom received by the generations directly following the fall; burning the incense being a symbol of prayer and supplication to God, to be followed by proclaiming the need for reconciliation through the blood. The prophet Jeremiah was probably thinking of the fall of Solomon, when he listened to the voice of God rebuking the apostate people, saying: “Has a nation changed its gods, which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory, for what does not profit. Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid; be very desolate’, says the Lord, For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns – broken cisterns that can hold no water’” (Jeremiah 2: 11-13) Yes indeed, It is befitting of us to raise a lamentation upon Solomon, as we stand confused, and marvel how he, who sought the heavenly wisdom, to walk heavenly, would end up as dust! … How he, around whom the gold accumulated without limit, would, himself, become dross! … How he, to whom the kings of the earth came to ask counsel, had acquired the idiocy of those heathen women! … How he, the elder, had become a slave of such youthful desires! … How he, who dedicated the beginning of his royal life, the energies of his people, and those of the surrounding nations, to build the temple of God, ended up building temples for idol-worship! 4- GOD’S WARNING TO SOLOMON: (9 – 13) “So the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice” (9) https://coptic-treasures.com/ Sin is very sinful, and whoever commits it would never be endured by God. Solomon, who has been the object of delight of God, and to whom He appeared twice; having sinned, and went far in it, God became angry with him. The story of Solomon will remain a lesson for every believer. Let him whoever is standing up, beware, lest he falls. Let us all cry-out together with the psalmist, saying: “My sin is ever before me” (Psalm 51: 3); not to despair, but to cast oneself into the bosom of God, and to attach oneself to the divine grace. Despite God’s appearance twice to Solomon, yet he turned away from Him. Every believer, and every leader, should, therefore beware lest his eyes would turn away from the vision of God, transfiguring in his heart. For the enemy aims his arrows, more, toward the shepherd and the leader, in order to scatter the flock, and to destroy the weak souls. “And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods, but he did not keep what the Lord had commanded” (10) Solomon who commanded his people to keep his commandments, and to submit to him in obedience; he, himself, did not keep God’s commandments, nor committed himself to submit to Him. + Solomon who brought chariots from Egypt, had become a victim of evil desires; … According to the prophet Jeremiah: “They were like well-fed lusty stallions; everyone neighed after his neighbor’s wife” (Jeremiah 5: 8). No doubt the Lord would not find pleasure in such an attitude. (St. Jerome) “Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, ‘Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My https://coptic-treasures.com/ statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you, and give it to your servant” (11) The divine message came that Solomon will drink from the same cup which he had set. The way he rebelled against the Lord his God, and did not submit to Him, his own kingdom will rebel against him; he will lose ten tribes to his servant Jeroboam. Rebellion, therefore destroys the kingdom of the rebel, and takes away his authority, glory, and riches. “Nevertheless, I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However I will not tear away the whole kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen” (12-13) By chastisement, God, the longsuffering, warned Solomon, yet He allowed for it to be postponed till the days of his son Rehoboam, who was to succeed him on the throne. The chastisement were to be conducted as follows: 1- By postponing it for the sake of his father David, the Lord gives Solomon the chance to repent and to repair what he had corrupted. If God, for the sake of the righteous David did not allow for the division of the kingdom to happen in Solomon’s days, it was befitting of the later to return to the godly life to present a blessing to his seed. 2- The dissension would take place in the days of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, from one of the foreign women, an Ammonite (1 king 14: 21), who most probably had an important role in provoking idol-worship in Israel. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 3- God did not tear away the whole kingdom, but left one tribe to Solomon’s son, to give hope to the kings of Judah, that if they return to God with their whole heart, God would let them have all the other tribes back. In other words, the way Solomon gradually apostatized from his faithfulness to the Lord, the chastisement also came gradually, and not by tearing away the whole kingdom. The tribe of Benjamin was left to the descendants of Solomon for the sake of his father David, and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city on which the name of the Lord was called. … God did not say: ‘For the sake of the temple’; For by Solomon’s fall in idol-worship, and his disobedience to God, What he has previously done, whatever was his intention and expenses, would not intercede for him nor for his descendants. By giving one tribe to Solomon’s son – probably meant that of Judah -- on account of that it was so great a tribe and numerous in number, to dissolve the tribe of Benjamin in it -- was left by God to him, to realize His promise to David, that from his seed, the Messiah, the true King will come. That is why God did not destroy the tribe of Judah, and did not take the royal feature out of it, till the day of the coming of the Lord King; and for the sake of Jerusalem, as well, being a symbol of the church. It is as though God did not take away the royal feature from Solomon’s seed, that from it, the King, the Son of David, and His bride, the holy church, the true Jerusalem would come. 4- By His chastisement on Solomon, God confirms that He does not take revenge for Himself, but opens the door of hope before him for repentance; Hence He did not utterly reject him; but in him the words of God to his father David was realized, saying: “If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the blows of the sons of men; but my mercy shall not depart from him” (2 Samuel 7: 14, 15). It is obvious that that warning had its activity in Solomon’s life; as we see him present repentance in his book of Ecclesiastes, proclaiming his great remorse for his foolishness and idiocy; and seeking from the believers to beware of evil, to fear the Lord, and to keep His commandments. https://coptic-treasures.com/ To those who wonder whether Solomon had truly repented in his last days, the Holy Book, talking about the good men, hinted to this, by saying: “They walked in the way of David and Solomon” (2 Chronicles 11: 17). Yet, according to some, it did not openly refer to it, to exhort the reader to beware of sin, and not persist on evil, claiming that in the end, they will repent like Solomon. The Lord raises up adversaries against Solomon: The Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon in the person of Hadad the Edomite. Although Solomon never met him nor did him any harm, yet Hadad intended to avenge what David has previously done to his people, when the head of his army, Joab, killed every male in Edom. It is amazing how he says: “The Lord raises up adversaries”. As long as we are in this world, together with the gifts of God, we need the presence of some kind of affliction, to be like a watch dog, to keep man from haughtiness and self-boasting, because of his success, riches, or honor. By allowing for the presence of an adversary to the believer, God intends for him to walk along the narrow way, borne on the divine arms. In the last days of Solomon, adversaries to his reign increased in number: Hadad the Edomite, in the south-east of his kingdom; Rezon the Syrian in the north-east; his servant Jeroboam in the north of Israel; and the king of Egypt who gave refuge to the rebellious Jeroboam. Ahijah the prophet prophesied to Jeroboam that he will be king on ten tribes after the death of Solomon. According to some, a part of the tribe of Benjamin has been with Judah, and not the whole tribe (1 king12: 210; the same way concerning the tribe of Simon. 5- THE LORD STIRS UP ADVERSARIES TO CHASTISE SOLOMON: (14 – 19) The first adversary: Hadad the Edomite: https://coptic-treasures.com/ “Now the Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was a descendant of the king of Edom” (14) When Solomon sent to Hiram to help him in building the temple of the Lord, he could say then that he had no adversary (sataan) (1 kings 5: 4); that peace and security have prevailed on his kingdom; and that every man lived peacefully under his vine and his fig tree (1 kings 4: 25). But now, as Solomon built temples for idol-worship, God allowed for him to have several adversaries at the same time, particularly Hadad, Rezon, and Jeroboam. Although God postponed the chastisement until the days of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son; yet He allowed to set those three adversaries during Solomon’s days, to make him perceive the seriousness of the situation, and not to persist on falling into the sin, on the assumption that he and his seed live in peace and security. It would not be possible for Hadad the Edomite, Rezon, and Jeroboam, to bring harm upon Solomon, and to become his enemies, if Solomon had not made God, Himself, his enemy. As according to St. John Chrysostom, no one can harm any man, unless man harms himself. In his condolence letter, sent by St. Jerome to ‘Ostochiom’ to comfort her for her mother Paula’s death, he referred to her adversaries, saying: + Envy chases virtue. As according to ‘Horace’: Lightening strikes the top of the mountain. Do not marvel that I so refer to men and women; on account of that the Pharisees have succeeded to crucify our Lord Himself. All saints have got those who seek their harm. Even in paradise, there was the serpent by whose envy, death came to the world (Wisdom 2: 24). The Lord, therefore, by stirring up (Hadad the Edomite) against ‘Paula’, and through warning her by a thorn in her body, so https://coptic-treasures.com/ that she would not be puffed up (1 Corinthians 12: 7), nor boast her virtues, by comparing herself to other women, she reached the climax of perfection. (St. Jerome) ‘Hadad’, was a common name among the Edomites; a royal title, probably of Syrian origin, meaning (the sun) in Syria and Edom. ‘Hadad’ has been a prince in a royal house; As a little child, he fled to Egypt before the slaughter of Joab, together with a number of his father’s servants. There, he found favor in the sight of Pharaoh, who gave him his wife’s sister in marriage. In due time, God stirred up Hadad’s heart to provoke him to go back to his own country, to become a thorn in Solomon’s side. “For it happened, when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army, had gone up to bury the slain, after he had killed every male in Edom, …” (15) David started the battle and won (Psalm 6o: 6-23; 68; 118: 7-12); Then Joab set forth to complete the submission of Edom. According to some, Joab had gone up to bury the Israelites slain in the battle of the Valley of Salt, north of Araba; While according to others, he had gone up to complete killing every male in Edom. “(Because for six months Joab remained there with all Israel, until he had cut down every male in Edom), that Hadad fled to go to go to Egypt, he and certain Edomites of his father’s servants with him. Hadad was still a little child” (16-17) The animosity of Hadad and Rezon goes back to David’s days, but God allowed them to appear as two serious adversaries in Solomon’s days, to chasten him. For God, everything has its own proper time, to realize a particular goal. https://coptic-treasures.com/ “Then they arose from Midian, and came to Paran, and they took men with them from Paran and came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house, appointed food for him, and gave him land” (18) ‘Midian’, south of Judah, was inhabited by some nomadic tribes east of Edom (Numbers 7; 22: 4; 25: 15-35), Its capital ‘Midian’ was located on the River ‘Amon’. ‘Paran’, the desert called ‘Maze’, very close to south of Judah.. ‘Pharaoh’, king of the twenty-first dynasty; probably ‘Pausennes’. … Pharaos of Egypt used to care for making good relationship and friendship with the surrounding nations and kings “And Hadad found a great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him as wife the sister of his own wife, that is the sister of queen ‘Taphenes’” (19) ‘Taphenes’, the name of an Egyptian goddess; Pharaoh’s wife used to be called ‘Hagbiyreah’, namely, the (first lady) among the other wives of the king; Such a title, in the royal house of Judah, was usually given to the queen mother, to be taken over after her death, by the queen. “The sister of ‘Taphenes’ bore him ’Genubath’ his son, whom ‘Taphenes’ weaned in Pharaoh’s house. And ‘Genubath’ was in Pharaoh’s household among the sons of Pharaoh. Now when Hadad heard in Egypt that David rested with his fathers, and that Joab the commander of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, ‘Let me depart, that I may go to my own country’. Then Pharaoh said to him, ‘But what have you lacked with me that suddenly you seek to go to your own country?’. So he answered, ‘Nothing. But do let me go anyway’” https://coptic-treasures.com/ (20-22) Yes indeed, Hadad lacked nothing; but he would never find his true happiness except in his own country. So it is with the believer; who, even he lacks nothing in this world; if this temporal life smiles at him, and presents to him riches, glory, and honor, his true happiness will only be in his true home – the bosom of God the Father; the heaven, open before us all. Despite what Hadad enjoyed of gifts, pleasure, and glory in Egypt, and whatever honor and care he had in Pharaoh’s household; But what truly preoccupied his heart was to restore the honor of his country ‘Edom’; He, therefore, was waiting for the death of both David and Joab. Did Hadad return to Edom? Did he become a king over it?. … It is obvious that he did return, having become, together with Rezon adversaries to Solomon. According to some, he took back a great part of Edom, probably the Mountain of Edom, while the rest of it in the valley, like ‘Ezion-Geber’ remained in the hands of the Israelites. Others, depending on the phrase: “There was then no king in Edom, only a deputy of the king” (1 kings 22: 47); even until the days of Joram king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah; and on that saying: “Edom revolted against Judah’s authority, and made a king over themselves” (2 kings 8: 20), claim that Hadad did not reign over Edom. According to ‘Thenius’, what came in 1 kings 22: 47, 48, that in the days of Jehoshaphat, Hadad’s family was dead, and considering himself responsible for Edom, he appointed a deputy, until a king is enthroned; Jehoshaphat interfered in the inner political struggles in Edom. Another view depends on the phrase, saying: “(Rezon) was an adversary of Israel all the days of Solomon (besides the troubles that Hadad caused)” (25); that ‘Hadad’, setting forth from Egypt, did not reign over Edom, but came to ‘Rezon’ the Aramite, and supported him in opposing Solomon. And a third view says that Hadad and Rezon were one and the same person. https://coptic-treasures.com/ The second Adversary: Rezon the Aramite: “And God raised up another adversary against him, Rezon the son of Eliadah who had fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah” (23) Rezon is himself ‘Hezion’ who came in 1 kings 15: 18; probably one of the persons who took the throne out of Hadad’s family, that took it back after his death. + ‘Rezon’, who took the throne by force, a contemporary of Solomon; was one of the commanders of Hadad who was defeated by king David. At that time, Rezon and his men fled away, and lived together as highway robbers and thieves; then took over Damascus, where he reigned until David took it over, submitted Syria (Aram), and drove Rezon away. But after the diversion of Solomon, feeling that God forsook Israel, Rezon took back Damascus, was joined by Hadad, and became together adversaries of Solomon. + ‘Hezion’ (Hadad II) was a contemporary of Rehoboam. + ‘Tavrimom’ (Hadad III) was a contemporary of ‘Ebiam’. + ‘Benhadad’ (Hadad IV) was a contemporary of Asa. “So he gathered men to him, and became captain over a band of raiders, when David killed those of Zobah. And they went to Damascus and dwelt there, and reigned in Damascus. He was an adversary of Israel all the days of Solomon (besides the troubles that Hadad caused), and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Then Solomon’s servant, Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite from Zereda, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow, also rebelled against the king” (24 – 26) God set up Hadad and Rezon, the Gentiles, as adversaries of Solomon; Whereas Jeroboam, the Ephraimite, rebelled against the king. Born in Zereda in the Valley of Jordan, known as industrious and understanding, was appointed by Solomon as an overseer on the laborers from the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh (Joseph’s house), when he was repairing the wall of Jerusalem that was damaged as David took the city over from the Jebusites. Probably feeling that Solomon has put heavier burden on the two tribes Ephraim and Manasseh, he stirred up his tribe against the tribe of Judah, favored by the king; and in particular, against the royal family. At the beginning of the work, particularly during the building of the temple, Solomon cared not to put too much burden over his own people, leaving the heavier works to the captives of war. Yet, with the increase of the constructions, he had to change his policy; which made the tribes of Israel feel the pressure of the forced labor, beside the extremely high taxes. “And this what caused him to rebel against the king: Solomon had built the Millo and repaired the damages to the city of David his father. The man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor; and Solomon seeing that the young man was industrious, made him the officer over all the labor force of the house of Joseph. Now it happened at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilomite met him on the way, and he had clothed himself with a new garment; and the two were alone in the field” (27-29) https://coptic-treasures.com/ The Shelomite, means an inhabitant of Shiloh in Mount Ephraim, the first sanctuary for the people in the promised land (Joshua 18: 19; Judges 18: 31; 1 Samuel 4: 3). 6- THE PROPHET AHIJAH PROPHESIES THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM: (30- 39) “Then Ahijah took hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it into twelve pieces” (30) The new garment (salmaah) was worn by the prophet, and not by Jeroboam, as thought by some. One piece with four angles. It was a new garment, for he sets a new kingdom, the divided kingdom of Israel. “And he said to Jeroboam, ‘Take for yourself ten pieces, for this says the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to you” (31) According to Cyprian the martyr, the garment in the Holy Book refers to the church or the kingdom. That is why when the Lord Christ was crucified, His garment was not torn, but on it a lot was cast between the soldiers, for whoever gets it (John 19: 23, 24). The Lord did not wish for the church, the garment of Christ, to lose its unity. His garment was without seam, woven from top in one piece from up downward; namely, [This garment, bearing a unity coming down from the Father up in heaven, should never be torn by whoever receive and posses it; but without division, we receive the whole garment complete. He, who divides the church of Christ, cannot acquire His garment, “But he shall have one tribe for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel” (32) https://coptic-treasures.com/ Despite the unfaithfulness of man, God will remain faithful; He promised to keep the seed of David, until the coming of the Messiah, the Son of David (Ezekiel 21: 27). Although He chastens the house of David because of its diversion, yet He does not destroy it. Although Solomon proved to be a sinner, yet he was the seed of David, from which Christ, the Savior of sinners, would come. The divine promise would endure, to set from the seed of David a Lamp, referring to the Lord Christ, the Light of the world, who will shine, not only on the children of Israel, but on the Gentiles, as well. “Because they have forsaken Me, and worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Melcom the god of the people of Ammon; and have not walked in My ways to do what is right in My eyes, and keep My statutes and judgments, as did his father David. However, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, because I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of My servant David whom I chose because he kept My commandments and My statutes” (33- 34) + Who walked in the holiness and faithfulness of heart like him (David), to consummate the will of God; for whose sake forgiveness was given to his children when they sinned; and whose rights were kept for their descendants? (St. Ambrose) “But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand and give it to you – ten tribes. And to his son I will give one tribe, that My servant David will always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen for Myself, https://coptic-treasures.com/ to put My name there. So I will take you; and you shall reign over all your heart’s desires, and you shall be king over Israel. Then it shall be, if you heed all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did; then I will be with you and build for you an enduring house, as I built for David; and will give Israel to you” (35-38). The condition concerning the kingdom of Jeroboam was the same that was given to Solomon, for the continuation of his kingdom (1 Kings 3: 14; 6: 12; 9: 4); namely, faithfulness in keeping the divine commandment. But Jeroboam did not get a divine promise for the continuation of his kingdom, the way king David had; for it is impossible for the division of the kingdom to endure. Anyway, Jeroboam did not heed that condition; hence, once his son died, his family lost the throne (1 kings 15: 28) “And I will afflict the descendants of David because of this, but not forever” (39) By saying, “But not forever”, he refers to the Babylonian captivity to come, when the house David will lose the throne; then comes the Son of David, Jesus the Lord of glory, to reign forever. 7- SOLOMON SEEKS TO KILL JEROBOAM: (40) “Solomon, therefore sought to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon” (40) https://coptic-treasures.com/ Although the talk between the prophet Ahijah and Jeroboam was in secret; yet it so seems that Jeroboam, not waiting for the prophecy to be realized, started to plan things; and most probably to spread the news; Solomon heard, and perceived that Jeroboam was planning to take his kingdom by force. Coming to know the man whom God set to chastise him, who will divide the kingdom, and take ten tribes from it; it was befitting of Solomon to deal with the problem from its roots, by putting an end to the foreign idol-worship; but he instead sought to kill Jeroboam, with the assumption that he could then, control history; disregarding the role of God, Himself, the Maker of history. According to some, Shishak was, himself, king ‘Sesostris’. 8- THE DEATH OF SOLOMON: (41 – 42) “Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?. And the period that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. Then Solomon rested with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place” (41-43) Solomon reigned while he was young, and did good and exalted things, as well as extremely bad things. As to the former achievements: -- He enjoyed wisdom since his youth, loved it above all the glories of the world; and started his life with godliness. -- He built the unique temple; and the Lord appeared to him twice. -- He wrote the Holy Books: the proverbs, the Ecclesiastes, and the Song of songs. -- He established a great kingdom, of a great reputation in the world at the time. https://coptic-treasures.com/ -- He built a marine fleet, and cared for international trade. -- He established good relationships with the surrounding nations. -- He cared for constructions, and had exalted taste in architecture. -- He had great skill of management. -- He had great knowledge of many natural sciences. -- He was an author and a poet; and, because of his fame, it is believed that many eastern philosophers quoted his views. His proverbs and poems are kept in the ancient books of the East; although it is difficult to discern what is authentic and what is falsely referred to him. -- According to Josephus, Solomon wrote a multitude of recipes for healing illness, and driving demons out. -- According to many, Solomon had a magic ring, by which he used to practice magic, and heal the sick. And as much as he had of exalted fame in the ancient world, Solomon presents a painful example of how the great and mighty could miserably fall: -- He started by keeping the divine commandment, then fell into disobedience. -- Getting attached to a multitude of foreign wives and concubines, destroyed the purity of his heart toward God; and introduced idol-worship among his people. -- Exaggeration in construction exhausted his people, as far as their commitment to hard work, and the huge expenses. -- He sowed the seeds of division and dissension of the kingdom. ---------------------------- AN INSPIRATION FROM 1 KINGS 11 CONSUMMATE THE ROAD WITH ME, https://coptic-treasures.com/ FOR YOU ARE THE BEGINNING AND THE END + Perceiving that God is the Beginning; From his youth, he delivered his whole heart to him; Yet, along the way, he gave his heart to foreign idol-worshipping women. The heart that enjoyed God at the start of the way; Did not consummate it up to its end; The heart that was dedicated together with the temple; Came to follow the gods of his foreign women; The hand that stretched to build the temple of the Lord; Stretched to build high places for Chemosh and Melcom; + Be, O Lord, the beginning and the end of my way; Accompany me all the way, that my heart would be wholly Yours; I wish my heart does not falter between light and darkness; I wish the kingdom of Christ in my depths is not torn. + With love, You set for Solomon adversaries, to turn his soul back to you; Hadad the Edomite, who fled to Egypt in the days of David; He who forsook all the good gifts of Pharaoh to return to his land; And to be a thorn in Solomon’s back; He joined forces with Rezon the Aramite against Solomon; The prophet Ahijah prophesied to Jeroboam that he would enjoy reigning over ten tribes; + Send adversaries; For affliction is for the edification of my soul; Lead by Yourself my life all the way; I will deliver my life wholly in Your hands.
Welcome